Which marathon type are you?
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
The Hall of Famers
Sure, only 0.1 per cent of the world’s 8.1bn people have run a marathon. But how about becoming one of the 0.0000001 per cent to run all six “majors” – London, New York, Berlin, Tokyo, Boston and Chicago? Only around 11,000 people have made it into the Abbott World Major Marathons Six Star Hall of Fame. “In China, the Six Stars has become a way to stand out on job applications,” says Brendan Fox, managing director of Destination Sport Experiences, which sells packages with guaranteed entry to Six Star majors via its running branch, Marathon Tours & Travel. Just don’t be surprised if people start to swerve you at parties.
Who’s there?
Spot the celeb. From champion runners like Eliud Kipchoge and Hellen Obiri to that YouTuber from Essex whose strength workouts you follow, the majors are a who’s who of the running community, with countless A-Z listers on the start line.
What to wear
Tracksmith’s Marathon Majors collection includes a limited-edition race kit for each of the Six Star events – think vests, shorts and caps printed with each city and year. It also sells cotton sweatshirts with “London”, “Tokyo”, “Boston”, etc, that are ideal merch to wear on #medalmonday as you hobble around with your medallion slung around your neck. Consider them the “I Heart NY” of the 42.2km. From £60
Tracksmith Boston singlet, £75
Tracksmith Boston shorts, £70
What to pack
A Shiftcam selfie stick (£45, amazon.co.uk) for your own live race vlog and the finish-line snap of you in your foil blanket with your medal between your teeth, as if it’s a rice cake: the Majors are nothing if not the ultimate opportunity for #running #content.
Where to stay
Close to the finish for the post-race flop. Accommodation sells out fast, and companies like Marathon Tours & Travel often block-book convenient hotels, so a package may be the most straightforward solution. The company can shepherd you to the start, so all you need to do is turn up and run 26.2 miles, six times. No biggie.
The Sub-3 Speedsters
OK, so you’ve run a marathon or two. What’s the next big challenge? Running a sub-3:00. Clocking in with a chip time of 179 minutes or less has become the must-do pursuit among male obsessives. (For women, who are naturally slower, sub-3:30 is equivalent to sub-3:00.) Alexandre Arnault, the LVMH scion and now executive vice president of product and communications at Tiffany & Co, finished the NYC marathon in 2:59:18 last November. On Instagram, he thanked his wife who had supported him “through every mood swing, every 5am long run, every carb-loading period…” Earn a bonus point for every minute under three hours.
What to wear
A fluorescent cap from Ciele or Soar (£40) so your cheer squad can spot you as you fly by; a pair of Hoka arm compression sleeves for the true “pro” look (£28), plus the same race shoes as Kipchoge (Nike Alphafly 3, £285). Lose three points if you overpay for them on StockX.
What to pack
BYOP – bring your own porridge – for fuelling. Birkenstock Bostons will be the SOS recovery kit your toes need. Plus a foam roller and Normatec’s recovery boots (£899) to ensure you can get out of bed the next day: you will feel like a bus hit you after running at 4:15/km for 42.2km.
Where to stay
Somewhere with decent room service and a rooftop pool for a smug morning swim, no matter the weather. Soho House and The Hoxton have branches in many race cities – runners are sticklers for routine. Both offer consistency, comfort and midnight carbs on demand. All eyes on the truffle fries.
The Gram’athoners
Sometimes it’s not about the finish line, but the social-media-documented journey. Why not organise a guerrilla race that will rack up viral views – the wilder and weirder, the better. Take inspo from Jonny Davies, a former rugby player-turned-runfluencer, who ran the entire length of the London Underground last year – 527km in 11 days – while William Goodge, a model and coach, ran 3,175 miles from Los Angeles to New York in 55 days, raising more than £102,000 for cancer research. Prefer to share the load? Take part in a DIY relay: The Speed Project, from LA to Las Vegas, and Crews to the Coast, from London to Margate, offer similar kudos.
Who’s there?
No Gram’athon is complete without an entourage to bring bags of supplies and real good vibes. Think of it as the new 18-30s jolly. Rope in a driver and at least one pal who’s good at taking BTS candids: what happens on tour goes on Instagram. Otherwise it didn’t happen. Bag an extra point for posts with more than 1k likes.
What to wear
Very little. This crew skews male and is ordinarily shorts-only – the vibe is very bare-chested bro with a heart rate monitor. For accessories, think mirrored Oakley sunglasses (£181) and a Whoop fitness band (from £16 a month).
What to pack
The mood is sexy-practical. Packets of Huel pasta (from £18.60) and a camping chair to live the true van life. Supergoop!’s sweat-resistant sunscreen (from $12); LMNT’s electrolytes; Puresport’s roll-on CBD balm; a dozen Compeed blister plasters (from £4.60) to combat the inevitable; a crisp towel for a roadside shower; a sweatband for good measure.
Huel Hot & Savoury pouch, from £18.60
Supergoop! Every. Single. Face. SPF50 watery lotion, $34
The Hot Bibbers
Every season, there’s one race that’s trending. This spring, it was Paris, thanks to the 2024 Olympics; the April marathon sold out four months in advance. For autumn, it’s Berlin, a renowned fast and flat race that is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Scoring a bib for either is like trying to get a ticket for Taylor Swift at the O2; even charities have long waiting lists.
Who’s there?
All the edgy running clubs, who descend on trendy coffee shops and cause chaos – all in the name of Long Distance Friendship. You’ll spot them flexing in holey “moth-tech” T-shirts from Parisian kit brand Satisfy, likely getting running-related tattoos in the corner of an afterparty from a guy wearing eight signet rings.
What to wear
It’s all about the in-the-know indie brands. Rainbow race sets from Soar (from £84) or Pruzan, sunnies from District Vision and socks from Shyu (A$30, about £15.50) that coordinate with super-shoe colourways. Don’t race in anything other than the limited-edition Berlin version of the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 trainers (£220): the brand sponsors the race.
What to eat
Maurten – for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Swedish sports fuel company has turned carb loading into a trendy pursuit. Go to bed with its 320g carb drink mix (from £44); for breakfast, chow down on its cocoa oat bars (£29.95 for 12), and pack its 40g carb gels in your pockets for mid-race (£39.95 for 10).
Where to stay
Adjacent to a bakery selling XXL pastries. Locke Hotels, in eastern Berlin’s artsy Friedrichshain, offers studio apartments with their own kitchenettes (from £170), as well as a co-working space and coffee shop. Ideal for pre-marathon fuelling without sacrificing aesthetics.
The Outbackers
Time to get primal and compete with nature’s finest – think a marathon take on the Pamplona bull run. Nike run coach Joe Holder competed in the Man Versus Horse ultra in Arizona last year: finishers get a cowboy belt buckle instead of a medal. Australia’s Kangaroo Island Marathon, held in September, has just 500 participants but is home to 65,000 kangaroos that run an average of 25km per hour. That’s faster than Kipchoge, so no, you won’t beat them. And if you’re feeling really brave, why not attempt the Aussie Challenge – Kangaroo Island and the Sydney Marathon, which are just a week apart…
What to wear
Running through national parks means it’s all about the trail shoes – Norda’s are the best around (from £220). Plus a Salomon hydration vest (from £55), which has a ton of pockets to store all the race-day essentials, and then some.
What to pack
A small digital camera to capture the action – look for a second-hand 2000s Canon on eBay for photos that feel perfectly atmospheric. Leave your cap at home and bring a bandana instead, plus a vibes-appropriate sunhat for after: Patagonia’s Quandary brimmer (£60) or Klättermusen’s Ansur (£69) will ensure you look the part. Also: Blundstone boots and a pair of cut-off denim shorts.
Blundstone leather #1918 Chelsea boots, £170
Patagonia Quandary Brimmer hat, £60
Where to stay
In Arizona, go back to basics and rent an Airstream: runners can pitch up for free at the race Base Camp outside Prescott. In Aus, book into Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, where 25 suites overlook the ocean 20 minutes’ drive from the start line. Then check yourself into the spa for a massage before the Sydney race.
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