The Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM) is a series of prestigious races comprising Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York, Sydney and Tokyo. Runners who complete all races receive a medal. The WMM is hoping to add Cape Town and Shanghai to its list.
Marathon running has surged in popularity since the pandemic, when gym closures drove fitness fanatics to running. Over 1m people applied for the London Marathon in 2026—more than double the public ballot two years earlier. The New York City Marathon lottery also received its highest-ever number of applications, with only 1% of entrants given a race bib. London is in consultations to host a two-day event.
Gen-Z runners make up a growing share of marathon applicants and finishers.
The European Marathons Classics, a new eight-race challenge launched around 2026, also comes with a medal.
Never use "etc." -- it makes people think there is more where there is not or that there is not space to list it all, etc.