World Marathon Majors
The Majors from the UK
The Abbott World Marathon Majors still awards the Six Star medal for Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York. Sydney is a seventh Major; it does not count for Six Star. This catalog has trip pages for Tokyo Marathon, London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, New York City Marathon, and Sydney Marathon. Boston, Chicago, and Cape Town (a candidate Major) do not have trip pages yet.
5 races · 5 countries · 42.2 km (26.2 miles) · indicative weekends from £555
The 5 races
Open a trip page for indicative UK weekend cost, where to stay, and getting to the start.
Tokyo, Japan Tokyo Marathon
Impeccably organised, wildly enthusiastic and gloriously flat through neon Tokyo.
London, United Kingdom London Marathon
The world's biggest, loudest marathon down the Thames to Buckingham Palace.
Berlin, Germany Berlin Marathon
The flattest, fastest big-city course on earth and a world-record factory.
New York City, United States New York City Marathon
Five boroughs, two million spectators and a finish in Central Park.
Sydney, Australia Sydney Marathon
The newest World Major, over the Harbour Bridge to the Opera House.
Not in the catalog yet
The Majors guide covers these races, but we do not have a trip-cost page for them yet. Use the blog for entry routes and UK travel notes until those pages exist.
- Boston
- Chicago
- Cape Town
How the Six Star medal works
Six Star is still six races. Sydney does not replace a missing original. Confirm current rules before you log a medal. worldmarathonmajors.com .
- 1
Get the bib first
Every Major is a ballot, lottery, time qualifier, charity, or tour-operator path. Do not price hotels until the organiser confirms a place.
- 2
Plan the trip around recovery
London is the UK Major. Berlin is the short-haul PB. Tokyo, New York, and Sydney are long-haul: four nights is more honest than a smash-and-grab weekend.
- 3
Log results for Six Star
Create an AbbottWMM Runner Portal and attach finishes. Repeats in the same city do not add extra stars. Virtual editions do not count.
Which Major should you do first?
Do not collect them in calendar order. London plus Berlin is the UK-friendly pair. Add a long-haul when you can take the leave.
| If you want | Start with |
|---|---|
| No long-haul, biggest crowds | London |
| A PB and a short flight | Berlin |
| The bucket-list city weekend | New York |
| A Japan trip that justifies the jet lag | Tokyo |
| The newest Major | Sydney (not a Six Star race) |
Planning a Majors trip
- What are the World Marathon Majors?
- The Six Star medal is Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York. Sydney joined as a seventh Major in 2025 and does not count toward Six Star. Cape Town and Shanghai sit in the candidacy pipeline.
- Which World Marathon Majors are in the catalog?
- Trip pages exist for Tokyo Marathon, London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, New York City Marathon, and Sydney Marathon. Boston, Chicago, and Cape Town do not have trip pages yet. The UK Majors guide still covers entry routes for the missing races.
- How do you earn the Six Star medal?
- Finish the original six. There is no time limit. Virtual races do not count. Register results in the AbbottWMM Runner Portal.
- Is Sydney a World Marathon Major?
- Yes. Sydney joined in 2025 as the seventh race. It does not replace any of the original six, and it does not count toward the Six Star medal.
- Which Major is easiest for UK runners?
- London is the easiest trip: no long-haul flight. Berlin is the easiest serious PB attempt from the UK. Chicago has often been the simpler entry among the six, but it does not have a trip page here yet.
- What does a Major weekend cost from the UK?
- Indicative one-runner totals for the Majors in this catalog run from £555 to £1,680 (entry, UK flights where needed, and hotel). Long-hauls move the total more than the bib. Open a race page for the breakdown.
Other race trips
Same catalog, different list. Or skip the list and get a shortlist.