The Running USA’s annual Largest Races Report shows in 2016 that the seven largest races each retained their 2015 ranking, while six races appeared in the top 50 for the first time. A comprehensive analysis of finisher totals at the nation’s largest road races, the report analyzes available finisher data for 2016.
Largest Races – Analysis: 2016
- The top seven races in the US in 2016 retained the same spots from 2015. They were:
- AJC Peachtree Road Race, retaining its top spot overall with 56,993 finishers in 2016, up from 54,752 finishers in 2015
- TCS New York City Marathon, BolderBOULDER, Lilac Bloomsday Run, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Blue Cross Broad Street Run and Bay to Breakers retained spots two through seven
- Six of the races have at least 30,000 runners, the same number as in 2015
- Orlando and Washington DC each have four races in the top 50 overall
- 17 of the top 50 races are half marathons, the most popular and most favored distance overall (as reported in the 2016 National Runner Survey)
Overall Rank 2016 |
Overall Rank 2015 |
Event Name | Finishers | City, State | Date | Distance |
1 | 1 | AJC Peachtree Road Race | 56,993 | Atlanta, GA | 07/04/16 | 10K |
2 | 2 | TCS New York City Marathon | 51,267 | New York City, NY | 11/06/16 | Marathon |
3 | 3 | BolderBOULDER | 44,671 | Boulder, CO | 05/30/16 | 10K |
4 | 4 | Lilac Bloomsday Run | 42,206 | Spokane, WA | 05/01/16 | 12K Run |
5 | 5 | Bank of America Chicago Marathon | 40,523 | Chicago, IL | 10/09/16 | Marathon |
6 | 6 | Blue Cross Broad Street Run | 34,237 | Philadelphia, PA | 05/01/16 | 10M Run |
7 | 7 | Bay to Breakers | 28,009 | San Francisco, CA | 05/15/16 | 12K Run |
8 | 10 | Brooklyn Half Marathon | 27,428 | Brooklyn, NY | 05/21/16 | Half Marathon |
9 | 8 | Cooper River Bridge Run | 26,804 | Charleston, SC | 04/02/16 | 10K |
10 | 9 | Boston Marathon | 26,640 | Boston, MA | 04/18/16 | Marathon |
11 | 18 | OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon |
24,768 | Indianapolis, IN | 05/07/16 | Half Marathon |
12 | 11 | Army Ten Miler | 24,008 | Washington DC | 10/09/16 | 10M Run |
13 | 17 | Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle | 23,379 | Chicago, IL | 04/03/16 | 8K Run |
14 | 12 | Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K | 23,127 | Richmond, VA | 04/10/16 | 10K |
15 | 16 | Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas | 22,086 | Las Vegas, NV | 11/12/16 | Half Marathon |
16 | 20 | Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend | 21,495 | Lake Buena Vista, FL | 01/06/16 | Half Marathon |
17 | 23 | Across the Bay 10K | 20,908 | Annapolis, MD | 11/06/16 | 10K |
18 | 21 | Los Angeles Marathon | 20,608 | Los Angeles, CA | 02/14/16 | Marathon |
19 | 19 | 12th Annual Pat’s Run | 20,385 | Tempe, AZ | 04/23/16 | 4.2M Run |
20 | 25 | United Airlines NYC Half | 20,140 | New York, NY | 03/20/16 | Half Marathon |
21 | 22 | Honolulu Marathon | 20,117 | Honolulu, HI | 12/11/16 | Marathon |
22 | 15 | Hot Chocolate 15K/5K – Chicago | 19,968 | Chicago, IL | 10/30/16 | 5K |
23 | 24 | Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend | 19,836 | Lake Buena Vista, FL | 01/06/16 | Marathon |
24 | 14 | Marine Corps Marathon | 19,690 | Washington DC | 10/30/16 | Marathon |
25 | — | Star Wars – The Dark Side Weekend | 18,162 | Orlando, FL | 04/16/16 | Half Marathon |
26 | 27 | St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville | 18,144 | Nashville, TN | 04/30/16 | Half Marathon |
27 | 26 | Disney’s Princess Half Marathon | 18,094 | Orlando, FL | 01/31/16 | Half Marathon |
28 | 38 | San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon | 16,814 | San Diego, CA | 06/05/16 | Half Marathon |
29 | 35 | Statesman Capitol 10K | 16,578 | Austin, TX | 04/10/16 | 10K |
30 | 29 | Crescent City Classic | 16,531 | New Orleans, LA | 03/26/16 | 10K |
31 | 28 | Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile | 16,009 | Washington DC | 04/03/16 | 10M Run |
32 | 33 | Great Aloha Run | 15,007 | Honolulu, HI | 02/15/16 | 8.1M Run |
33 | 30 | Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Marathon | 14,498 | Washington DC | 03/12/16 | Half Marathon |
34 | 32 | Gate River Run | 14,435 | Jacksonville, FL | 03/12/16 | 15K Run |
35 | 43 | Lifetime Miami Marathon, Half Marathon & Tropical 5k | 14,205 | Miami, FL | 01/23/16 | Half Marathon |
36 | 34 | Pittsburgh Marathon | 14,132 | Pittsburgh, PA | 05/01/16 | Half Marathon |
37 | 40 | The Ohio State 4 Miler | 13,844 | Columbus, OH | 10/23/16 | 4M Run |
38 | — | Santa Cruz to Capitola Wharf to Wharf Race | 13,667 | Santa Cruz, CA | 07/24/16 | 6M Run |
39 | 42 | Bellin Run | 13,143 | Green Bay, WI | 06/11/16 | 10K |
40 | 31 | Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend | 13,082 | Anaheim, CA | 09/01/16 | Half Marathon |
41 | — | Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot | 12,996 | San Jose, CA | 11/24/16 | 5K |
42 | — | Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend | 12,651 | Orlando, FL | 11/06/16 | Half Marathon |
43 | 36 | Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon | 12,248 | Philadelphia, PA | 09/18/16 | Half Marathon |
44 | 44 | Delaware YMCA Turkey Trot 8K Race | 12,243 | Buffalo, NY | 11/24/16 | 8K Run |
45 | 41 | Rock ‘n’ Roll Brooklyn | 12,197 | Brooklyn, NY | 10/08/16 | Half Marathon |
46 | — | Star Wars – The Dark Side Weekend | 12,171 | Orlando, FL | 04/16/16 | 10K |
47 | 39 | Thanksgiving Day Race | 12,155 | Cincinnati, OH | 11/24/16 | 10K |
48 | 37 | Surf City USA Marathon and Half Marathon | 11,947 | Huntington Beach, CA | 02/07/16 | Half Marathon |
49 | 49 | Gasparilla Distance Classic Race Weekend | 11,944 | Tampa, FL | 02/20/16 | 5K |
50 | — | New Balance Bronx | 11,788 | New York, NY | 09/25/16 | 10M Run |
Top Races by Distance: 2016
Distance | Race | Number of Finishers |
1 Mile | New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile | 6,148 |
2 Miles | Festival Food Turkey Trot (Green Bay) | 4,748 |
5K | Hot Chocolate 15K/5K (Chicago) | 19,968 |
3.5 Miles | Workforce Team Challenge (Albany) | 8,217 |
4 Miles | The Ohio State 4 Miler | 13,844 |
5 Miles | The Spring Lake Five Mile Run | 10,286 |
8K | Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K | 23,379 |
10 Miles | Blue Cross Broad Street Run 10 Miler | 34,237 |
10K | AJC Peachtree Road Race | 56,993 |
12K | Lilac Bloomsday Run | 42,206 |
15K | Gate River Run (Jacksonville) | 14,435 |
20K | Lake Monona 20K (Madison) | 1,320 |
25K | Firth Third River Bank Run | 4,798 |
Half Marathon | Brooklyn Half Marathon | 27,428 |
Marathon | TCS New York City Marathon | 51,267 |
Source: Running USA with Athlinks
Photo courtesy AJC Peachtree Road Race