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