Marathon participation spans the entire journey from ballot application to official finish. Recent figures from London, Boston, and Tokyo show strong demand, large international fields, substantial participation across older age groups, and very different ways of measuring who takes part.
In this article
- Demand for marathon places
- Major race participation totals
- Boston participation by division
- Boston participation by age
- Geographic reach of Boston
- Tokyo finish-time distribution
Demand for marathon places
Ballot applications measure interest in a race, not the number of people who ultimately start or finish. The 2024 TCS London Marathon ballot received 578,374 applications from the UK and overseas. This was reported for the 2023 ballot for the 2024 race by TCS London Marathon Events, whose source title is “First world record for 2024 TCS London Marathon Ballot.”
The previous TCS London Marathon ballot record was 457,861 applications for the 2020 race, based on the 2019 ballot. The 2024 figure therefore represents a markedly larger application pool, although the two figures describe applications for different race years rather than race-day attendance.
UK residents submitted 457,105 applications for the 2024 race. Within those UK applications, men accounted for 242,119, women for 212,179, and non-binary applicants for 2,807. The international ballot received 121,269 applications from non-UK residents. These categories describe applications and should not be read as the gender or residence profile of the final starting field.
| London ballot measure | Applications | Measurement period |
|---|---|---|
| Total UK and overseas applications | 578,374 | 2023 ballot for 2024 race |
| UK resident applications | 457,105 | 2023 ballot for 2024 race |
| UK men’s applications | 242,119 | 2023 ballot for 2024 race |
| UK women’s applications | 212,179 | 2023 ballot for 2024 race |
| UK non-binary applications | 2,807 | 2023 ballot for 2024 race |
| Non-UK resident applications | 121,269 | 2023 ballot for 2024 race |
Major race participation totals
Race organizers use several participation milestones. Entrants are registered participants, starters are people who begin, and finishers are people recorded as completing the course. Keeping those definitions separate matters when comparing events.
The 2024 TCS London Marathon had 54,218 people set out on race day. More than 51,000 finishers had crossed the line by 17:50, according to the race-day report. Because that report gives a “more than” figure at a stated time rather than a final total, it should not be treated as the event’s definitive final finisher count. The 2023 TCS London Marathon recorded 43,965 finishers. These figures come from “Records tumble as London celebrates its biggest marathon,” published by TCS London Marathon Events.
The same 2024 race weekend included 12,904 young runners in the TCS Mini London Marathon. That is a separate youth event figure, not part of the 54,218 people who set out in the full marathon.
Tokyo reported 36,697 marathon participants and 35,443 marathon finishers in 2024. Its official marathon completion rate was 96.6%. Those figures are reported in “Results and Records from Past Races TOKYO MARATHON 2024” by the Tokyo Marathon.
The Boston Marathon’s 2024 headline total was 25,640 finishers across its race divisions. The Boston Athletic Association’s historical record also reports that the 1996 Boston Marathon attracted 38,708 entrants, had 36,748 starters, and recorded 35,868 official finishers. In 2003, Boston set its maximum field size at 20,000 official entrants. More than 22,000 people finished the virtual 125th Boston Marathon in 2021. These historical figures are reported by the Boston Athletic Association in “History - Boston Athletic Association.”
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon results page reports that the event has welcomed more than 1,000,000 runners across its finish line since its 1977 founding. That is a cumulative historical total through the period reported on the source page, not a single-year field size.
Boston participation by division
Boston’s detailed 2024 statistics show how entrants, starters, and finishers relate within specific categories. The open runners category had 29,333 entrants, 26,495 starters, and 25,554 finishers, for a 96.5% finish rate. The headline total finisher figure includes open runners, wheelchair, and handcycle divisions; the detailed table keeps those categories separate.
| 2024 Boston category | Entrants | Starters | Finishers | Finish rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open runners | 29,333 | 26,495 | 25,554 | 96.5% |
| Male open runners | 16,714 | 15,017 | 14,578 | 97.1% |
| Female open runners | 12,566 | 11,429 | 10,928 | 95.6% |
| Non-binary open runners | 53 | 49 | 48 | 98.0% |
| Wheelchair | 49 | 48 | 47 | 97.9% |
| Handcycle | 45 | 41 | 39 | 95.1% |
The male open category included 16,714 entrants, 15,017 starters, and 14,578 finishers. Female open runners numbered 12,566 entrants, 11,429 starters, and 10,928 finishers. The reported finish rates were 97.1% for male open runners and 95.6% for female open runners.
The non-binary open category had 53 entrants, 49 starters, and 48 finishers, with a 98.0% finish rate. The wheelchair category had 49 entrants, 48 starters, and 47 finishers, with a 97.9% finish rate. The handcycle category had 45 entrants, 41 starters, and 39 finishers, with a 95.1% finish rate. All Boston division figures in this section come from “Boston Marathon 2024: Statistics” by the Boston Athletic Association.
Boston participation by age
The 2024 Boston Marathon age data show the largest listed entrant group was ages 18–39, with 10,798 entrants, 9,854 starters, and 9,510 finishers. Its finish rate was 96.5%. The 40–44 group had 4,184 entrants, 3,727 starters, and 3,623 finishers, with a 97.2% finish rate. The 45–49 group had 4,546 entrants, 4,083 starters, and 3,973 finishers, with a 97.3% finish rate.
Among the next age bands, ages 50–54 had 3,560 entrants, 3,217 starters, and 3,122 finishers, with a 97.1% finish rate. Ages 55–59 had 2,776 entrants, 2,507 starters, and 2,406 finishers, with a 96.0% finish rate. Ages 60–64 had 2,007 entrants, 1,806 starters, and 1,722 finishers, with a 95.4% finish rate.
| Boston age group, 2024 | Entrants | Starters | Finishers | Finish rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18–39 | 10,798 | 9,854 | 9,510 | 96.5% |
| 40–44 | 4,184 | 3,727 | 3,623 | 97.2% |
| 45–49 | 4,546 | 4,083 | 3,973 | 97.3% |
| 50–54 | 3,560 | 3,217 | 3,122 | 97.1% |
| 55–59 | 2,776 | 2,507 | 2,406 | 96.0% |
| 60–64 | 2,007 | 1,806 | 1,722 | 95.4% |
| 65–69 | 984 | 882 | 833 | 94.4% |
| 70–74 | 335 | 295 | 256 | 86.8% |
| 75–79 | 72 | 62 | 50 | 80.7% |
| 80 and over | 18 | 13 | 11 | 84.6% |
The 65–69 group had 984 entrants, 882 starters, and 833 finishers, with a 94.4% finish rate. The 70–74 group had 335 entrants, 295 starters, and 256 finishers, with an 86.8% finish rate. The 75–79 group had 72 entrants, 62 starters, and 50 finishers, with an 80.7% finish rate. The 80-and-over group had 18 entrants, 13 starters, and 11 finishers, with an 84.6% finish rate. These age figures are from the Boston Marathon 2024 statistics table.
Geographic reach of Boston
The 2024 Boston Marathon included participants from all 56 US states and territories by entry, start, and finish. Its international reach varied slightly by measurement stage: there were 114 countries of residence among entrants, 113 among starters, and 112 among finishers. By citizenship, the event included 128 countries among entrants, 125 among starters, and 123 among finishers.
Selected state figures show the scale of domestic participation. Massachusetts residents accounted for 4,464 entrants, 4,258 starters, and 3,923 finishers, with a 92.1% finish rate. California residents numbered 1,903 entrants, 1,690 starters, and 1,645 finishers, with a 97.3% finish rate. New York residents numbered 1,574 entrants, 1,390 starters, and 1,335 finishers, with a 96.0% finish rate.
Texas residents numbered 990 entrants, 874 starters, and 851 finishers, with a 97.4% finish rate. South Carolina residents numbered 136 entrants, 118 starters, and 113 finishers, with a 95.8% finish rate. These residence-level figures are reported in “Boston Marathon 2024: Statistics” by the Boston Athletic Association.
Tokyo finish-time distribution
Tokyo’s 2024 results provide a finish-time view of participation. Men made up 75.3% of the field and women 24.7%. Among marathon finishers, 1,814 finished in under 3 hours, representing 5.1%. Another 9,277 finished from 3 hours to under 4 hours, representing 26.2%.
The largest reported time band was 4 hours to under 5 hours, with 10,844 finishers, or 30.6% of marathon finishers. The 5-hours-to-under-6-hours band included 8,688 finishers, or 24.5%. A further 4,820 finishers completed the marathon from 6 hours to under 7 hours, representing 13.6%.
| Tokyo Marathon 2024 finish time | Finishers | Share of finishers |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 hours | 1,814 | 5.1% |
| 3 hours to under 4 hours | 9,277 | 26.2% |
| 4 hours to under 5 hours | 10,844 | 30.6% |
| 5 hours to under 6 hours | 8,688 | 24.5% |
| 6 hours to under 7 hours | 4,820 | 13.6% |
These time-band percentages are the official reported shares for the 2024 race and should remain tied to that measurement year. Together with Tokyo’s 36,697 participants, 35,443 finishers, and 96.6% completion rate, they show why participation statistics are most useful when the underlying definition—application, entrant, starter, finisher, division, or time band—is stated clearly.