The annual Running USA 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

  • 6 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).

Largest Races – Top 50: 2016

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

Fifth 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