New Forest marathon is UK’s most popular one and 8th most popular in world according to survey by Sportsshoes.com
ORGANISERS of the New Forest Marathon are celebrating after it was voted the UK’s most popular – and eighth in the world.
A study has revealed which marathons are most in demand, and found that globally the New Forest makes the top 10, beating even the London Marathon.
Chris Farr, one of the race directors of the New Forest Marathon, which has been going since 1983, said he was “absolutely delighted” by the news adding: “It really is fantastic. I had no idea about this, but it is wonderful news.”
The Boston marathon topped the list with the London marathon coming in twelfth.
Chris who runs the New Forest marathon with Andy Daish said he believed the New Forest marathon is so popular because the “whole route is stunning.”
He added: “On city marathons you might get the odd iconic building now and again but, in the Forest, it is just really scenery all the way. You are running in this really beautiful Forest.
“It is also a single loop route which marathon runners love. There is also a combination of road, trails and forest which makes it unique.”
The website SportsShoes.com, which carried out the study, says there are around 650,000 global annual searches for terms like “marathon near me” and “how to get into a marathon”.
The company says the New Forest tops the UK search list with 27 people per place vying for a spot.
The Forest event was born in 1981 when the Lions Club of New Milton was looking for ideas for fundraising events. Mick Manley, then president, suggested organising a marathon in the Forest, the first of which took place two years later.
Chris, from Barton, said the fact the New Forest village also features a ‘race village’ where competitors and their supporters can camp for the weekend, also makes it popular.
He said: “It really has a great vibe with live music performances, pre and post-race events, children’s activities.
“Runners can also go out on a mass warm-up, which other marathons can’t put on.”
The marathon is on 8th September this year. There are shuttle buses from Brockenhurst station to ferry runners and their supporters to the race village.
The New Forest marathon has spots for 5,000 runners and Chris said 2,000 are already signed up.
He said: “We are very proud of the fact this study has revealed we are the UK’s number one marathon – but not surprised.”
Top marathons in searches per available starting places
1 Boston Marathon 15th April 98
2 Regensburg Marathon 12th May 65
=3 Monschau Marathon 11th August 58
=3 Ibiza Marathon 13th April 58
5 Great Ocean Road Marathon 19th May 43
6 Melbourne Marathon 13th October 34
7 Stockholm Marathon 1st June 31
=8 New Forest Marathon 8th September 27
=8 Vienna Marathon 21st April 27
=10 Loch Ness Marathon 29th September 24
=10 Toronto Waterfront Marathon 20th October 24
=12 London Marathon 21st April 23
=12 Berlin Marathon 7th April 23
