The 2024 Berlin Marathon: Three Interesting Data Insights (Plus More)

Tigist Ketema running towards the finish line at the end of the Berlin Marathon

Last weekend was the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Marathon. To celebrate the occasion, over 54,000 runners ran the race. As I do after each World Marathon Major, I’ve collected the results and analyzed them to see if there are any interesting tidbits. I’ve published a detailed analysis in Runner’s Life, which you can find … Read more

Is the Boston Marathon’s Selection Process Fair to Both Men and Women?

Finishers at the 2024 Boston Marathon

Many runners have strong opinions about Boston’s qualifying times and their selection process. People will inevitably complain that it’s unfair for one group or another. I recently saw a post in a Facebook group suggesting that the process was unfair for women – and that the new qualifying times would make things more unfair. This … Read more

Boston Marathon Cutoff Time Announced: Lessons Learned

Spectators at the 2024 Boston Marathon

This week, the Boston Athletic Association officially announced the cutoff time for the 2025 Boston Marathon: 6:51. As they have done in the past, they included with this announcement a collection of data and statistics that tell some of the story of the applicant pool and the field of qualifiers. Absent a full release of … Read more