A new study has revealed the Manchester Marathon as the ultimate marathon in the UK beating the likes of the London Marathon and the Edinburgh Marathon. Hotel group Leonardo Hotels carried out a study to find out which marathons in the UK are worth travelling for, as the first of this year’s popular marathons are set to take place in April and May.
To discover the very best marathons in the UK, the study combined the engagement index scores and optimal weather score, to find the most hyped marathons accompanied by prime running conditions. Scoring a whopping 9.4 out of 10, the Manchester Marathon was crowned the best in the UK and will take place on April 14. Despite being renowned for its rainy weather, Manchester’s previous marathons have received good running conditions, and it has proven to be a popular choice for runners with around 30,000 participants.
The Manchester Marathon was shortly followed by the London Marathon, with an overall score of 9.2 out of 10. The UK’s largest marathon is by the far the most popular 26.2 mile race to take part in, however it has been known to have poorer weather conditions than other running events.
The Edinburgh Marathon came in third place, scoring nine out of 10. Ranking consistently high for both engagement and running conditions, Scotland’s most popular marathon is a solid choice for any long-distance runner.
The study also discovered which marathons in the UK are the most runnable based on historic weather data for each marathon over the past five years, focusing on temperature, rainfall, windspeed, atmospheric pressure and change in atmospheric pressure from the previous day. Optimal running conditions were identified as a temperature of 10°C, minimal or no rainfall, windspeed of 10km/h, high air pressure and increasing air pressure changes.
The Milton Keynes Marathon was crowned the UK’s most runnable marathon, receiving an optimal weather score of eight out of 10. Over the previous five years, runners tackling this marathon saw temperatures close to the optimal 10°C, as well as windspeeds of 13km/h. The marathon also received no rain and benefited from high air pressure, which correlates to better oxygen density and aerobic performance. Runners from around the UK will be competing in this marathon on May 6.
The study also analysed Google searches, Instagram posts, and the number of participants to gather engagement rates for each marathon, showcasing which marathons are the UK’s most popular. Unsurprisingly, the London Marathon received the most engagement, with an overwhelming 1.3 million Instagram posts and a search volume of 60,500 per month. The marathon’s 48,000 participants will be lining up to race this year on April 21.
The Manchester Marathon came second, with 22,200 monthly Google searches and 166,396 Instagram posts from dedicated runners. Despite hosting less than half the number of participants as Manchester, the Brighton Marathon (which took place on April 7) has 154,756 Instagram posts on the platform. Brighton’s 10,000 participants are clearly a loyal bunch, searching the marathon 9,900 times per month.