The marathon — already one of sport’s toughest physical tests — is facing a new rival: climate change.
A new Climate Central study warns that 86% of the world’s major marathons, including New York, London, Berlin, Tokyo, Chicago, Boston, and Sydney, are becoming less likely to offer optimal racing conditions by 2045.
Researchers found that the ideal temperature for elite runners is just 4°C for men and 9°C for women. But global warming is steadily pushing race-day conditions far above those thresholds. During this year’s Berlin Marathon, for instance, the mercury hit an unseasonable 24°C — forcing organizers to caution runners to “forget records and enjoy the atmosphere.”
Scottish marathoner Mhairi Maclennan said racing in extreme heat can cause dehydration, thicker blood, and long-term recovery issues. “It delays other goals you’re pursuing,” she told CNN, calling the trend “a serious challenge for the sport.”
With 2024 marking the hottest year on record, race organizers may soon need radical changes — from earlier start times to shifting race months altogether.
“The good, cool race weather is literally moving away from us,” warned Andrew Pershing of Climate Central.
As record heatwaves grow more frequent, even the world’s fastest shoes may not outrun the planet’s rising temperature curve — and the age of record-breaking marathons could be running out.
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