Top Marathons In The World, Pittsburgh Ranks No. 8
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The City of Pittsburgh has been on plenty of "top lists" recently and it was just added to another.
The Active Times has ranked the Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon as the No. 8 marathon in the world.
This past May, about 30,000 runners participated in the event. The 26.2-mile course made its way through many neighborhoods in Pittsburgh from the North Side to the West End, South Side, Oakland, Homewood, East Liberty and more before coming through the Strip District into the final stretch to the finish line on the Boulevard of the Allies.
The Marathon staff is bowled over by the ranking.
"Most of the runners said it was a phenomenal course, and the spectators and the city was alive on race day," said Patrice Matamoros, of the Pittsburgh Marathon.
GALLERY: Check out photos from the 2014 Marathon!
According to The Active Times' article, they weighed several factors including number of finishers, course quality, runner reviews and fan ratings to come up with their top 25 list.
New York was rated as the top marathon with Chicago and Boston rounding out the top three.
Pittsburgh beat out bigger, even more prestigious marathons, like Berlin and Paris; but what's even more impressive is the fact that it didn't exist just six years ago when it came back after being discontinued during a city budget crisis.
The website noted how well-run the race is, the competence of the organization, and the electric experience of running through 16 Pittsburgh neighborhoods.
"They cheer, they yell. We have 85 bands on the course; we have cheer-a-thons. So it's really amazing," said Matamoros.
Here is the top 10:
- New York
- Chicago
- Boston
- Marathon Du Medoc - France
- St. Paul, Minnesota
- Virgin Money London Marathon - Great Britain
- Tokyo
- Pittsburgh
- Berlin
- Corning, New York Wineglass Marathon
Philadelphia ranked No. 12 on the list in case you were wondering.
This year, several hundred police officers also kept an eye on the things during the race, which was estimated to attract 150,000 to 200,000 spectators in Pittsburgh.
The ranking will certainly swell the field next May and for years to come.
If you'd like to watch yourself or someone you know cross the finish line at this year's race, click here!
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