What could be better than seeing the world while competing in a series of marathons offering a $1 million prize purse?

On 23rd January 2006, the World Marathon Majors launched a championship-style competition that includes races in Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City. If you’re asking the question why would anyone in their right mind undertake a marathon, much less take vacation time to do it? Then the answer would be found in the countless studies citing the positive effects of exercise and holidays on our health.

Health Studies

The American College of Sports Medicine found that regular long-distance running can help prevent the metabolic syndrome (a group of diseases that can lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes) It is also reported that an annual vacation can cut the risk of a heart attack by 50 percent and blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of epinephrine (a stress hormone) decline on holidays of only one or two days!

Photo: bass_nroll

The Races

Boston -
The 114th B.A.A Marathon will take place on Monday 19th April 2010

The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest and most prestigious annual marathon and part of the World Marathon Majors. A maximum of 25,000 participants begin in Hopkinton and run the legendary course through eight cities and towns before finishing in Boston’s Back Bay.

London -
The 2010 Virgin London Marathon will take place on Sunday 25th April 2010

Elite runners compete for a portion of £150,000, while the fairly flat, city landscape and spring climate combine to provide the best backdrop for posting records – personal, national and world.

Berlin -
The 37th real Berlin Marathon will take place on 25th/26th September 2010

40,000 runners and around 8,000 inline skaters will fill the streets of the German capital on the last weekend in September. The course is known as the fastest in the world, the crowds are legendary and the atmosphere is hard to top at this most international marathon in Europe.

Chicago -
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon will take place on Sunday 10th October 2010

This race has a field of 4200 runners and is among the fastest growing marathon road races in the world mainly due to the fast and flat course which attracts many in the pursuit of personal records and world record performances.

New York -
The Ing New York City Marathon will take place on 7th November 2010

One of the world’s great road races drawing in 90,000 applicants. The race attracts many world-class professional athletes, not only for the more than $500,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and 300 million worldwide television viewers.

More information on the World Marathon Majors.

For more information on how to train for a marathon or for a personalised training programme please contact info@milestonepersonaltraining.com

Camille Brandon
Director of Results
Milestone Personal Training

Camille Brandon is GlobalGrasshopper’s newly appointed Health & Fitness Travel Expert. Camille is a Master Trainer and Functional Movement Screen Specialist with in-depth expertise of weight management, strength and sports conditioning, and rehabilitation and exercise referral joins. She also is very well travelled!

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