Melbourne Marathon

Asia's biggest night marathon — run through Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay, and Singapore's gleaming downtown under floodlights and skyline glow.

Australia's fastest marathon — a virtually flat beachside course along the Gold Coast Broadwater and Surfers Paradise in Australia's coolest winter conditions.

The seventh Abbott World Marathon Major — cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge, run past the Opera House, and finish in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Southern Hemisphere spring.

New Zealand's largest marathon — crossing the iconic Auckland Harbour Bridge, along the Waitemata waterfront, past Mission Bay, and back through Parnell's heritage streets.

The flattest World Major — a loop through 29 of Chicago's neighbourhoods with the most inclusive crowd energy in American marathon running.

The world's fastest marathon course — dead flat, perfectly organised, and the site of more world records than any other race.

The world's most scenic marathon — through the trails of Queenstown's Remarkables mountain range, along Lake Wakatipu's shoreline, and through the vineyards of Central Otago.

Germany's second-fastest marathon course — near-flat with ideal October conditions, consistently producing top-10 world-rankings finish times.

One of Europe's fastest marathon courses — a dead-flat loop through Philips' hometown with aggressive pacers, elite competition, and near-zero elevation gain.