# What is the largest city in the world that doesn’t host a marathon? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** olympic-sports-track\ **Created:** [October 12, 2026, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763 "2026-10-12T01:18:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/1 "2026-10-12T01:18:42Z")
This question came to mind due to my wife running in the Chicago marathon earlier today. Hosting a marathon turns out to not be limited to the big cities. My home town of Corpus Christi will be hosting one on December 27th. I thought ours might be the last one of 2026, but it turns out Bellingham, WA, population just under 100K, will host a marathon on New Year’s Eve. Let’s consider three categories, to avoid the obvious answers. First would be cities in war torn areas or with totalitarian governments. Second is “cities” that are more properly considered suburbs that just happen to have a government separate from the main / central city. Third, and the category I’m most interested in, is those cities that don’t fit into either of the first two categories. Please feel free to answer for any other the three categories, although I think the third is probably the one with the most interesting answer, whatever city it might turn out to be. FWIW, the Google AI said Karachi, Pakistan was the answer, despite the search engine results later showing that there is in fact a Karachi marathon. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/2 "2026-10-12T01:25:22Z")
I know San Jose CA does not have one, Population just under 1 million. It does have a half marathon. I think San Jose might be the largest city in the US that does not have a full marathon. Or does a half marathon count? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/3 "2026-10-12T02:28:12Z")
Is San Jose its own city, though, or a suburb of San Francisco? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/4 "2026-10-12T02:53:07Z")
There are a dozen incorporated cities between SF and the city of San Jose. San Jose is also a bigger city than SF. Hardly a suburb. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/5 "2026-10-12T07:27:00Z")
Every major South African city holds several, so definitely not here, but I feel sure the answer is going to be in the (very populous) part of Africa that does _not_ regularly produce the best marathon runners. Look in West Africa. I’m guessing it’ll be [Kano](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kano_(city)) in Nigeria (where all the front page references to marathons are to some guy doing a Guinness WR sewing marathon 🙂 ). They held a one-off in 2023 but don’t host a regular one. Estimated population of 4.1 million. As a contrast, biggest Chinese city without one I could find was Puning, at around 2 million. And Medan, Indonesia doesn’t seem to have one, and it’s 2.5 million. ETA: those are all city population, not metro. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/6 "2026-10-12T09:39:21Z")
For sure the difference between “city” and “greater city area” or what I call the “[Whatever city name] metroblob” is going to confound answers. And of course how formally defined that stuff is will vary greatly by country. e.g. Ref @DrDeth’s example above, despite the awkward geography due to the bay, I’d consider the entire San Francisco Oakland Bay area to be a single “city” for this purpose. That’s my take on the OP’s intent. Continuing with the SF Bay Area example, the US census folks define a 14-county area as the Combined Statistical Area (CSA): **[San Francisco Bay Area → Federal boundaries - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Bay_Area#Federal_boundaries))** and **[Combined statistical area - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_statistical_area)** (scroll down for a detailed list). But that CSA is composed of two primary subordinate Metropolitan Statistical Areas, and a host of smaller MSAs and micro-MSAs. The two main MSAs are San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont and San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara. Which suggests San Jose should not be considered part of the same area as SF, Oakland, etc. So clear as mud. 😁 @FlikTheBlue: What’s your ruling for your thread? Also, how did your wife do in her marathon? ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/7 "2026-10-12T09:57:57Z")
As far as I can tell, there’s no Glasgow Marathon, a city of about 650K. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/8 "2026-10-12T11:32:42Z")
San Jose is a city. It was founded in 1777 and is 50 miles south of San Francisco. I grew up there. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/9 "2026-10-12T12:44:57Z")
> [@Clawdio](#): > > As far as I can tell, there’s no Glasgow Marathon, a city of about 650K. You know, we were just in Glasgow a couple weeks ago and I remember seeing signs that certain roads would be closed the next weekend for the Great Scottish Run. But it looks like that is only a half marathon and 10K, so you are correct that there is no full marathon. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/10 "2026-10-12T13:56:01Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > So clear as mud. 😁 > > @FlikTheBlue: What’s your ruling for your thread? > > Also, how did your wife do in her marathon? Let’s say that San Jose qualifies for category 2, as part of a greater city that doesn’t have its own specific marathon. My wife was a first time marathon runner, and she finished the course, which was her goal. Not a top position, but IMHO she did great 😀. I’m a Texan, not a Californian, but for these sorts of things, I consider, say San Antonio and Austin as one big city (despite the obviously different origins) due to the massive suburban growth between them. San Jose and San Francisco qualify as one big city for the same reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/11 "2026-10-12T13:59:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I know San Jose CA does not have on There are marathons held in San Jose, but not a specirifc San Jose Marathon. Many smaller races don’t get the publicitiy of a Boston, NY, or Chicago marathon, but are run partially or completely within the city. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/12 "2026-10-12T14:05:24Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > My wife was a first time marathon runner, and she finished the course, which was her goal. Not a top position, but IMHO she did great 😀. IANA runner, but IMO finishing is a huge achievement in itself. Even better if uninjured. Congrats to her! ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/13 "2026-10-12T14:18:48Z")
If it is one city, then it already has _multiple_ marathons: not just in San Francisco but also in Oakland, San Leandro, etc. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/14 "2026-10-12T16:24:59Z")
650K is a _tiny_ city. Plenty of other places _much_ larger than that don’t host marathons either. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/15 "2026-10-12T16:31:05Z")
China has the most cities with huge populations. So likely one of them. ~~Chongqing, China has 17 million in the city and at least 32 in the Metro.~~ Never mind, they do have one. I need to go through[the largest city list](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_cities#List): ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/16 "2026-10-12T18:57:22Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > San Jose is a city. It was founded in 1777 and is 50 miles south of San Francisco. I grew up there. At certain times of a weekday, it can be a two hour drive. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/17 "2026-10-12T21:00:50Z")
Very true. I used to commute daily between West San Jose and Redwood City, which is about half way to San Francisco, and it sometimes took me an hour each way, depending on the time of the day. Most of Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin, let out at around 4 p.m, and you didn’t want to be on 101 in Sunnyvale around that time. However, when they built 280, that helped. _But IMHO, San Jose was never considered a suburb of San Francisco._ ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/18 "2026-10-12T21:10:44Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > San Jose was never considered a suburb of San Francisco. And why would it be, unless everybody in San Jose commuted to San Francisco? Is Yokohama a suburb of Tokyo? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/19 "2026-10-12T22:05:49Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > IMO finishing is a huge achievement in itself. If I entered a marathon I might make 200 meters. Might. ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763/20 "2026-10-12T22:23:15Z")
> > [@MrDibble](#): > > > > 650K is a _tiny_ city. Plenty of other places _much_ larger than that don’t host marathons either. You are correct. I withdrawal my contribution. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-city-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-host-a-marathon/1033763.md?page=2)