Welcome, running enthusiasts and casual joggers alike, to our marathon-athon of trivia! If you think you could go on for 26.2 miles about running facts, then you’ve sprinted to the right place.
We promise you won’t hit “the wall” in this quiz as long as you keep going at your own pace. So lace up those trivia shoes and take a stride into a world of running facts where every question is a personal best!
Ready, set…. let’s go for a run down trivia lane!
1. Where did the marathon originally get its name?
2. Which marathon is considered the world’s oldest annual race?
3. Who set an new World Record in the men’s marathon in 2022?
4. What is the typical recommended carbohydrate intake for marathon runners?
5. Name the book written by Haruki Murakami about his experience as a marathon runner.
6. Who is the oldest person to complete a marathon?
7. What’s the standard qualifying time for men aged 18-34 for the Boston Marathon?
8. What was Kathrine Switzer’s bib number in the 1967 Boston Marathon?
9. Name the South African runner who won gold in the 2012 Olympiad after double amputation.
10. Which muscles are primarily used while running a marathon?
11. Which country hosted the first Marathon event in the Olympic Games?
12. Name the first male American to win the Boston Marathon.
13. Who won in the women’s division from 1994 to 1996?
14. What is the typical duration of a marathon taper period?
15. Name the film where Tom Hanks’ character runs across the U.S. multiple times.
16. Who is the youngest person to complete a marathon?
17. What’s the standard qualifying time for women aged 18-34 for the Boston Marathon?
18. Who was the first woman to unofficially enter and run the Boston Marathon?
19. Name the Australian runner known for his bandaged knee and dramatic finish in the 1968 Olympic Marathon.
20. In what year was the first marathon at the Olympics held?
21. Which country has won the most Olympic gold medals in the marathon event?
22. In which city is the highest altitude marathon held?
23. What is the name of the man who ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days?
24. How many laps of a standard Olympic-sized track would a marathon be?
25. Which company created the Boost technology often used in marathon shoes?
26. Who was the first person to run a marathon in under two hours?
27. What’s the name of the charity 5k run series that takes place globally?
28. Who was the first woman to win an Olympic marathon?
29. How many people are allowed to run the Boston Marathon?
30. Catherine Ndereba won the Boston marathon from 2000 to 2002. What country is she from?
31. Which famous comedian once completed the London Marathon in seven hours?
32. What distance is typically covered in an ultramarathon?
33. Name the wheelchair athlete with the most Boston Marathon wins?
34. What type of diet is known to have been followed by some Kenyan long-distance runners?
35. In which year were women officially allowed to run in the Boston Marathon?
36. What is the “20-mile shuffle” in marathon terminology?
37. Which five cities are part of the World Marathon Majors?
38. Which ancient runner is credited as being the first person to run the distance of a marathon?
39. What is the “runner’s high”?
40. What is the standard diameter of the medals given at the New York City Marathon?
41. Which city hosts a marathon where runners pass through vineyards and wine cellars?
42. What is the traditional length of a half marathon in kilometers?
43. Where are the “Marathon Monks” from?
44. What is the purpose of carbo-loading before a marathon?
45. Who is the most decorated marathon runner of all time?
46. What term is udes to describe sudden fatigue and energy loss caused by the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles?
47. What is the course length of the original Marathon to Athens route in Greece?
48. What are “splits” in marathon terminology?
49. What makes the Badwater Ultramarathon one of the world’s toughest foot races?
50. Which global sportswear brand organizes a yearly half-marathon in Bogotá, Colombia?
51. What is the world record for the most marathons run on consecutive days?
52. In which desert is the Marathon des Sables held annually?
53. Which man ran across Canada with an artificial leg to raise money for cancer research?
54. What is the recommended amount of protein intake for marathon runners per day?
55. Who was the first African American man to win the Boston Marathon?
56. What’s the term for running at a steady, comfortable pace?
57. Where does the Berlin Marathon end?
58. In which year was the first Chicago Marathon held?
59. What is Cross-Training for marathon runners?
60. What’s the name of the sister marathon to the Great Wall Marathon, that’s held in Petra, Jordan?
61. How long is a marathon in miles?
62. What is the name of the dog that ran a half-marathon in Australia after being let out to pee?
63. What do the different colors of marathon bib numbers at the Boston Marathon represent?
64. What body-weight and flexibility exercise is recommended for marathon runners?
65. Who was the first Native American to win the Boston Marathon?
66. What’s the term for increasing speed at the end of the race?
67. In which city is the ‘Flying Pig Marathon’ held annually?
68. Which US President completed a marathon while in office?
69. What’s the advisable minimum age for running a marathon according to most experts?
70. In which fictional series is there a ‘Boonta Eve Classic Podrace’, a race similar to an extreme marathon?
71. How many hills are there in the Boston Marathon’s notorious “Heartbreak Hill”?
72. What is the Ice Marathon?
73. Which famous American talk show host completed the Marine Corps Marathon?
74. What are energy gels used for in marathons?
75. Who was the first wheelchair athlete to complete a marathon?
76. What’s the term for running downhill quickly?
77. Which marathon rewards participants with a scarf instead of a medal?
78. Which animal was involved in delaying the Olympic Marathon in St. Louis in 1904?
79. How many marathons did Greek soldier Pheidippides reportedly run to deliver news of a military victory?
80. In which city does a marathon take place where runners are encouraged to wear Elvis Presley costumes?
81. What is the standard width of a marathon medal ribbon?
82. Which city hosts a marathon at midnight called the Midnight Sun Marathon?
83. Who was the first man to win the Boston Marathon under 2 hours and 10 minutes?
84. How much water is it recommended to drink during a marathon?
85. Who was the first female Paralympian to complete a marathon?
86. What does the term “negative splits” mean in marathon running?
87. Which marathon begins and ends in two different countries?
88. What unusual event occurred during the 1908 London Olympic Marathon?
89. What’s the term for fast, shorter segments of running during training with recovery intervals in between?
90. Which city hosts a marathon where the runners cross the highest bridge in the world?
91. What’s the name of the technique where runners alternate between running and walking to conserve energy in long-distance races?
92. In which city is the highest marathon in the world run?
93. Which U.S. city hosts the oldest marathon in the world after the Boston Marathon?
94. What is one of the most common injuries for marathon runners?
95. Who was the first marathon runner to die during a race?
96. What’s the term for running a set distance (say, a mile) at a faster pace than your race pace during training?
97. Which marathon is known for giving out roses to female finishers?
98. Which African marathon runner is known for running barefoot in the Olympics?
99. What does the term “tapering” mean in marathon training?
100. Which city hosts a marathon where runners run through a wind farm?
101. What is the world record for the most marathons run in a single year?
102. Which city hosts a marathon that includes a run through a zoo?
103. Who is the first person over 70 years old to run a marathon in less than 3 hours?
104. What is one advantage of cross-training for marathon runners?
105. Which woman won the first official women’s Olympic marathon?
106. What’s the term for a leisurely, long run in marathon training?
107. Which mountain marathon involves running up and down Mount Olympus?
108. Who beat Eliud Kipchoge’s race time to set a new record in 2023?
109. What does the term “lactate threshold” mean for marathon runners?
110. Which city hosts a marathon known as the “toughest race on earth”?
111. Which city hosts a Midnight Sun Marathon which starts at night and finishes in the morning?
112. What is the term for a steady but fairly quick pace maintained for an entire marathon?
113. Which marathon has the second most finishers in the world?
114. What is the typical length of recovery after a marathon?
115. What was the profession of Spiridon Louis who won the first modern Olympic marathon in 1896?
116. What is “Fartlek” training in marathon running?
117. What is the highest number of participants in the history of the New York City Marathon?
118. Which marathon is known as the “fastest marathon in the world” due to the number of world records set there?
119. What is “bandit” in marathon terms?
120. Which city would you be in if you were to run the “Safari Marathon”?
121. What’s the name of the novel written by Hal Higdon, a well-known writer and runner, about the world of marathon running?
122. Which city holds an annual marathon that commemorates the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC)?
123. Who was the first runner to win both the Boston and New York City marathons four times each?
124. What is the term “bonk” synonymous with in marathon running?
125. Who was the first person over 80 years old to run a marathon in less than 4 hours?
126. What does “PR” stand for in marathon running?
127. Which country hosts a marathon race held annually at the North Pole?
128. Who was the youngest person to win an Olympic marathon?
129. What does the term “VO2 max” mean in marathon running?
130. In which city would you be running if you participated in the “Big Five Marathon”?
131. What does the term “junk miles” mean in marathon training?
132. Which city’s marathon course includes the view of a breathtaking suspension bridge?
133. Who was the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2 hours and 20 minutes?
134. What is the purpose of a “warm-down” or “cool-down” after a marathon?
135. In 2019, Thomas Panek became the first blind person to complete which marathon in the U.S?
136. What does “cross-country” mean in marathon running?
137. Which city holds the Guinness World Record for the highest ever participation in a marathon?
138. Who was the first person to juggle while running a marathon?
139. What does the term “recovery run” mean in marathon training?
140. In which city does a marathon take place that is known for its “Pasta Party”?
141. What condition, common among long-distance runners, is characterized by the sudden urge to defecate?
142. Which city hosts a unique marathon that involves running through the UNESCO World Heritage vineyards?
143. Who was the first person to win the Boston Marathon three times in a row?
144. What is the purpose of “hill training” in marathon preparation?
145. Who was the first woman over 70 years old to complete a marathon in under 5 hours?
146. What is the term that refers to the period of time spent not running just before a marathon?
147. Which city holds a marathon with the most international participants?
148. Who was the first person to run a marathon in space?
149. What is the term “base miles” in marathon training?
150. In which city does a marathon take place alongside the Oktoberfest beer festival?
151. What is the “Runner’s World” in marathon running?
152. What is the oldest annual city marathon in Europe?
153. Who was the first official female Boston Marathon finisher?
154. What is the recommended amount of sleep for a marathon runner the night before a race?
155. What was the first marathon to use chip timing?
156. What is the term “strides” in marathon running?
157. Which marathon takes place on Patriots’ Day every third Monday in April?
158. Which marathon is known for being run through a natural wildlife reserve?
159. What does the term “carbohydrate loading” mean in marathon running?
160. Which marathon is known for being the first to include as many female as male participants?
161. Which shoes were worn by Eliud Kipchoge during his record-breaking marathon under 2 hours?
162. Tigst Assefa set a new world record in the women’s marathon in 2023. Where is she from?
163. Who was the first woman to win the New York City Marathon?
164. What is an “Aid station” in a marathon?
165. Who won the first New York City Marathon?
166. What does the term “RICE” stand for in treating marathon injuries?
167. Which city’s marathon includes running through the world’s largest indoor shopping mall?
168. What is the largest number of people to complete a marathon?
169. What does the term “BQ” mean in marathon running?
170. In which country is the Two Oceans Marathon held, so-named because the course runs around the Cape Peninsula and is run between two oceans?
171. Which country hosts an annual marathon that starts in one country and finishes in another?
172. Which Greek messenger is said to have run from Marathon to Athens to report Greece’s victory over the Persians?
173. Who was the first woman to run a marathon in under 3 hours?
174. What is “chafing” in marathon running?
175. Who holds the world record for the fastest wheelchair marathon?
176. What term is used for a day where no running is done to let the body recover?
177. Which city’s marathon claims to be the “fastest marathon in the world”?
178. Who is the youngest person to run a marathon on every continent?
179. What does the term “overtraining” mean in marathon running?
Congratulations, you’ve crossed the finish line in our marathon trivia! Now that you’ve sprinted through these questions with the speed of Eliud Kipchoge, relax those brain muscles, take a hydration break, and stretch out with some of our other quizzes.
At Trivia Bliss, we have a plethora of quizzes to test your knowledge on a wide range of topics, including one all about Ancient Rome and another about world records. So, what are you waiting for? On your marks, get set, and continue your trivia marathon with Trivia Bliss!
Leave a Reply