The Morning: The popularity of marathons

Plus, Donald Trump, the Middle East and Coachella.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story April 16, 2024 Good morning. On the morning after the Boston Marathon, my colleague Ashley Wu looks at the growing popularity of distance running. We're also covering Donald Trump, the Middle East and Coachella. — David Leonhardt Runners at the Boston Marathon.  Mary Schwalm/Associated Press 'The everyman's Everest' By Ashley Wu On a chilly day in April 1924 — the first year that the Boston Marathon was 26.2 miles, rather than the original 24.8 miles — around 140 men lined up in Hopkinton, Mass., to race. Yesterday, a century later in that same town, about 30,000 runners crossed the starting line. Distance running, once a niche sport, has exploded in popularity over the past few decades. Many of those who run marathons today are middle-aged or older, and some are less fit and less experienced. As a result, the average finish time in American marathons has slowed considerably, even as the top runners keep getting faster. It's a sign of how popular marathons have become. Consider these charts: Sources: Boston Athletic Association; Boston Marathon Data Project | By The New York Times The Boston Marathon is a special race. It is the oldest annual marathon in the world. It was the first in which women competed. And it requires most runners to submit a qualifying time to apply for entry, making for an especially fast field. Even so, the trend of slower average finish times is apparent. The average finish time in Boston in 1924 was just under three hours. Yesterday, the average was nearly four hours. Around the turn of the 20th century, when the first marathons were held, the races were thought to be safe only for young, fit men. Many even believed, incorrectly, that running would make women infertile or overly masculine. But as distance running gained popularity as a way to stay healthy — thanks, in part, to an American victory in the 1972 Olympics — more people wanted to compete. The Boston Marathon expanded to meet the demand, and new marathons like New York City's and Chicago's were established. "It went from being something for fanatics to the everyman's Everest," said David Monti, a marathon specialist who runs a popular newsletter on distance running. It's not just Boston Average times have risen at many of the biggest American marathons, most of which do not require runners to apply with a qualifying time like Boston does. Sources: New York Road Runners; Marine Corps Marathon; Chicago Marathon; Honolulu Marathon; Marathon Guide | By The New York Times Major marathon organizers want large field sizes. For one, marathons are costly to host: Cities need to shut down streets, provide security and set up infrastructure along the course. Runners' registration fees help to cover that cost. The more runners and spectators, especially those from out of town, the more money goes to local restaurants and hotels. And then there is the prestige of hosting a large public event. "Those images of 50,000 people on the Verrazano Bridge — everybody wants that," Monti said. "And you need a lot of people to do that." Runners crossing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in New York. Todd Heisler/The New York Times To recruit the crowds, many races are less strict about entrants' credentials. That's what drew Andy Sloan, 36, to register for his first marathon, in Honolulu last year. He was the final racer across the line, completing the course in 16 hours 59 minutes 39 seconds. When Sloan first started training, he thought running a marathon was going to be about hitting a goal time. But in Honolulu, he found more meaning in the people cheering him along. "To feel supported the whole way, even though I was the last person on the course, felt really, really good," he told me. "Knowing that I took the time to set a goal, and worked really hard to achieve it, it did mean a lot to me." Winners are still fast Averages may be slowing down, but marathon winners are not. Boston's course records for both men and women have been set in the last 15 years. Sources: Boston Athletic Association | By The New York Times And world records are still being broken on American marathon courses. Last year, Kelvin Kiptum broke the world marathon record at the Chicago Marathon. His time was 2 hours 35 seconds. The last person to cross the finish line in Chicago that day had a time of 9 hours 41 minutes 14 seconds. Most people will never play soccer with Lionel Messi or tennis with Coco Gauff. But in a marathon, everyone runs the same course, on the same day. More on the Boston Marathon Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia won the men's race with a time of 2:06:17. In the women's race, Hellen Obiri of Kenya won for the second year straight, finishing in 2:22:37. Read about the day. For many runners, the blue-and-yellow finish line in Boston feels almost holy. Running clubs have become popular. They offer social benefits as well as physical ones. From 2018: Do some of Nike's shoes make you faster? The data suggest that they do. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE LATEST NEWS Trump on Trial Donald Trump in court. Jefferson Siegel for The New York Times Donald Trump went on criminal trial, a first for a former president. The case, in Manhattan, concerns a hush-money payment to a porn star. The first days of the trial are likely to focus on jury selection. Prospective jurors can be asked about where they get their news, but not their voting history or party registration. (Politico says opening arguments might not begin until May.) The judge overseeing the case, Juan Merchan, dismissed dozens of potential jurors who said they couldn't be impartial. Trump looked irritated and exhausted in the courtroom, Maggie Haberman reported. He appeared to fall asleep before jolting awake. Read a guide to the figures in the trial, including the key witnesses. 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Middle East In Tehran. Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times Israel's war cabinet met to discuss possible responses to Iran's missile and drone attack. An official said several options were considered, including diplomacy and an imminent strike. The U.S. helped defend Israel against Iran's attacks. If Israel retaliates, its allies will struggle to help, Peter Baker writes. Protesters demanding a cease-fire in Gaza blocked roads in cities across the U.S. More International News The old Stock Exchange in Copenhagen, Denmark. Emil Helms/EPA, via Shutterstock One of Copenhagen's oldest buildings partly collapsed in a fire. "This is our Notre-Dame," one man told the BBC. Ukraine is short on ammunition and soldiers. Its commanders are struggling to choose where to use limited resources. In Australia, an attacker stabbed a bishop and a priest at a livestreamed Mass in a Sydney suburb. A 15-year-old boy was arrested. China's economy grew more than expected this year, fueled by exports. Other Big Stories Dead coral on the Great Barrier Reef. David Gray/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Rising sea temperatures around the planet are causing the most extensive coral-reef bleaching on record. Tesla will lay off more than 10 percent of its workers. It sold fewer electric vehicles in the first quarter of the year, while emerging competitors' sales grew. Stock in Trump's social media company fell yesterday. It's down 60 percent since its first day of trading last month. Opinions As Trump faces his first criminal trial, his supporters are sure: He's the victim of another witch hunt, and he'll survive it yet again, Michelle Cottle writes. It's time that international law protects power grids in war, Peter Fairley writes. Here's a column by Jamelle Bouie on Republican abortion politics. A subscription to match the variety of your interests. News. Games. Recipes. Product reviews. Sports reporting. A New York Times All Access subscription covers all of it and more. Subscribe today. MORNING READS A polycule.  Anne Vetter for The New York Times Relationships: How a 20-person "polycule" navigates jealousy and fosters community. Unusual events: Sawfish are dying in the Florida Keys. Scientists don't yet know why. Flying with your dog? See airlines' pet policies. Beep! Most New York City drivers who honk their horns are breaking the law. Lives Lived: Ushio Amagatsu brought worldwide visibility to Butoh, a form of Japanese dance theater that arose after wartime devastation. He died at 74. SPORTS Caitlin Clark  Sarah Stier/Getty Images W.N.B.A. Draft: The Indiana Fever took Caitlin Clark with the No. 1 pick. Cameron Brink of Stanford went second, to the Los Angeles Sparks. Chicago's picks: The Sky drafted stars from the past two N.C.A.A. champions: Kamilla Cardoso of South Carolina and Angel Reese of L.S.U. A new era: Prada has never dressed any basketball player, male or female, for the draft. The label dressed Clark, GQ reports. New York Yankees: The radio announcer John Sterling announced his retirement after 35 years. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ARTS AND IDEAS The cast of "A Different World."  Schaun Champion for The New York Times The television show "A Different World," which ran from 1987 to 1993, followed a group of young Black students at Hillman College, a fictional historically Black university. The show tackled growing pains as well as more serious issues like racism and domestic violence. It now streams on Amazon and Max, where it resonates with Gen Z. Three decades after the series finale, the principal cast members are on a tour of H.B.C.U.s across the country — including Spellman and Howard — to boost enrollment and launch a "Different World" scholarship fund. More on culture The rapper Ice Spice.  Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images See the most memorable looks from the first weekend of Coachella. A vintage boutique in Los Angeles is a semi-secret spot for celebrities and costume designers. The armorer on the movie "Rust," who loaded a live round into a revolver that killed a cinematographer in 2021, received an 18-month prison sentence. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Bake our classic five-star banana bread. Eat at the best restaurants in Boston. Turn your bike ride into a workout. Prevent melanoma. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was avalanche. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — Ashley Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018