(Image credit to vanmarathon.ca.)

When I learned that the Hong Kong Marathon 2006 had 40,000 participants, I became curious which are the biggest marathons in the world. A little bit of sleuthing turned up the Flora London Marathon at the largest with 45,000 at the starting line.

The most fascinating tidbit is that the BMO Vancouver International Marathon is the largest in Canada with 15,000 runners last year and 50,000 spectators. From the third largest Canadian city we have the largest marathon. Nice.

Check out the half-marathon map at right. I like how 5 (of 13) miles will be around the Stanley Park Seawall - I’ve never run that before - compared to the full-marathon course that has a course through the middle, trail part of Stanley Park and has a lot of city running through Point Grey and False Creek residential area that gets really tiresome after a few miles.