Andy Devaney
There are prizes, and then there are prizes that feel like someone raided the marathon runner’s daydreams and printed the lot on official letterhead. To celebrate 20 years of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, organisers have teamed up with their Official Tour Operator, Marathon Tours & Travel, to launch the World Tour — a competition handing one runner guaranteed entry, accommodation, expert global hosting and a $10,000 travel budget to run every Abbott World Marathon Major.
It’s the kind of offer that doesn’t merely nudge your training plan. It shoves it off the table and replaces it with a passport.
The Six Stars, served properly
The winner receives entry, accommodation and full on-the-ground support for the six original Abbott World Marathon Majors — Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America, TCS London Marathon, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon — completing their Six Star journey along the way.
For anyone who’s spent years chasing ballots, scraping together logistics, or plotting a long-term “one day” plan around family calendars and annual leave, the scale is immediately obvious: this isn’t access to one race. It’s access to the whole tradition.
And then it widens the horizon
Just when you think the brief is finished, it keeps going. The winner will also receive entry to the newly AbbottWMM-qualified TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS, with the potential to race in both the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon and Shanghai Marathon, should their inclusion be confirmed — unlocking the possibility of chasing all nine stars worldwide.
In other words, the World Tour is built not only to honour the past 20 years, but to lean into what the next era of the series could look like.
A modern marathon competition with an old-school heartbeat
Here’s where the World Tour gets smart. It isn’t asking runners to prove they’re the fastest. It’s asking them to prove they’re the right person to carry the story.
“It’s safe to say that this is no ordinary competition. Instead of filling out a form, applicants are challenged to “show, not just tell” why they deserve to win the World Tour.”
Entrants are invited to answer one question on social media: “Why should you go on the World Tour?”
Applicants are encouraged to be as creative as possible — whether that’s showcasing curiosity for global running culture, a passion for community, an ability to capture emotion on film, or a talent for bringing places and people to life. Importantly, the competition wants stories, not split times. That means you don’t need to be elite or chasing PBs. The premise is refreshingly simple: love running, love people, and have something worth saying.
What the winner gets, beyond the headline
From start lines to finish-line celebrations, the prize package goes above and beyond, including:
- Accommodation at every event
- Welcome receptions, shake-out runs, pre-race dinners and post-race celebrations
- Transport to the expo and start line
- On-the-ground hosting at every race
- A $10,000 global travel budget to support international flights and travel
If you’ve ever tried to “do a major” without support, you’ll know the real luxury here isn’t just the money — it’s the reduction of friction. Someone else handles the moving parts. You focus on the running.
The people behind it, in their own words
Jeff Adams, President of Marathon Tours & Travel, said: “This is the most exciting prize we’ve offered in our 46-year history. As the Official Tour Operator for the Abbott World Marathon Majors, we are proud to make this possible – to offer one runner guaranteed entry, global travel, full hosting and the chance to experience every World Marathon Major is truly unprecedented.
The World Tour is about more than just racing – it’s about connection, culture, community and the powerful stories that unfold when you travel the world through running. We cannot wait to see who steps forward to take on this incredible journey.”
Dawna Stone, CEO of Abbott World Marathon Majors said: “For 20 years, the Abbott World Marathon Majors has celebrated the very best of global marathon running – iconic races, extraordinary cities and inspiring runners. The World Tour competition captures the very essence of that spirit. By offering one runner the opportunity to experience every Major and to tell some inspiring stories along the way, supported every step of by ourselves and our fabulous partners at MTT, this will be a true celebration of the global running community.”
Judges: runners who understand the obsession
A judging panel of two inspiring marathon runners and industry-leading content creators will review all entries, select a shortlist and ultimately crown the World Tour winner:
- Aubrey Mvula – a Six Star finisher-in-waiting, set to receive his medal in Tokyo this March
- Liz Newcomer – an 11-time marathon runner and London-based content creator who has taken nearly two hours off her marathon PB
Key dates and entry rules
Entries open on Tuesday, 16th December 2025 and close on Friday 9th January 2026 (23:59 EST).
To apply: Create and post a video on social media answering: “Why should you go on the World Tour? Tag @wmmajors and @marathontours using the hashtag #WorldTour Follow @wmmajors and your regional @marathontours account who are collabed in their launch posts. Post before the closing date, and ensure your post is public and remains live for the duration of the competition.
For more details and full competition rules visit the Abbott World Marathon Majors website.
For more information about Marathon Tours & Travel visit: www.marathontours.com
To learn more about the Abbott World Marathon Majors, visit: https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com
