Longest Running Championships

This section is an attempt to list all national, regional, and world championship series that have been contested 50 or more times. It is based on the best information available to ADR but is undoubtably missing many championships. Junior and collegiate championships are not included.

Race dates and male/female champions/times for each series listed are sought. When a sufficiently informative set of champions has been collected, that series is added to the website. You can view the dates/winners for each championship so profiled by clicking on the name of the championship in the following list. If the name of the championship is NOT underlined, then it has not been profiled yet. The last four columns are the number of dates, champions, times, and venues missing (profiled series only). Outdoor track championships are counted for 3000m/2 mile, 5000m/3 mile, and 10,000m/6 mile/5 mile/4 mile as (three) distinct series.

                                                                                                   D   C   T   V
132  ENG 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul   1866-1914,1919-39,1946-2007              13   1   1   0
124  IRL 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul   1875-1914,1924-2007                      29   1   3  30
122  USA 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  Jun+  1880-94,1899-1902,1904-19,1921-2007       1   0   8   0
121  USA 3000m Indoor                     Men  IT  Mar   thru 2008                                90  90  90  90
120  ENG Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Feb   1877-1914,1920-1939,1946-2007            68   0  71   0
117  FRA Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1889-1914,1918-2008                       0   0  87   0
111  SCO Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Feb   1886-1914,1920-39,1947-2008               0   0  62   0
110  USA Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Feb+  1890/2008y                               63   0  63  63
108  DEN 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  var   1900-2007                                81   0   0  76
108  DEN Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Oct   1901-2008                                98   0   0  99
      10
105  WAL Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Feb   1894-1914,1920-40,1946-2008              62   0   0   0
101  ITA Road                             Men  RD  May+  1897/2008y                                0   0   2   0
100  HUN Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Apr+  thru 2008, quite incomplete
 99  SWE Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1910-2008                                 0   0   0   0
 98  FIN 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Aug   1910-1940,1942-2007                       0   0   0   0
 98  DEN Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1910-2007                                21   0   0  19
 97  FIN 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  Aug   1910-1940,1942-2007                       0   0   0   0
 96  ITA 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Aug+  1907-14,1919-43,1945-2007                64   0   0   0
 95  FRA 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul+  1908-09,1917-39,1941-2007                 0   0   0   0
 95  RSA 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Apr+  1904-14,1920-40,1946-2008                 0   0   0   0
      20
 95  World Crosscountry                   Men  XC  Mar   1903-14,1920-39,1946-2008                 0   0   0   0
 95  GER Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1898,1905-08,1910-13,1920-42,1946-2008    0   0   0   0
 94  NED 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul   1913-1944,1946-2007                      43   0   2  42
 94  NOR 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Aug   1908-1939,1946-2007                      84   0   0   0
 94  FRA 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  Jun+  1905-11,1920-39,1941-43,1945-2008         0   0   0   0
 94  ITA Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1908-14,1919-42,1945-2007                 0   0   0   0
 93  FIN Crosscountry- Long               Men  XC  Jun+  1913-1917,1919-1941,1943-2007             0   0   0   0
 92  LUX Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1911-13,1916-40,1946-2008                 0   0  84   0
 91  JPN Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1913-40,1942,1946-2007                    9   0   0   8
 91  DEN 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul+  1910-11,1919-2007                        75   0   0  60
      30
 91  FRA Crosscountry                     Wmn  XC  Mar   1918-2008                                 0   0  68   0
 90  ITA Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1908/2007y                                0   0  53   0
 90  ESP Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1916-36,1940-2008                        67   0  64   0
 90  POL Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   thru 2008, quite incomplete
 90  JPN 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1913-15,1917-23,1925-40,1942,1946-2008   27   0   1  25
 89  ITA 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  var   1913-14,1919-43,1945-55,1957-2007         1   0   1   1
 89  NOR 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  Aug+  1913-39,1946-2007                        78   0   0   0
 89  WAL 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jun+  1907-14,1920-39,1946-2005,2007            1   0   1   0
 89  NOR Long Crosscountry                Men  XC  var   1913-39,1946-2007                         1   0   0   0
 89  ROM Crosscountry                     Men  XC  var   1916,1920-60,1962-2007d                   3   0  17   3
      40
 88  CAN 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1884/2007y                                2   0   0   0
 88  ESP 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1917-36,1940-2007                        74   0   0   0
 88  JPN 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  var   1913/2008y                               18   0   0  18
 87  GER 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul   1919-43,1946-2007                         0   0   0   0
 87  NED Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1919-39,1941-43,1946-2008                 2   0   3   2
 87  GER 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  Jul+  1919-42,1946-2008                         0   0   0   0
 85  ROM Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1921-22,1924-28,1930-76,1978-2008         2   0   2   2
 84  NED Road                             Men  RD  var   1909-10,1912,1918,1923-39,1946-2008      32   0   2  32
 84  USA 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jun+  1878-79,1895-96,1903-05,1932-2008         0   0   2   0
 83  AUT Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1901/2007y                                1   0   0   0
      50
 83  POL 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1920-39,1945-2007                         0   0   0   0
 83  HUN Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1925-2007                                 0   0   0   0
 83  USA Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1925-2007                                 0   0   0   0
 82  NED 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  var   1902/2008y                               29   0   0  29
 81  ESP 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  var   1924-36,1940-2007                        63   0   0   0
 81  SUI Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1901,1908-09,1917-18,1927-53,1960-2008   40   5  19  40
 81  FRA Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1912/2008y                                2   0   0   2
 81  CAN 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  var   1908/2008y                                4   0   0   0
 79  POL 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  var   1923-39,1946-2007                         0   0   0   0
 78  GRE Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1896/2007y                               10   0   0   0
      60
 78  POL Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1924-38,1946-2008                         0   0   0   0                              
 78  ENG Marathon                         Men  RD  Apr+  1925-1939,1946-2008                       0   0   0   0
 77  RSA Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1908/2008y                                7   0   2   0
 75  ENG Crosscountry                     Wmn  XC  Feb   1927-1939,1946-2007                      51   0  52  52
 75  BEL Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1903-09,1911,1935-39,1946-49,1951-2008   31   3  15  25 
 74  AUT Road                             Men  RD  var   1922-37,1948,1952-2008                    4   0   0   1
 73  TUR 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jun   1924,1933-35,1939-2006                   69   4   4  60
 73  IND 10,000m                          Men  OT  var   1924/2007yd                              41   0   0   0
 72  ENG 10 Mile                          Men  OT  var   1879-1914,1919-39,1947,1959-72           60   0   0  60
 71  SUI 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  var   1937-2007                                 0   0   0   0
      70
 71  IND 5000m                            Men  OT  var   1924/2007yd                              37   1   1   0
 71  ESP Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1928,1930-31,1933,1935,1940-2001,2005-08  0   0   0   0
 70  ENG 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  Jul+  1932-39,1946-2007                         0   1   3   0
 70  TUR Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1938-2007                                26  19  19  20
 70  LAT Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1927/2007y                                5   0   2   2
 70  EST Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1927-30,1934-36,1939-40,1947-2007         2   0   0   2
 69  NED Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1914,1927,1931-33,1935,1937-38,1947-2007  3   0   0   0
 69  POR Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1910-14,1936-42,1951-2007                18   4   4  17
 68  FIN Crosscountry- Short              Men  XC  May+  1932-1937,1946-2007                       0   0   0   0
 68  FIN Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1909,1937-40,1945-2007                    0   0   0   0
      80
 68  BEL Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar+  1906-12,1948-2008                        19   0  20  15
 67  AUS 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Mar+  1930,1932,1934,1936-37,1947-2008          0   0   0   0
 67  BUL Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1937-40,1943,1945,1947-2007e             48   8   8  48
 67  Czechoslovak 5000m Outdoor           Men  RD  var   1919-37,1945-92                           0   0   0   0
 66  TUR 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  Jun   1927/2006y                               64   3   3  54
 66  ITA Crosscountry                     Wmn  XC  Mar   1926-29,1946-2007                         0   0  32   0
 66  NZL Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1939-40,1945-2008                        18   0   0   1
 65  CAN Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1929-40,1946-52,1954-91,2000-02,2008      0   0   0   0
 65  Czechoslovak 10,000m Outdoor         Men  RD  var   1919-37,1945-92                           0   0   0   0
 64  WAL Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1934-39,1947,1949-92,1995-99,2001-08      0   0   0   0
      90
 64  SCO 10 Mile                          Men  OT  var   1886-1914,1919-39,1946-48,1965-75        63   0   0  63
 63  NIR Marathon                         Men  RD  May+  1946-2006                                20  24  30   2
 63  NOR Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1897-1901,1950-2007                       0   0   0   0
 63  RSA 10,000m                          Men  OT  Apr   1939-40,1946-2008                         0   0   0   0
 63  Soviet 5000m Outdoor                 Men  OT  var   1920/1991y                               32   0   0  18
 62  SCO Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1946-2007                                 0   0   0   0
 61  IND Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1938-46@2,1948-2003                      52  49  55  43
 61  SER Crosscountry                     Men  XC  var   thru 2006
 61  NOR Road Half Marathon               Men  RD  var   1947-2007                                 1   0   0   0
 61  Czechoslovak Marathon                Men  RD  var   1925-37,1945-92                           0   0   0   0
     100
 61  Soviet 10,000m Outdoor               Men  OT  var   1920/1991y                               16   0   0  12
 60  SVK 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1937-43,1945-50,1953,1956-60,1967-2007    1   0   0   1
 60  Balkan Games/Championships Marathon  Men  RD  var   1929-40,1953-86,1988-90,1992,1996-2007    7   4   4   2
 60  ROM Crosscountry                     Wmn  XC  var   1947-1960,1962-2007                       0   0  11   0
 59  RSA Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Sep+  1948-1999,2001-2007                      13   0  13   0
 58  KOR Outdoor                          Men  OT  Jun   thru 2004, quite incomplete        
 57  AUS Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Aug   1910/2007y                               17   0   0  17
 57  CAN Crosscountry                     Men  XC  var   1951-2007                                 2   2   2   2
 56  SVK Crosscountry Long                Men  XC  var   1940-50,1955,1957-60,1969-2008            9   0   1  10
 55  MEX Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1924,1927-32,1935-41,1945-79,2002-07     40   5   6  25
     110
 55  SVK 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  var   1940-43,1945-50,1956-60,1968-2007         1   0   0   1
 55  AUS 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  Mar+  1953/2006y                                0   0   0   0
 55  KOR Marathon                         Men  RD  Apr+  1930-35,1937-42,1946-49,1951-83,2002-07  32   0   0  29
 54  WAL 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  Jun   1951-52,1954-2001,2004-07                17   0   0  22
 54  NOR Short Crosscountry               Men  XC  var   1947-75,1984-2008                        28   0   0  28
 54  Soviet Marathon                      Men  RD  var   1923,1935-40,1945-1991                    3   0   1   4
 53  FIN Crosscountry                     Wmn  XC  May+  1955-2007                                 0   0   0   0
 53  BEL 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  Jul   1951-52,1957-2007                         5   1   1   5
 52  AUS Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1909/2006y                                0   0   0   0
 52  Balkan Crosscounty                   Men  XC  Mar   1956-2007
     120
 52  BEL 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1954,1957-2007                            2   0   1   3
 52  EST 10,000m Outdoor                  Men  OT  var   1956-2007                                50   0   1  51
 52  EST 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1956-2007                                50   0   0  51
 51  YUG Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1949-1962,1964,1966-2002                 33   8   8  31

Notes: Ties are resolved in order of the date for the most recent running with inactive races following in reverse order of the most recent running.

d =>  IND 10,000m championships were held twice in 1967,1969,1972,1981,and 1996
c => this series may continue after the last year given
e => this series may extend earlier than the inaugural year listed
+ => this series has been held at other times of the year, month given reflects the most recent contest
var => this series is not associated with any particular time of the year
y =>  the AUS 10,000m outdoor championships were run 1953-84,1986-95,1997-98.2000,2002-2004,2006 and twice in 1984,1994,1997,2000,2004,2006
y =>  the AUS crosscountry championships were run 1910,1912,1921-39@2,1946-52@2,1954-55,1957-71@2,1973-date
y =>  the AUS marathon championships were run 1909,1927,1949,1951-53,1956,1958,1960,1962,1964,1966-date
y =>  the AUT marathon championships were run 1901-02,1904,1906,1912,1922,1924-38,1940-41,1948-date
y =>  the BEL marathon championships were run 1903-09,1911,1922-24,1935-39,1946-57,1959-date
y =>  the CAN 5000m championships were run 1884-97,1904-05,1911-12,1924,1928-36,1948-date
y =>  the CAN 10,000m championships were run 1908,1910,1913,1922-23,1925-36,1938,1940,1947-date
y =>  the FRA marathon championships were run 1912,1914,1920-26,1928,1930-32,1936,1939,1941,1943,1945-2002,2004-date
y =>  the GRE marathon championships were run 1896,1906,1909-11,1924,1926-29,1931-34,1936-39,1948-date
y => the IND 10,000m championships were run 1924,1927-28,1930,1932,1934,1936,1938,1940,1942,1944,1946,1948-67,1969-70,1972,1974-75,1977-date
y =>  the ITA Crosscountry championships were run 1908-09,1911,1913-15,1919,1921-38,1941-43,1946-date
y =>  the ITA Road championships were run 1897-1903,1905-14,1919-22,1925-32,1937-date
y =>  the JPN 10,000m outdoor championships were run 1913-16,1917,1920-23,1925-40,1942,1946-date
y =>  the JPN marathon championships were run 1913-23,1925-1940,1942,1946-date
y =>  the LAT marathon championships were run 1927-28,1930-35,1937-39,1942-43,1947,1950-52,1956-date
y =>  the NED 10,000m outdoor championships were run 1902,1914,1920-21,1923-25,1927-33,1935-38,1940,1946-date
y => the RSA marathon championships were run 1908,1922-24,1926,1928-40,1946-2001,2006-date
y =>  the TUR 10,000m outdoor championships were run 1927,1933-35,1939,1943-45,1948-97,1999-2005
y =>  the URS (Soviet) 5000m outdoor championships were run 1920,1922-24,1927-28,1931,1934-40,1943-1991
y =>  the URS (Soviet) 10,000m outdoor championships were run 1920,1922-24,1927-28,1934,1936-40,1943-1991
y =>  the USA crosscountry championships were run 1890-92,1897-98,1901,1903,1905-97,1999-date

Complete champions/dates/times/venues list for 33 championships
Complete champions list for 99 championships
Web pages for 117 championships


Many people have contributed to the compilation of this list. Individual contributions to particular races are acknowledged on the web pages.

Last Updated on 02 Jul 2008