258. Kevin Beatty | Why the Best Marathons Aren’t Always the “Majors”

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When runners talk about “bucket-list marathons,” the conversation almost always begins — and ends — with the Abbott World Marathon Majors: Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin, London, Tokyo, and Sydney. But here’s the truth: some of the fastest, most historic, and most enjoyable marathons in the world aren’t Majors at all.

In this episode, I’m joined by my older brother, Kevin Beatty — a 2:21 marathoner & cross country coach at Loyalist College — to shine a light on excellent marathons beyond the Majors that deserve your attention.

Kevin brings both historical perspective and recent experience, having run between 2:35–2:40 at races like Houston, CIM, and Grandma’s in his late 40s. Together we cover:

✨ How the World Marathon Majors came to be — and why “Major” doesn’t always mean fastest or most prestigious
✨ The hidden challenges of racing the Majors (logistics, late start times, athlete area waits)
✨ International marathons worth traveling for — from historic courses like Athens and Fukuoka to PR factories like Valencia and Seville
✨ U.S. “shadow majors” such as CIM, Grandma’s, Houston, and Honolulu
✨ Canadian favorites region by region, plus hidden gems like Petit Train and Georgina
✨ Why boutique marathons like Erie, PA or Queen City can give runners double BQ opportunities
✨ New models like The Marathon Project and McKirdy Micro Marathon

If you’ve ever felt like the World Majors were the only marathons that mattered, this conversation might just expand your horizons — and your race calendar.

Kevin's previous episodes on Inspired Soles:

• Ep 3 | Treating Running Like a Sport
• Ep 78 | Pacer for Carolyn’s Las Vegas 10k Win
• Ep 176 | US Olympic Marathon Trials Recap

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