When I recently competed in the Austin Marathon, I considered how this ancient 26.2-mile ritual brings the community together, promotes volunteerism and inspires people to take root for completely strangers. The marathon is a celebration of human endurance and perseverance, but as a MS graduate of sustainable science, I can’t help but wonder: what is the environmental cost of this huge event?
Thousands of paper cups and tiny plastic gel packaging littered on the streets, and runners hydrate and sugar on the go. Medals made of metal and ribbons were distributed to each finished person, not to mention shipment. From bibs and timing chips to huge materials for plastic-wrapped recovery snacks and hot blankets, questions about the sustainability of the sport. Are city streets closed, reduce vehicle emissions on the day and encourage an active lifestyle to offset the benefits of generated waste? Or is it the nature of a marathon, an event that leaves a large environmental footprint?
The sustainability of marathons is an increasingly concerned topic. Some races have made great strides in reducing their impact: using recyclable bibs to turn into compostable cups, sourcing medals from sustainable materials, and even planting trees to make the game carbon neutral.
However, before detailing all proposed solutions, be sure to keep track of the scale of the problem. The New York City Marathon alone can collect about 38 tons of discarded clothes as runners take off their layers during the race. More dramatically, the activity also generated about 54.3 kg of carbon emissions (according to an analysis), equivalent to the Boeing 747, a transatlantic 424 transatlantic flight from New York City to London.
To address these challenges, some races have explored alternative hydration solutions, such as individual refilled bottles or innovative biodegradable pods made from seaweed, such as the Ooho Pods introduced in the 2019 London Marathon. Although promising, these solutions have not been widely adopted throughout the marathon tour, largely due to logistical challenges and cost issues.
In addition to hydration, other races have implemented creative sustainability efforts. The Boston Marathon recently launched medals made from recycled steel and ribbons sourced from reusable plastic bottles. The impact bib program of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon provides funding for a sustainability charity in lieu of race day shirts, while the Bath Marathon plants one tree for every 20 registered people on the woods they own, adding more trees each year to further the carbon neutral race goals. Some races, such as the New York City Marathon, have swapped traditional disposable hot blankets for reusable post-race ponchos, helping to reduce disposable waste while providing runners with lasting souvenirs.
Despite these efforts, the reality is that a day-to-day event requires a lot of resources. Marathons require thousands of volunteers, generate a lot of garbage, and often rely on company sponsorships that enrich brand giveaways, many of which are unsustainable. Even if sustainability is a clear goal, race organizers must balance financial constraints, logistical challenges, and expectations of participants and audiences.
This is not my first marathon. I’m happy to be in the 50th annual New York City Marathon and still have reusable post-race ponchos they give to all the finishers. I wish my second marathon in my new home is bigger than myself. I started the fundraising campaign, got the attention of local media and was able to raise meaningful funds for the nonprofits I have always supported. I really believe that if I had created a fundraiser without a marathon, the results would not have been the same. The nature of the endurance challenge is somewhat forcing people to uphold a cause, whether by cheering runners, voluntarily donating to charities associated with the event.
When someone says they are training in a marathon, the response is usually a positive change. People may be impressed, they may have questions, or they may suddenly want to share their race or endurance stories. This is because the marathon brings all kinds of people together. Running is one of the most natural human activities – we will learn to run when we are two years old or so. Essentially, having an endurance sport built around something so basic is a unified activity that transcends political beliefs, racial backgrounds, and socio-economic differences.
However, making the game day sustainable is only a priority for participants and audiences. While some runners may actively seek eco-conscious races or choose their own moisture, others are simply focusing on completing the personal challenges of the race. This means that responsibility is largely responsible for the implementation of green practices by race organizers, city officials and sponsors without undermining the runner’s experience.
However, the long-standing marathon tradition rooted in history and human resilience has something lasting. As I look at the third marathon in the near future, I want to see more sustainability efforts incorporated into its organization. Organizers, sponsors and runners can all play a role in making race days more environmentally friendly. The future of marathons is not just about pushing the human boundaries, but about doing so in a way that respects the planet, ensuring that these incredible feats of endurance have a lasting positive impact on both those who run them and those who support their planet.
Daryush Nourbaha, a Graduated from Colombia’s Master of Science in Sustainable Development Science, is the Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Manager at Collins Aerospace. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, two daughters, with their dog, Zoë.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Columbia Climate School, the Institute of Earth Studies or Columbia University.
