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.

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
136  ENG 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul   1866-1914,1919-39,1946-2011              13   0   0   0
128  IRL 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul   1875-1914,1924-2011                      29   1   3  30
126  USA 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Jun+  1880-94,1899-1902,1904-19,1921-2011       1   0   8   0
124  ENG Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Feb   1877-1914,1920-1939,1946-2011            68   0  71   0
120  FRA Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1889-1914,1918-2011                       0   0  84   0
116  SWE 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Aug+  1896-2011                                10   0   0   0
114  SCO Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Feb   1886-1914,1920-39,1947-2011               0   0  62   0
113  USA Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Feb+  1890/2011y                               62   0  62  62
112  DEN 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1900-2011                                76   0   0  69
112  BEL Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar+  1896-14,1919-2011                        56   0  61  49
      10
111  USA 3000m Indoor                     Men  IT  Mar   1899-1901,1903-11,1913-2011              11   0   0   6
111  DEN Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Oct   1901-2011                                98   0   0  99
108  WAL Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Feb   1894-1914,1920-40,1946-2011              60   0   0   0
106  SUI Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar+  1900,1904-15,1917-19,1921,1923-2011       0   0  75   0
105  SWE Crosscountry-Long                Men  XC  Apr+  1907-2011                                 0   0   0   0
104  ITA Road Half Marathon               Men  RD  May+  1897/2011y                                0   0   2   0
103  HUN Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Apr+  1908-14,1916-2011                        90   0   2  91
102  SWE Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1910-2011                                 0   0   0   0
102  FIN 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Aug   1908,1910-1940,1942-2011                  0   0   0   0
102  DEN Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1910-2011                                19   0   0  17
      20
101  FIN 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Aug   1910-1940,1942-2011                       0   0   0   0
100  ITA 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Aug+  1907-14,1919-43,1945-2011                62   0   0   0
 99  FRA 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul+  1908-09,1917-39,1941-2011                 0   0   0   0
 99  GER Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1897-98,1905-08,1910-13,1920-42,1946-2011 0   0   0   0
 98  World Crosscountry                   Men  XC  Mar   1903-14,1920-39,1946-2011                 0   0   0   0
 98  RSA 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Apr+  1904-14,1920-40,1946-2011                 0   0   0   0
 98  NED 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul   1913-1944,1946-2011                       9   0   1   9
 98  NOR 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Aug   1908-1939,1946-2011                      84   0   0   0
 98  ITA Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1908-14,1919-42,1945-2011                 0   0   0   0
 97  FRA 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Jun+  1905-11,1920-39,1941-43,1945-2011         0   0   0   0
      30
 97  SUI 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul+  1913,1916-2011                            0   0   1   0
 97  AUT 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Aug   1913-1943,1946-2011                       0   0   0   0
 97  FIN Crosscountry- Long               Men  XC  Jun+  1913-1917,1919-1941,1943-2011             0   0   0   0
 97  HUN 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1915-2011                                83   0   0  81
 95  LUX Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1911-13,1916-40,1946-2011                 0   0  84   0
 95  DEN 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul+  1910-11,1919-2011                        74   0   0  58
 95  SWE 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Aug   1917-2011                                16   0   0   0
 95  ITA Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1908/2011y                                0   0  53   0
 94  FRA Crosscountry                   Women  XC  Mar   1918-2011                                 0   0  67   0
 94  EST 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1917-40,1942-2011                        78   0   0   0
      40
 94  JPN Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1913-15,1917-40,1942,1946-2011            1   0   0   1
 93  ESP Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1916-36,1940-2011                        60   0  62   0
 93  ITA 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1913-14,1919-43,1945-55,1957-2011         1   0   1   1
 93  POR 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1913-15,1922-2011                        66   0   0  67
 93  NOR 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Aug+  1913-39,1946-2011                        78   0   0   0
 93  ROM 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul   1914/2011y                               83   0   0  77
 93  WAL 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jun+  1907-14,1920-39,1946-2005,2007-11         1   0   1   0
 93  NOR Crosscountry- Long               Men  XC  Sep+  1913-39,1946-2011                         1   0   0   0
 93  ROM Crosscountry                     Men  XC  var   1916,1920-60,1962-2011d                   3   0  17   3
 92  JPN 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1913-15,1917-23,1925-40,1942,1946-2011   27   0   1  25
      50
 92  CAN 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1884/2011y                                2   0   0   0
 92  EST 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1918,1920-40,1942-2011                   76   0   1   0
 92  ESP 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1917-36,1940-2011                        73   0   0   0
 91  JPN 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1913/2011y                               18   0   0  18
 91  GER 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul   1919-43,1946-2011                         0   0   0   0
 90  NED Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1919-39,1941-43,1946-2011d                0   0   0   1
 90  GER 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Jul+  1919-42,1946-2011                         0   0   0   0
 90  POR 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1913-14,1922-2000,2003-11                68   0   0  68
 88  POR Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1911-13,1922-23,1928,1930-2011           76   0  77  77
 88  AUT Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar+  1900-05,1921-37,1947-2011                 6   0   1   0
      60
 88  SUI Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1901,1908-09,1927-2011                    1   0   0   1
 88  ROM Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1921-22,1924-28,1930-76,1978-2011         2   0   2   2
 87  USA 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jun+  1878-79,1895-96,1903-05,1932-2011         0   0   2   0
 87  POL 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1920-39,1945-2011                         0   0   0   0
 87  NED Half Marathon                    Men  RD  var   1909-10,1912,1918,1923-39,1946-2011      26   0   2  26
 87  HUN Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1925-2011                                 0   0   0   0
 87  AUT Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1901/2011y                                1   0   0   0
 87  USA Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1925-2010,2012                            0   0   0   0
 86  AUT 10000m Outdoor                   Men  IT  var   1923-42,1946-2011                         0   0   1   0
 85  ESP 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1924-36,1940-2011                        63   0   0   0
      70
 85  NED 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1902/2011y                                9   0   0   9
 84  CAN 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1908/2011y                                3   0   0   0
 84  EST Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Apr   1922-23,1925-46,1948-51,1955,1957-2011   20   0   0  20
 84  GER Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar+  1913,1919-36,1947-2011                   60   0  39  60
 84  ROM 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Jul   1924-55,1957-76,1978-80,1983-2011        76   0   0  61
 83  POL Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Mar   1921,1924-39,1946-2011                    0   0   1   0
 83  FRA Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1912/2011y                                0   0   0   0
 82  POL 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1923-34,1936-39,1946-2011                 0   0   0   0
 82  HUN 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1930-2011                                66   0   0  66
 82  BUL 5000 Outdoor                     Men  OT  var   1926-35,1938-43,1945-61,1963-2011        36   0   0  36
      80
 81  BUL 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1926-35,1938-43,1945-61,1963-2009        37   0   0  37
 81  POL Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1924-38,1946-2011                         0   0   0   0                              
 81  ENG Marathon                         Men  RD  Apr+  1925-1939,1946-2011                       0   0   0   0
 81  RSA Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1908/2012y                                1   0   0   0
 79  ENG Crosscountry                   Women  XC  Feb   1927-1939,1946-2011                      49   0  51  52
 78  BEL Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1903-09,1911,1935-39,1946-49,1951-2011   31   3  15  25 
 78  TUR 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jun   1924,1933-35,1939-2011                   69   4   4  60
 78  GRE Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1896/2011y                                0   0   0   0
 78  POR Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1910-14,1936-42,1946-2011                19   1   1  18
 77  AUT Road Half Marathon               Men  RD  var   1922-37,1948,1952-2011                    4   1   1   2
      90
 77  IND 10000m                           Men  OT  var   1924/2011yd                              42   0   0   0
 77  SWE Road Half Marathon               Men  RD  var   1916-25,1945-2011                         0   0   0   0
 77  BEL 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1924-28,1931,1934-38,1942,1946,1948-2011 15   0   4  16
 76  EST Crosscountry Short               Men  XC  Apr   1928/2011                                14   0   0  14
 76  New South Wales (AUS) Marathon       Men  RD  var   1909/2011y                                7   3   3   0
 75  SUI 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1937-2011                                 0   0   0   0
 75  IND 5000m                            Men  OT  var   1924/2011yd                              38   2   2   1
 75  ESP Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1928/2011yd                               0   0   0   0
 74  TUR Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1938-2011                                25  18  18  19
 74  ENG 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Jul+  1932-39,1946-2011                         0   1   3   0
     100
 74  EST Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1927-30,1934-36,1939-40,1947-2011         2   0   0   2
 74  LAT Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1927/2011y                                4   0   2   2
 74  NED Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1914,1927,1931-35,1937-38,1947-2011       1   0   0   0
 73  Victoria (AUS) Marathon              Men  RD  var   1909/2011y                                0   1   1   0
 72  FIN Crosscountry- Short              Men  XC  May+  1932-1937,1946-2011                       0   0   0   0
 72  FIN Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1909,1937-40,1945-2011                    0   0   0   0
 72  TUR 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Jun   1927/2011y                               64   4   4  55
 72  ENG 10 Mile                          Men  OT  var   1879-1914,1919-39,1947,1959-72           13   0   0  12
 71  BUL Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1937-40,1943,1945,1947-2011e             27   8   8  26
 70  AUS 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1930,1932,1934,1936-37,1947-2011          0   0   0   0
     110
 70  ITA Crosscountry                   Women  XC  Mar   1926-29,1946-2011                         0   0  32   0
 70  BEL 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Jul   1923-24,1926,1928-29,,1933,1937,1949-2011 7   1   5   6
 69  HUN Crosscountry                   Women  XC  Apr+  1943-2011                                57   0   1  58
 69  CAN Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1910/2011y                                0   0   0   0
 69  NZL Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1939-40,1945-2011                        12   0   0   0
 68  NIR Marathon                         Men  RD  May+  1946-2011                                20  24  30   2
 67  WAL Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1934-39,1947,1949-92,1995-99,2001-11      0   0   0   0
 67  NOR Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1897-1901,1950-2011                       0   0   0   0
 67  Czechoslovak 5000m Outdoor           Men  RD  var   1919-37,1945-92                           0   0   0   0
 66  RSA 10000m                           Men  OT  Apr   1939-40,1946-2011                         0   0   0   0
     120
 66  SER Crosscountry                     Men  XC  var   thru 2011
 66  AUS Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Aug   1908/2011y                               10   0   0   0
 66  SCO Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1946-2011                                 0   0   0   0
 65  AUT Crosscountry                   Women  XC  Mar   1932-33,1949-2011                         0   0   1   0
 65  SWE Crosscountry- Short              Men  XC  Apr+  1940-62,1968-74,1977-2011                 0   0   0   0
 65  Balkan Games/Championships Marathon  Men  RD  var   1929/2011y                                0   0   0  0
 65  NOR Road Half Marathon               Men  RD  var   1947-2011                                 1   0   0   0
 65  Czechoslovak 10000m Outdoor          Men  RD  var   1919-37,1945-92                           0   0   0   0
 64  Auckland (NZL) Marathon              Men  RD  Oct+  1937-39,1945-46,1949-2007                18   0   0   0
 64  SVK 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  var   1937-43,1945-50,1953,1956-60,1967-2011    1   0   0   1
     130
 64  ROM Crosscountry                   Women  XC  var   1947-1960,1962-2011                       0   0  11   0
 64  SCO 10 Mile                          Men  OT  var   1886-1914,1919-39,1946-48,1965-75        29   0   0  29
 64  Czechoslovak Marathon                Men  RD  var   1925-37,1939,1941-42,1945-92              0   0   0   0
 63  RSA Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Sep+  1948-1999,2001-2011                      13   0  13   0
 63  Soviet 5000m Outdoor                 Men  OT  var   1920/1991y                               31   0   0  17
 61  IND Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1938-46@2,1948-2003                      46  49  55  43
 61  EST Crosscountry                   Women  XC  Apr   1945,1948-51,1955,1957-2011              23   0   0  23
 61  CAN Crosscountry                     Men  XC  var   1951-2011                                 2   2   2   2
 61  KEN 5000m Outdoor                    Men  OT  Jul+  1951-2011                                 7  11  17   1
 61  YUG Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1930/2002y                               29   0   0  26
     140
 61  Soviet 10000m Outdoor                Men  OT  var   1920/1991y                               16   0   0  12
 60  AUS 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Dec+  1953/2011y                                0   0   0   0
 59  MEX Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1924,1927-32,1935-41,1945-79,2002-11     40   5   6  25
 59  SVK 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  var   1940-43,1945-50,1956-60,1968-2011         1   0   0   1
 59  SVK Crosscountry                     Men  XC  var   1940-50,1955,1957-60,1969-2011            9   0   1  10
 58  KOR Outdoor                          Men  OT  Jun   thru 2004, quite incomplete              69   0   0  69
 58  KOR Marathon                         Men  RD  Apr+  1927/2008                                32   0   0  28
 58  Newfoundland (CAN) Marathon          Men  RD  Sep+  1950-57,1959-68,1971-2010                 0   0   0   0
 58  GER Indoor 3000m                     Men  IT  Feb   1954-2011                                20   0   0   0
 58  WAL 10000m Outdoor                   Men  OT  Jun   1951-52,1954-2001,2004-11                17   0   0  22
     150
 57  AUT Crosscountry- Short              Men  XC  Mar+  1955-2011                                 0   0   0   0
 57  NOR Crosscountry- Short              Men  XC  var   1947-75,1984-2011                        28   0   0  28
 57  FIN Crosscountry                   Women  XC  May+  1955-2011                                 0   0   0   0
 57  AUS Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1909/2011y                                0   0   0   0
 56  HUN Crosscountry Short               Men  XC  Apr+  1949-44,1946-50,1955-74,1979-94,2000-09  48   0   0  48
 55  Balkan Crosscounty                   Men  XC  Mar   1940,1955,1958-2009,2011                 42   0   0  42
 55  GER Crosscountry                   Women  XC  Mar+  1957-2011                                31   0  10  31
 54  South Australia (AUS) Marathon       Men  RD  var   1920,1925,1932,1941,1956-2005             0   0   0   0
 54  Soviet Marathon                      Men  RD  var   1923,1935-40,1945-1991                    3   0   1   4
 53  POL 3000m Indoor                     Men  IT  Feb   1933-39,1946-51,1954,1973-2011            0   0   0   0
     160
 53  MNE Crosscountry                     Men  XC  Feb+  1946/2011                                 0   2  38   0
 53  SVK Marathon                         Men  RD  var   1946-51,1957-60,1969-2011                 0   0   1   0
 52  AUS Crosscountry                   Women  XC  Aug   1960-2011                                20   0   0  13
 52  Balkan Crosscounty                 Women  XC  Mar   1958-2009,2011                           39   0   0  39
 52  SCO Crosscountry                   Women  XC  Feb   1960-2011                                 0   0   3   0
 51  GER Crosscountry Short               Men  XC  Mar+  1961-2011                                30   0   6  28
 51  NED Crosscountry                   Women  XC  Mar   1932,1963-2011d                           0   0   0   0
 50  LUX Marathon                         Men  RD  Oct+  1962-2011                                15   0  14  15

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.  An "m" in the statistics columns indicates missing medalists and all of the champions are posted.

d =>  ESP marathon championships were held twice in 2011
      IND 10,000m championships were held twice in 1967,1969,1972,1981,and 1996
      NED Long cross (men and women) championships were held twice in 2011
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 Balkan Games/Championships were run 1929-40,1953-86,1988-90,1992,1994,1996-2010
y =>  the AUS 10000m outdoor championships were run 1953-84,1986-95,1997-98.2000,2002-2004,2006-date and twice in 1984,1994,1997,2000,2004,2006
y =>  the AUS crosscountry championships were run 1908,1910,1912,1921-39@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 New South Wales (AUS) marathon championships were run 1909-12,1928,1930,1937-39,1944-1996,1998-date
y=>   the Victoria (AUS) marathon championships were run 1909-11,1920,1923,1926,1929,1931,1946-50,1952-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 CAN marathon championships were run 1910-11,1929-40,1946-52,1954-91,2000-02,2004-date
y =>  the ESP marathon championships were run 1928,1930-31,1933,1935,1940-2001,2005-date
y =>  the EST short crosscountry championships were run 1928-43,1945,1948-51,1955,1957-83,1985-date
y =>  the FRA marathon championships were run 1912,1914,1920-26,1928,1930-32,1936,1939,1941,1943,1945-2002,2004-2008,2010
y =>  the GRE marathon championships were run 1896,1906,1909-11,1924,1926-28,1932,1936-39,1948-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 KOR marathon championships were run 1927-28,1930-35,1937-42,1946-49,1951-83,2002-08
y =>  the LAT marathon championships were run 1927-28,1930-35,1937-39,1942-43,1947,1950-52,1956-date
y =>  the MNE crosscountry championships were run 1946-50,1957-60,1962-64,1966-67,1969-70,1972-94,1998-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 ROM 5000m outdoor championships were run 1914,1916,1920-54,1956-68,1970-76,1978-79,1981,1983-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-date
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
y =>  the YUG marathon championships were run 1930-32,1934-39,1949,1952-53,1960-62,1964,1966-2002

Complete champions/dates/times/venues list for 45 championships
Complete champions list for 143 championships
Web pages for 164 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 05 Feb 2012