Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star: The Complete Strategy Guide

The Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal is marathon running's most recognizable multi-race achievement: finish Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City, in any order, over any number of years, and you become a Six Star Finisher.

The racing is the clean part. The entry strategy is the trapdoor.

Boston has no general lottery. Tokyo is brutally difficult for international runners. London is massively oversubscribed. New York is possible, but the best path depends heavily on whether you are local. Berlin and Chicago are more accessible, but still require timing, documentation, or lottery luck. A Six Star journey is not one marathon goal. It is a multi-year logistics puzzle with long runs attached.

This guide is the map: how the medal works, how to get into each race, which races to prioritize first, when to use lotteries versus guaranteed paths, what the journey costs, and how to think about the coming Nine Star era without losing sight of the original six.

What Is the Six Star Medal?

The Abbott World Marathon Majors are the most prominent annual marathon series in the world. The original six races are:

• Tokyo Marathon — early March, Tokyo, Japan
• Boston Marathon — Patriots' Day, Boston, United States
• TCS London Marathon — late April, London, United Kingdom
• BMW BERLIN-MARATHON — late September, Berlin, Germany
• Bank of America Chicago Marathon — early October, Chicago, United States
• TCS New York City Marathon — early November, New York City, United States

Finish all six original races as an official finisher and you earn the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal. The races can be completed in any order. There is no expiration date. There is no required finish time beyond each race's official time limit. A runner who completes the six races in three years and a runner who completes them across twenty years both reach the same finish line: Six Star status.

Does Sydney count toward the Six Star Medal?

No. Sydney became the seventh Abbott World Marathon Major in 2025, but the Six Star Medal remains tied to the original six: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. Sydney matters because it counts toward the future Nine Star path. It does not replace any of the original six, and it does not create a Seven Star Medal.

How the star system works

Runners create an AbbottWMM profile and claim their results through the official runner portal. The system tracks completed Majors and allows runners to verify previous finishes. Results are generally available in the hub for Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City from 2006 onward, Tokyo from 2013 onward, and Sydney from 2025 onward. Older results can be submitted manually with proof.

Set For No. 6

When you are approaching your sixth and final Major, AbbottWMM's Set For No. 6 process helps confirm your status. At your final race, you may receive special Six Star identification, and after you finish, you receive the Six Star Medal alongside your standard race medal.

This is the ceremonial payoff. Years of lotteries, alarm clocks, long-haul flights, training blocks, hotel bookings, failed draws, and finish-line photos condense into one extra medal that says: you made it through the whole maze.

The Numbers: Who Has Done It, How Long It Takes, How Fast They Run

The Six Star community has grown rapidly since the medal was introduced. Thousands of runners complete the journey every year, and a large pool of five-star runners is waiting on one final race, often Tokyo or Boston.

Who becomes a Six Star Finisher?

Six Star finishers come from more than 100 countries. The largest cohorts are typically from the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Canada, and Japan. Three of the original six Majors are in the United States, two are in Europe, and Tokyo is both a Major and one of the hardest international race entries in the world.

The average Six Star finisher is not an elite runner. The typical finisher is a serious recreational marathoner: experienced, consistent, willing to travel, and capable of sustaining the project across many years.

How long does it take?

A realistic Six Star journey usually takes five to ten years. Some runners complete it faster with aggressive scheduling, charity entries, tour packages, and lottery luck. Others take much longer because of injury years, family obligations, missed lotteries, repeated rejection from Tokyo, or the moving target of Boston qualification.

The right question is not "how fast can I finish all six?" The better question is: "What cadence keeps me healthy, solvent, and still excited when I reach race number six?"

How fast do Six Star runners run?

Six Star runners span the full marathon spectrum. Some are sub-3 runners. Many finish between 3:45 and 5:00. Plenty use run-walk strategies. The medal rewards official completion, not pace.

Speed is not required. It is leverage. Being fast opens important doors: Boston qualifying, Berlin fast-runner entry, Chicago time-qualifier entry, and better corral placement at several races.

The Six Races, Ranked by Entry Difficulty

Entry difficulty is the journey's primary strategic variable. The six races differ enormously in how hard they are to get into, and structuring the journey around entry logistics rather than only personal preference is the most reliable approach.

Tier 1: Most accessible

Chicago

Chicago is one of the most strategically friendly Majors. It has a lottery, a guaranteed time-qualifier path, charity entries, international tour operators, and the Chicago Distance Series route for runners who can complete the Shamrock Shuffle 8K, Chicago 13.1, and Chicago Marathon in the same calendar year. For U.S.-based runners, Chicago is often the best first Major: logistically easy, flat, fast, and accessible by multiple entry paths.

Berlin

Berlin is oversubscribed, but its lottery odds are generally better than London, Tokyo, and New York. It also has a fast-runner entry path, charity entries, and tour operators across many countries. The catch is documentation. Berlin's fast-runner route requires valid proof from an eligible marathon. Screenshots, app files, and vague result pages are not enough. Berlin rewards runners who are fast and organized.

Tier 2: Moderate difficulty

London

London is one of the hardest lotteries in running, especially for international applicants. UK runners have access to Good For Age and club routes that many international runners do not. For non-UK runners, charity and tour operator routes are often more realistic than ballot luck.

New York City

New York has multiple routes: drawing, charity, international tour operators, NYRR's 9+1 program for local runners, and time qualifying. For New York-area runners, 9+1 is the cleanest long-term path. For everyone else, New York often becomes a lottery-plus-charity decision.

Tier 3: Most difficult

Boston

Boston has no general lottery. For most runners, the path is either qualify by time and survive the cutoff, raise money through charity, or use an approved international tour operator. A Boston qualifying time is not enough by itself. It only lets you apply. The final cutoff is determined after registration closes. Boston is not just a race. It is the gatekeeper with a clipboard.

Tokyo

Tokyo is the hardest Major for many international runners. The lottery is extremely competitive, the semi-elite route is available only to very fast runners, charity entry can be costly, and tour packages are expensive but reliable. Tokyo is the race most likely to be missing when a runner reaches five stars.

Best Order to Run the World Marathon Majors

There is no universal best order. There is a best order for your geography, budget, speed, risk tolerance, and lottery luck. The useful question is: "Which order gives me the highest chance of finishing the project without overpaying, overtraining, or getting stuck at five stars for years?"

The practical order for most U.S.-based runners

1. Chicago — easiest logistics, multiple entry paths, fast course
2. New York City — enter lottery annually; use charity if timing matters
3. Boston — qualify early if possible; do not assume you will qualify later
4. Berlin — lottery, fast-runner path, charity, or tour operator
5. London — ballot annually; use charity or tour if needed
6. Tokyo — save for final only if you are intentionally using the five-star Tokyo path

The practical order for European runners

1. Berlin — closest fast Major for much of Europe
2. London — ballot, charity, club, or Good For Age if UK-based
3. Chicago — accessible U.S. Major with good odds and fast course
4. New York City — lottery or tour operator
5. Boston — time qualifier, charity, or tour operator
6. Tokyo — usually the hardest travel and entry combination

The best strategic principles

1. Start with your easiest Major

Your first Major should not require maximum logistical difficulty. A home-country Major reduces travel stress, cost, jet lag, and uncertainty. It also gives the journey emotional momentum.

2. Enter every lottery every year

Tokyo, London, New York, Berlin, and Chicago all operate on annual entry cycles. Entering every relevant lottery every year keeps more doors open. Lottery luck is a tiny creature with wings. You cannot command it, but you can keep leaving windows open.

3. Do not save Boston for last unless you already have a plan

Boston has no lottery and the cutoff can move. If you are not already a reliable Boston qualifier, saving Boston for sixth creates avoidable risk. Either qualify early, commit to charity, or identify an approved tour route.

4. Decide whether Tokyo should be early or last

Tokyo can be attacked two ways: solve it early through tour, charity, or lottery luck, or save it for last and use the five-star Tokyo path if available. What you should not do is ignore it until you have five stars and no realistic entry plan.

5. Use Berlin and Chicago as performance anchors

Berlin and Chicago are the fastest courses in the group for many runners. They are excellent places to chase PRs, Boston qualifiers, or time-standard entries for other races.

Race-by-Race Entry Summary

Each Major has its own entry ecosystem. Treat this table as a strategic snapshot, then verify the current year's rules on the official race website before committing money.

For detailed entry mechanics, build a separate plan for each race. The Six Star project works best when you treat each Major as both a marathon and an entry campaign.

The Tokyo Problem, and How to Solve It

Tokyo is the race that traps many runners at five stars. It is far away for North American and European runners, expensive to reach, hard to enter, and logistically different from the other Majors. By the time runners need only Tokyo, the emotional weight of the final star can make every rejection feel larger.

Why Tokyo is difficult

• The general lottery is highly competitive.
• The semi-elite pathway is available only to very fast runners.
• Charity entry can be expensive and may involve donation-based selection.
• Tour operator packages are reliable but costly.
• Flights, hotels, and time-zone adjustment add real travel complexity.

Solution 1: Run Tokyo early

This is the cleanest strategy if money allows. Use a tour operator, charity route, or lottery luck early in the journey. Once Tokyo is complete, the rest of the project becomes much easier to manage. You eliminate the most common final-star bottleneck before it becomes a bottleneck.

Solution 2: Save Tokyo for sixth intentionally

If Tokyo is your final missing star, AbbottWMM has historically offered special opportunities for five-star runners chasing Tokyo as number six. These routes are limited and competitive, but they exist specifically for the exact problem many runners face: five stars complete, Tokyo remaining. This strategy is viable only if you understand the risk. It is not a guaranteed final-step shortcut.

Solution 3: Use a tour operator

For runners who value timeline certainty more than cost minimization, an approved tour operator is the most reliable Tokyo path. It is expensive, but it solves entry, hotel availability, and logistical uncertainty in one move.

Solution 4: Join every Tokyo pathway available

If Tokyo is a long-term goal, do not rely on one route. Enter the general lottery, investigate membership-based lottery opportunities, monitor charity options, and price tour operators. Tokyo rewards persistence and parallel planning.

The Realistic Six Star Budget

The Six Star journey is not cheap. Entry fees, flights, hotels, local transport, race-week meals, gear, charity fundraising, and tour packages add up quickly.

Low-cost scenario: lottery luck and smart geography

A runner who lives in the United States, gets into Chicago and New York through standard routes, qualifies for Boston, wins Berlin and London lottery entries, and gets Tokyo through a standard entry or lucky route might complete the journey for roughly $8,000 to $15,000 over several years. This is the unicorn route.

Typical scenario: mixed entry paths

A more realistic budget for many runners is $20,000 to $35,000. This assumes some standard entries, some expensive flights, mid-tier hotels, one charity commitment or tour package, and normal race-weekend spending.

High-cost scenario: charity and tour-heavy path

If Boston requires charity, Tokyo requires a tour operator, London requires charity or tour, and hotels are booked late, the journey can push beyond $40,000.

Cost by category

How to reduce the total cost

• Enter every lottery every year.
• Use time qualifier paths for Chicago and Berlin if available.
• Book hotels immediately after entry confirmation.
• Prioritize home-region Majors first.
• Avoid tour operators for races where standard entry is realistically attainable.
• Do not wait until late to solve Tokyo.

Every lottery entry that succeeds can save thousands of dollars relative to a charity or tour path. Patience is not just emotionally useful. It is a budget strategy.

Training Across a Multi-Year Major Journey

The Six Star journey is not a single training plan. It is an athletic architecture project. You are training to stay healthy through years of marathon cycles, long-haul flights, time-zone changes, imperfect build-ups, and races that arrive in every season.

One Major per year

This is the most sustainable rhythm for most runners. One Major per year allows a full 16 to 18 week training block, a complete taper, a proper recovery period, and an off-season before the next build. Six years of healthy progress beats three years of frantic racing followed by an Achilles tendon writing a resignation letter.

Two Majors per year

Two Majors in one year can work, especially when the calendar supports it:

• London in April plus Chicago or New York in autumn
• Berlin in late September plus Chicago in October
• Chicago in October plus New York in November

The risk is recovery. A runner who races Berlin all-out and then tries to race Chicago three weeks later is not doubling efficiently. They are negotiating with fatigue in a second language.

The performance versus completion decision

Not every Major needs to be a PR attempt. Berlin and Chicago are the best performance targets. Boston and New York are more physically demanding. A smart Six Star plan chooses which races are for time and which races are for completion. That decision reduces training stress and protects the long-term project.

Recovery between Majors

After every Major, assume 3 to 4 weeks before structured workouts return, and 6 to 8 weeks before a full marathon build resumes. Older runners, injury-prone runners, and runners who raced aggressively may need longer.

Strength training is not optional

Multi-year marathon training exposes weaknesses. Calves, hamstrings, hips, glutes, and feet need consistent strength work. Two short sessions per week across the entire journey are better than heroic gym blocks performed only when something already hurts. The medal is shiny. The hidden requirement is durable connective tissue.

The Nine Star Future

The Abbott World Marathon Majors series is expanding. Sydney became the seventh Major in 2025. Cape Town and Shanghai are candidate races undergoing evaluation. If the expansion process is completed, the future Nine Star Medal will include the original six plus Sydney, Cape Town, and Shanghai.

What this means for Six Star runners

The Six Star Medal remains unchanged. It is still awarded for the original six races: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. Sydney does not count toward Six Star completion. It counts toward the future Nine Star framework.

Should Six Star runners run Sydney now?

If Sydney fits your budget, calendar, and travel appetite, running it now can bank a future Nine Star race while you continue your Six Star journey. That is efficient if Australia is already on your map. It is unnecessary if it would derail your original six-race plan.

What about Cape Town and Shanghai?

Cape Town and Shanghai are not guaranteed additions until AbbottWMM confirms they have passed the required evaluation process. Treat them as likely future strategy variables, not finished facts.

How to Start Your Six Star Journey

Step 1: Create your AbbottWMM runner profile

Create your runner profile on the Abbott World Marathon Majors website. Claim any previous Major finishes, verify your results, and make sure your name, date of birth, and race records match correctly.

Step 2: List your entry route for each race

Build a simple table for yourself:

• Tokyo: lottery, charity, tour, or final-star strategy?
• Boston: qualifier, charity, or tour?
• London: ballot, charity, Good For Age, or tour?
• Berlin: lottery, fast runner, charity, or tour?
• Chicago: lottery, time qualifier, charity, Distance Series, or tour?
• New York: lottery, 9+1, time qualifier, charity, or tour?

Step 3: Enter every relevant lottery every year

The annual lottery habit is the cheapest way to create future options. It takes minutes and can save thousands of dollars if a drawing lands.

Step 4: Choose your first Major based on access, not romance

The best first Major is usually the one you can actually enter, afford, travel to comfortably, and recover from without blowing up the rest of your year. Romance can arrive at race number six wearing a sash. Race number one should be clean logistics.

Step 5: Build a five-to-ten-year plan

The Six Star journey rewards patience. A realistic plan gives you room for missed lotteries, injury years, family obligations, and changing race calendars. The goal is not to rush through the Majors. The goal is to arrive at your sixth finish line healthy enough to enjoy it.

Find training guides for all six Abbott World Marathon Majors →

FAQ

Do I need to run fast to earn the Six Star Medal?

No. You only need to finish each of the six original Abbott World Marathon Majors officially within that race's time limit. There is no Six Star qualifying time and no required pace.

Which races count toward the Six Star Medal?

Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. Sydney became an Abbott World Marathon Major in 2025, but it does not count toward the Six Star Medal. Sydney counts toward the future Nine Star framework.

What is the best order to run the six World Marathon Majors?

For most runners, the best order is to start with your closest or most accessible Major, enter every lottery every year, secure Chicago and Berlin early if possible, avoid leaving Boston to chance, and decide deliberately whether Tokyo should be solved early or saved for a final-star strategy.

Which Abbott World Marathon Major is hardest to enter?

For many international runners, Tokyo is the hardest because of its competitive lottery, limited semi-elite route, costly charity options, and expensive tour packages. Boston is also difficult because it has no general lottery and requires either a qualifying time plus cutoff, charity entry, or a tour operator route.

How much does the Six Star journey cost?

A low-cost journey with excellent lottery luck and minimal charity or tour use might cost $8,000 to $15,000. A more typical mixed-path journey can cost $20,000 to $35,000. A tour-heavy or charity-heavy route can exceed $40,000.

How long does it take to complete the Six Star journey?

Many runners take five to ten years. Faster completion is possible with aggressive scheduling, tour packages, charity entries, and lottery luck. Longer timelines are common because of entry rejections, injuries, life events, and travel constraints.

Can I run the same Major multiple times for multiple stars?

No. Each race counts once toward the Six Star Medal. Running Chicago five times still gives you one Chicago star. You need one official finish at each of the six original Majors.

What happens at my sixth World Marathon Major?

Once your AbbottWMM profile confirms that you are completing your sixth Major, you can go through the Set For No. 6 process. At your final race, you receive the standard race medal and the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal after you finish.

Is there a Nine Star Medal?

AbbottWMM has announced that a Nine Star Medal will be introduced if the expansion to nine Majors is completed. Sydney is already the seventh Major, while Cape Town and Shanghai remain subject to the evaluation process.

Should I run Sydney during my Six Star journey?

Run Sydney if it fits your budget, calendar, and long-term Nine Star interest. It does not help complete the Six Star Medal, but it may help bank progress toward a future Nine Star Medal.