In 1984, the Budapesti Testnevelési és Sporthivatal ('Budapest Physical Education and Sports Office') (BTSH) organized a marathon that also allowed amateur runners to compete.

A half marathon and a shorter race for school children was also held alongside the event.

The official sponsor of the event was the IBUSZ [hu] travel agency, which remained for the next ten years.

In 1987, with full AIMS membership, the race attracted more international participants and the number of runners passed 1000.

The marathon passes through the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue", as well as Heroes' Square and the Millennium Underground Railway.

Runners pass landmarks such as Buda Castle, the Chain Bridge, the Hungarian Parliament Building, and Heroes' Square.

[citation needed] The Budapest Marathon is managed by BSI, led by Árpád Kocsis.

The organization always needs to delicately position itself to produce profit, while at the same time keep politicians happy.

Budapest has a loud group of people that don't want the race to be held in the city center (due to the road closures that inevitably occur), which forces BSI always to be close to the party currently in power.