Is Running a Marathon Right for You? Consider These Factors Before You Lace Up

According to The State Of Running Report, the popularity of marathon running has increased by nearly 50% since 2008. Approximately 1.1 million people a year run a marathon (RUNrepeat), which equates to approximately 0.01% of the world’s population. If you are a runner you have probably asked yourself if you should run a marathon OR if you should run another one. 

Whether you should sign up for a marathon is a deeply personal question. There are so many positives and certainly some negatives. It all comes down to what you want your running adventure to be. Marathon running can be so much fun, but not everyone needs to be a marathon runner. If you don’t want to run a marathon then don’t. Choosing to run a marathon is a big step. If you want to run one, great! Successfully completing a marathon is a HUGE accomplishment you will always have. 

If you think you want to run a marathon, the first thing to note is that it is important to be realistic about how much physical and mental energy training for a marathon takes. No matter what your life looks like you will have to make changes and sacrifices to accommodate the training load. If you have a job or a family you will have to figure out how to balance your training so that you stay healthy while balancing your family and work life. Remember stress is stress and the more you put on your body / in your life the more likely you are to get injured. 

While we don’t have the answer for you, here are some questions you can ask yourself before committing to a marathon that might help you decide. 

1. Do I have the time to train correctly? - Typically it takes 16-20 weeks of dedicated training to run a marathon. Training includes running 3-5x/week, strength training, cross training, paying attention to your fueling, sleep and mental health

1. Do you know how to train correctly or know someone that can help you? We suggest working with a coach to help guide you on your journey. A good coach helps make schedule adjustments based on your life. They can support you and give you advice along the way. First time marathons often do even better when they have a training group to run with! Many marathons have training programs, so do many running clubs. 

1. Do I have enough support from my family, friends, colleagues? Training can be tiring and all consuming. Make sure that you have people around you that can cheer you on and support you!

1. Why am I doing this? For myself or because I feel like I have to? Sometimes runners feel like they have to run a marathon because other runners they know are doing it. Be true to yourself. 

2. Am I ready? To run a marathon you should be able to run 20-30 miles a week before you start, ideally you will be doing some sort of strength plan and have done at least a few races in the past.

Whether you decide to run a marathon is entirely up to you! If you are still unsure or thinking about it consider signing up for Fast Bananas RUNsource expert Coach Carl’s upcoming Webinar about marathon training! If you know you want to run one check out Fast Bananas expert, Kelsey Pontius’s new book, use code Fastbananas for $10 off!