I am not here to tell anyone that they should NOT sign up to run a marathon, because far from it, I genuinely believe that running a marathon and becoming a marathon runner can be an incredibly positive and transformative experience, and for a lot of people it ends up being one of the most meaningful things they ever do for themselves.
However, not everyone is naturally cut out to be a long distance runner, and running a marathon is no small feat, so you have to go into it with a healthy level of respect for the distance and for what it will realistically take to prepare your body and mind to cover that distance in some level of comfort.
Marathon running has absolutely exploded over the last decade, and according to social media it sometimes feels like everyone you know is either running a marathon, training for one, or has one sitting on their bucket list, which makes the whole thing look far more accessible and glamorous than it often is in real life.
Getting a place in a marathon these days is a bit like winning the lottery, with ballots, waiting lists, charity applications, and fingers crossed that your name gets picked. Yet every year there are huge numbers of runners who manage to secure these coveted entries but never make it to the start line.
Some of those dropouts are completely unavoidable and no one should feel bad about them, because injuries happen, people get sick, family situations change, pregnancies happen, jobs become overwhelming, and life often just doesn’t coincide with your running plans.
But there are a lot of people who sign up without ever really stopping to think about what marathon training actually involves in practical, day to day terms. They do not fully take on board what is required to become a marathon runner. A marathon training program can take from 16 to 20 weeks depending on your starting point. That is over 4 months of committed training involving multiple weekly runs and a long run normally on the weekend.
So before you hit the enter button, it is worth being honest with yourself about whether this is something you truly want to do right now, not in a negative or discouraging way, but in a realistic way that might save you a lot of frustration, disappointment, and unnecessary pressure later on.
Here are a few things you definitely need to consider to see if now is the right time for you to think about running that marathon.
1. Do not attempt to run a marathon if you cannot commit to a minimum of 4 days training per week.
If you cannot honestly commit to running at least four times per week, for several months in a row, then your body is going to struggle with the distance on race day. It’s not about pace, it is about building stamina and endurance to get through 26.2 miles or 42k comfortably.
A lot of people like the idea of being a marathon runner far more than they like the reality of being someone who needs to schedule their week around training sessions, and if running four times per week sounds impossible with your current schedule then maybe now is not the time to try to run a marathon.
Take a good hard look at your weekly schedule, work, family commitments, anything that takes up your time and ask yourself can I fit 4 training sessions into this schedule. Most sessions can be completed in 60 to 90 minutes. However each week you will have a long run to complete and as this increases so does your tiredness post run. In other words don’t make big plans for your long run day as the couch will may be the preferred location after the long run.
2. Do not sign up to run a marathon if you give up easily when things get hard
To run a marathon you do not have to be super fit and fast, and an amazing runner with perfect running form. If you look at marathon runners, there is no one type, there’s every type. But everyone that crosses the finish line has one thing in common. Determination. If you lack this you will continuously find excuses not to run.
Training will get hard, especially as the runs get longer. Be honest with your self. Are you the type of person who will push through when it gets hard or who will give up? Will you embrace the discomfort or avoid it?
A marathon is not a test of how fast you are, how fit you are, or how good your running form is, as much as it is a test of how you respond when things start to feel difficult and your brain begins offering you increasingly convincing reasons to stop.
3. Do not enter to run a marathon if you are a fair weather runner
If you only enjoy running if the weather is perfect, think again about signing up to run a marathon. If your marathon is in the spring time, your training starts in winter, think cold, snow, rain.. If you can’t bring yourself to run in less than perfect conditions give the marathon a miss. No matter when the marathon takes place you have no control over the weather conditions on the day, you just have to get on with it.
Your training plan will not be decided by weather conditions, you will run in the rain, in the wind, in the cold, in the dark, in the heat, in the middle of a busy week when you would rather be on the sofa, and sometimes you will do all of that while feeling tired from previous sessions or from life in general, and none of it will feel particularly glamorous.
4. Do not sign up for a marathon if your social life is more important to you
If you’re social life is a very important aspect to your schedule, rethink signing up to run a marathon. Marathon training has a way of taking over your life for a number of months. Your weekly long run is best not run after a late night or with a hangover. You will suffer, your body will suffer and your training will suffer.
It does not mean that you give up your social activities entirely but you will need to plan them around your training. You will also find that you will be constantly talking about running and if your friends don’t share your interest in running, you may not be the most popular friend during this time!
5. Do not sign up to run a marathon just to lose weight
Running, along with balanced diet, can be a great way to lose weight, but marathon training does not automatically lead to weight loss, and for a lot of people it actually does the opposite.
As training volume and intensity increase, so does hunger, and it is very common for marathon runners to find themselves craving quick, salty, or sugary foods, especially after long runs when the body is tired and looking for fast energy.
A lot of runners fall into the mindset that they have earned these foods because of how hard they have worked, and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with treating yourself occasionally, it is very easy for those treats to quietly turn into daily habits that cancel out any calorie deficit you might have created through training.
On top of that, long distance running can sometimes make people overestimate how many calories they have actually burned, which makes it easier to justify bigger portions, more snacks, and more frequent indulgences without really noticing the gradual shift in overall intake.
This is why it is so important to maintain a balanced, supportive diet during marathon training, one that fuels your runs, supports recovery, and keeps your energy levels stable.
6. Do not sign up to run a marathon if you do not know your 'why'.
Training for a marathon will raise self doubt at many points along the way, both in training and during the race itself, but if you have a strong personal reason for doing it, something that actually matters to you rather than something that looks good to other people, then those difficult moments become manageable rather than overwhelming.
For some, the reason may be honouring someone who has passed or it may be proving to themselves that they are stronger than they think or others think. Don’t sign up just because your friends did or because you just want to get the medal at the end. That medal is hard earned.
Are You Sure You Want to Run a Marathon?
Before you hit enter on a marathon, it is worth taking a moment to ask yourself whether this is something you genuinely want to do right now, whether you actually have the time, motivation, and support to commit to the process, and whether it fits into your life as it currently is rather than the life you imagine yourself having in a few months.
Marathon running can look very glamorous on social media, with finish line photos, shiny medals, , and big smiles, but what you rarely see is the amount of work and hardship that goes into earning that medal.
There is the unglamorous side of training that no one really posts about, like lost toenails, chafing in places you did not know could chafe, blisters on top of blisters, muscle aches, getting soaked in the rain on a long run you cannot shorten, early mornings when your bed feels far more appealing, and very undignified toilet stops in nature when your body decides it cannot wait another minute.
Yes, anyone can run a marathon, but only if you are willing to work hard, commit consistently, and keep showing up when it starts to get hard. You also have to actually enjoy running, which sounds obvious but is often overlooked, because there is a big difference between liking the idea of being a runner and genuinely enjoying the act of running itself.
There is so much to love about this sport when you give it a proper chance, from the friends you meet along the way, to the shared laughs and chats on easy runs, to the headspace it creates, and the confidence it builds both mentally and physically over time.
But if running feels like a constant chore, something you have to force yourself to do every time, then marathon training is going to amplify that feeling rather than fix it.
Liking running does not mean loving every single session, but it does mean finding enough genuine enjoyment in the process to make the harder days feel worthwhile rather than something you are just trying to survive.
My advice is, have a good think about whether this is something you really want to do that I can fit into your life right now. If it is, then commit to the process and crossing the finish line of your first marathon will feel amazing.
If you are thinking about running a marathon this year and want some guidance on how to approach training in a realistic way, you can find more resources and support inside Achieve Running Club.
For more advice and tips on running your first marathon, check out our book ‘Running My First Marathon, Made Easy‘
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