Is the Marathon Overrated?

Spoiler alert: yes.

Des Linden, arguably one of the best marathoners of the last decade (ever?), made headlines over the weekend when she said on Subway Takes that the marathon is overrated.

To be fair, if you only listen to that one line, it sounds more controversial than her actual point: every distance is an accomplishment, and running a marathon isn’t the only running achievement that is worth talking about.

Let me start by saying I have a lot of love for the marathon. Without the marathon, I would not be a runner. I was one of those people Des talks about who immediately said “let’s run a marathon” instead of the more reasonable “maybe start with a 5K.” I needed the motivation of an impossible distance to keep me on a training schedule.

And there is no feeling like the marathon. No other finish line has brought me to tears (and my family will tell you, I have always been a major crier). But marathoning is not the be-all, end-all of running. And Des is right, the idea that only marathons matter is incredibly overrated.

I think this take is also well-timed with the recent resurgence of people boasting about not training for a marathon. Marathons are popular, marathons are good for content, and brands are giving out marathon bibs. Marathoning is “where it’s at,” and certainly for people with runners in their algorithm, it truly seems like everyone is running a marathon these days. (Please, please, please do not run a marathon without training.)

I love that running, and long distance running, is having a moment. I love that people are so inspired by runners that they’re ready to sign up for an undertaking as huge as the marathon (after all, that’s exactly how I ended up here). But all of this content has lessened respect for the distance. 26.2 miles is significant. Whether you are just starting out or can run a sub-3, there is absolutely nothing ordinary about running that far. And the perception that everyone is (or should be) running a marathon is not only resulting in some dangerous decisions (please, please, please do not run a marathon without training), but also impacting the enjoyment of the sport.

I am a firm believer that anyone can run a marathon. Tell me you could never run a marathon, I dare you. But you do not have to run a marathon to be a runner, to accomplish incredible goals, or to gain respect in the running community. The inspiration behind the name of this blog and my coaching company (Not Just a Phase) is the idea that running will hopefully be a sustained, long-term practice for you. If you aren’t enjoying it, what exactly is the point? And if training for a marathon is making you hate running, you don’t have to do it to be worthy of being a part of the community.

The hardest part of any fitness routine is getting started. Committing to yourself and your fitness is hard. It is so much easier to do nothing. Every time you lace up, whether you run 10 miles or 1 block, is an accomplishment. So if you only want to run 5Ks, or run solo miles without racing a day in your life, you are just as impressive as if you ran a marathon. If you never run a marathon, you still belong here in this community.

And if you won’t listen to me, listen to a winner of the freakin’ Boston Marathon.