As a competitive runner of 15 years, I’m often met with looks of bewilderment when I share that most of my goals have nothing to do with running a marathon.
When I tell friends I’m training for a 5K, their eyes glaze over. When I mentioned a recent half-marathon to a colleague, they told me that their great-aunt ran a full marathon, and that I’ll surely get there someday.
I get it. The marathon carries clout: It’s the adult participation trophy of modern fitness culture.
But one of the biggest misconceptions of amateur running is that the marathon is the natural next step after lacing up your running shoes for the first time. I take issue with that. Rushing into the marathon, or treating it as the only goal worth pursuing, causes you to leave gains on the table, miss out on enjoyment and spend more money than necessary.
Here are reasons why you shouldn’t force the marathon this year:
Doing shorter races will make you a better marathoner
The marathon and shorter races such as the 5K and 10K might as well be different sports. The marathon mostly relies on endurance, whereas a well-run 5K tests one’s ability to shuttle oxygen to the muscles as quickly as possible – and run hard through acute discomfort. The feeling is more intense: If a marathon is like sitting near a bonfire for several hours, the 5K is like putting your hand in the flame.
The marathon boom is straining the sport – and reshaping its future
Becoming comfortable with stressing your body over faster efforts will eventually make your marathon pace feel easier. Bonus: If you feel extra adventurous, sign up for a track and field meet and enter the 1,500- or 3,000-metre race.
Building speed is easier early in life
It’s never too late to try a new distance, though there is less rush to run your best marathon than your fastest 5K. Speed, inconveniently, is a use-it-or-lose-it skill. In general, one’s best years for shorter races come earlier than one’s best marathoning years.
For that reason, many competitive runners – from Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan down to amateurs – spend time learning to run the 5K, 10K and half-marathon before progressing to the marathon. This principle applies whether you are new to running or not, and regardless of your age.
Varying race distances keeps running fun
Running, like most repetitive pursuits, becomes tedious if you turn it into a single-note performance. One of the reasons I stay motivated is because I often tackle different race lengths. The marathon, for all its romance, is no different. Make it your only storyline too early and you risk resenting the very thing you’re meant to love.
Variety keeps the sport alive. Some seasons should be about learning how to run hard over five kilometres.
Shorter races allow you to race more
Training for a marathon demands months of focus and leaves a residue of fatigue that lingers like an unwelcome guest. Most people can race around two times per year without developing an injury. Shorter races let you test yourself more often. They also spare runners from the pattern of signing up for multiple marathons a year, only to be surprised when their bodies fall apart.
Shorter races cost less money
Marathons have become expensive experiences. A race bib for the Boston, New York City or London Marathons will set you back up to $400 – and that’s without travel costs. A local 5K may lack the cinematic finish-line photos, but it still offers the pleasure of trying hard in public, which is, at its core, what racing is all about.
So here is my challenge to you: Don’t let a hunger for clout dictate your racing schedule. Running the marathon is a fulfilling goal, and completing it when you are ready to put your best foot forward will make it all the more worthwhile. Take it from someone who has run many races shorter than a marathon and has yet to look good in a single race photo: Any distance, if run well, can pose a formidable test.