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How to Run Longer: Tools and Techniques to Improve Your Running Endurance

Published on September 20, 2020 By Mia Kercher

How To Run Longer: Distance runners, whether rookies or seasoned vets, often come across barriers, whether physical or mental, as they try to increases their running distance.

It’s very common for runners to reach a plateau, where their body is adapted to run a maximum distance – but is uncomfortable going any further. This can be extremely frustrating for distances runners, rookies or otherwise – leaving them to wonder how to run longer.

When you feel tired, bored, fatigued, discouraged, or even pain, there are tools you can use to combat the issues – and training techniques to mitigate them, allowing you to run longer and farther,

The most important thing is not to give up. Remember, you haven’t reached your limit. You can always run longer. 

In this article, we’re going to go through changes you can make – whether in training or in your running strategies – to improve your running endurance and help you run further.

First we’re going to dive into ‘The Wall’, that classic phenomenon that occurs when your body runs out of juice, then we’re going to go through several other physical and mental factors that can affect your running endurance.

How To Run Longer Improve Your Running Endurance

Potential Reason For Maxing Out: Hitting the Wall

When a runner gets to a point where they feel depleted and empty, like the can’t go on any further, it’s called hitting the wall, or bonking.

This happens when your energy stores get depleted. You have a shortage of the carbohydrate glycogen, which causes feelings of fatigue and negativity. 

It can happen after about an hour of running if you’re new to distance running. The more experienced you are, the better your body is adapted and the longer it should take before you crash out.

Your body runs on energy from carbohydrates and fats during your training or race. Even if you eat plenty of carbs right before your run, you can still run out around miles 18-20. 

(This is very common during marathons, and is probably one of the most important issues to train for).

Many runners wondering how to run longer are simply battling against The Wall.

Beating The Wall Technique #1: Eat Right (Before and During Your Run)

The good news is, as the body runs out of carbohydrates, it takes more energy from its fat stores.

Stocking up on a healthy diet with plenty of carbohydrates and healthy fats will keep your body strong through the run.  

Some carbohydrate sources last longer than others:

  • Beans
  • Oatmeal
  • Brown rice
  • Whole wheat grains

See our recommendations for 11 awesome natural carbohydrate sources for runners!

Accompany those grains with healthy fats such as:

  • Avocado
  • Olive oil
  • Nuts and seeds

It’s also crucial that you fuel during your run, especially during long runs of over an hour.

Many runners also bring along some additional energy sources for the trail.

Nuts and raisins are an excellent natural option since they’ll immediately replenish your body of the fat it needs, plus a little sugar (from dried fruit) for a quick surge. 

You can also reach for energy gels, bananas, energy drinks, jelly beans – anything that’s going to give you that energy boost!

Beating The Wall Technique #2: Train For Longer Distances

As well as getting your run nutrition dialled in, the other important aspect of beating The Wall is adapting your body through long distance training.

Performing regular long runs which gradually increase in distance – usually best done by following a training plan – is the best way to get your body adapted to running long distances.

  • Improves your running economy (essentially your miles per gallon as a runner)
  • Improves your mitochondria effectiveness – how efficiently your body converts stored fuel to energy
  • Improves your body’s ability to use fat as a fuel source.

Unfortunately, there’s no magic potion you can drink that will suddenly allow you to run a marathon without distance training.

It’s why so many under-trained runners crash and burn around mile 20 of their marathon.

Becoming a long distance runner – and avoiding the wall – requires a gradual process of increasing long run distances to adapt. That’s the secret of how to run longer!

How to Run Longer: Tools and Techniques to Improve Your Running Endurance 1

How To Run Further: The Physical and Mental Sides

During a long run, there are 2 main areas that fail:

1. Physical

2. Mental

Pay attention to both of these areas since they play equally important roles in keeping up your energy, strength, and attitude while you race. 

1. How To Run Longer – Ways to Strengthen Your Physical Health

Try out a few of these methods at a time to find which ones muster your strength during the challenging parts of your run. 

Start Slow

Running too fast at the beginning is a sure-fire way to deplete your energy before the end. Even though you’re pepped up and ready to run, keep the pace steady so you have enough stamina to finish your goal. 

Use optimal pacing during your run. 

For some runners, it’s no problem to keep a steady pace while they move forward. But for others, their pace is pretty haphazard. 

Optimal pacing helps you track your speed through the run instead of going faster and slower on a whim. 

Do it by downloading an app (Map My Run will update you on your progress and track your time increments)  to track. You can also glance at your watch from time to time. 

If you track yourself and stay within your set time, you’ll find your energy lasts much longer. 

Stop to Stretch or Walk 

The inner competitive spirit will tell you to keep running during your entire race. But stopping for a quick stretch or a minute of walking can do wonders to help you revitalize. 

In the Jeff Galloway run walk method, he recommends that runners approach their entire marathon by running and walking, to conserve energy and allow time to replenish your stores during the run. Many people have even finished at their best times because they’re replenishing their energy. 

After that quick break, you’ll find yourself with a new burst of energy, similar to what you had at the start line. 

Drink and Eat

Don’t forget to drink water frequently during your run. Dehydration is a huge energy killer and needs to be taken seriously. 

People who don’t drink enough end up having breakdowns during a race. Not having enough water could mean you don’t finish your race, so be sure to take those opportunities to drink (or eat energizing snacks). 

how to run longer

Run With Other People

The company of others can motivate you twice as much as running alone. 

Be sure to choose someone who is at the same running level as you. If your friend is much faster, you might feel pressure to keep up and use up your energy too fast. 

Someone who runs slower than you can hold you back and keep you from reaching your goal speed. 

During a race, you can always find someone to keep pace with, even if you’re running alone. Just look for someone who is running at a similar speed.

Stick with them through the race, staying at a relatively similar pace throughout. Use their companionship to help you stay at optimum pacing. 

Cross-train

Make sure you have the muscle power needed to run longer.

Simple bodyweight workouts, hill runs, or sprints can boost your explosive power, which will increase your stamina during the long runs. 

Vary Your Route

Most people don’t have the nerves to run around the same track over and over again. There’s a reason for that. 

Your brain needs new and interesting routes to stimulate and keep the excitement alive. 

Use your runs as an opportunity to explore your city (and even nearby cities). Choose routes with great nature, waterfront paths, and beautiful neighborhoods. 

2. How to Run Longer by Strengthening Your Mental Health

Running is never purely physical. The mental strain during a run can take its toll, leaving you with discouragement and self-doubt. Use these strategies to strengthen your will power and push you along in the tough spots. 

Get Enough Sleep

You may have previously thought sleep was only important for your physical energy, but it has a huge effect on your mental strength too.

The amygdala is the part of the brain that processes emotions. It does the lion’s share of that job during sleep. So sleep deprivation results in emotional instability. 

Without that emotional soundness during your run, you’ll lack the ability to pep yourself back up when you start feeling tired or doubtful. So get plenty of sleep – not just the night before you run, but every night during your training. 

Build Confidence, One Step at a Time

It’s easy to move quickly from one goal to the next when you’re training for a race. But it’s important to take time to appreciate your achievements regularly. 

Some ways to soak in the accomplishment of your goals are:

  • Treat yourself to a nice meal (*or a beer) after a long run
  • Post your runs on social media: you can link accounts like Strava to automatically publish
  • Buy some new gear for your runs
  • Run in a special place (find a new trail with some gorgeous scenery you’ve never seen before)

Listen to Music

Sometimes we turn on music, only to tune it out as background music. Music holds the power to change moods, so it plays a powerful part in your attitude while running. 

If you’re feeling like you can’t run any further, taking a moment to change your music might be just the boost you need. Change the genre or pace of your music. 

If you’re listening to repetitive pop, switching to hip hop or electronic music can help your brain quickly switch from one mentality to a fresh, new one. 

Pay Attention to Details Around You.

Don’t get so wrapped up in your running form and pacing that you forget to have fun.

Be sure to consciously look around and enjoy watching nature, local neighborhoods, and other people. Notice the smells and sounds surrounding you. Pay attention to little details and enjoy the runner’s high. 

here's how to run longer improve running endurance

When you go out of your way to appreciate these aspects of the run, your focus will shift from, “This is so hard; I can’t do this,” to a meditative attitude. That switch might just get you through the rest of a challenging run. 

Focus on Breathing

Hitting the wall often happens when your mind latches onto the thought that you’re tired or bored and can’t shift to anything else. I

t soon becomes an obsession and your body will follow what your mind tells it. 

If you want to break this mental block, here’s a simple trick that works: count the seconds as you inhale and exhale. 

Concentrate on making those seconds even.

Breathe in for 3 seconds, then breathe out for 3 seconds.

It’s a small action but will do wonders in keeping your body strong and confident. 

How To Run Longer Improve Your Running Endurance

Final Things to Remember – How To Run Longer

No.1 is that long distance running comes with adaptation – gradually increase your maximum distance with long, slow runs.

As you push yourself to run farther, remember that consistency will make a world of difference in your training.

If you decide to cross-train two days a week, make sure you stick with that.  Con

It’s ok to change your long run to a different day when you have a conflict, but just don’t allow yourself to skip it.

Reaching your goal distance every week will make a huge impact and ensure that your race difficulties stay at a minimum. 

We include these ‘how to run longer’ tips and more in our free marathon training Bootcamp, where you’ll read personal stories and learn all about marathon pace.

Download this free 5-day course and get detailed explanations and help with selecting your training plan.

 

Written by Mia Kercher · Categorized: 100km, Guides, Half Marathon, Marathon, Training, Ultramarathon · Tagged: how to run longer, marathon

Essential Guide To Training For Your First Marathon (with First Marathon Training Plan)

Last updated on Jan 13, 2021 By Thomas Watson

Here’s my guide to preparation and training for your first-ever marathon – including marathon training plans, pace advice and gear info . . .

[Read more…] about Essential Guide To Training For Your First Marathon (with First Marathon Training Plan)

Written by Thomas Watson · Categorized: Marathon, Guides · Tagged: how to run a marathon, marathon, marathon guide, marathon plan, marathon training, marathon training plan

7 Bucket List Marathons, Chosen By Marathon Runners

Published on April 11, 2020 By Thomas Watson

Looking for some inspiration to choose a bucket list marathon?

Here’s my pick of some of the most life-affirming, awe-inspiring marathons around the world.

One of the best things about running a marathon is that it gives you the opportunity to travel.

Sure, running local marathons is awesome – but when you combine a marathon with an overseas trip (especially somewhere a little exotic or with an interesting culture), they can become unforgettable experiences.

I recently tapped our community of runners to find out what their top bucket list marathons were – and they didn’t disappoint!

From major city marathons to remote, exotic routes – and a couple of ultras in there too – this list is bound to whet your appetite and get you thinking big for your 26.2 mile run.

So next time you start to dream big…start here!

Bucket List Marathons: The Complete List

1. The Great Wall Marathon

7 Bucket List Marathons, Chosen By Marathon Runners 2
credit: Albatros Adventure Marathons

Location: China

Visit organiser’s website

The Great Wall Marathon epitomises a Bucket List experience – you’ll run up and down over 5000 steps and you make your way along the iconic Wall.

Don’t aim for a PB though, all those steps will challenge even seasoned marathon runners.

“An incredibly intense, difficult, and hugely satisfying run” said Martin Evans, who also warns runners about the heat, “the heat during our run was brutal and far more impactful than the steps.”

The race is often praised for it’s excellent organisation, with multi-lingual staff and doctors present throughout.

Just take care – if you haven’t run a marathon before, ensure you train for the stairs and heat. Every year some runners DNF, with a few requiring stretchers and IVs. Fortunately the medical team get great reviews.

2. The Big Sur Marathon

7 Bucket List Marathons, Chosen By Marathon Runners 3

Location: California, USA

Visit organiser’s website

Called “the marathon on the Ragged Edge of the Western World”, the Big Sur Marathon is coveted by seasoned marathon runners – and not that easy to get a spot for.

Taking place over the historic ‘Highway 1’, the route starts in Big Sur and runners head north over undulating hills and spectacular coastline views, finishing in the town of Carmel-On-Sea. With one big climb at the half-way point (Hurricane Point) and numerous rolling hills between miles 22 and 25, you want to have your hill training down before attempting this one!

The support and sense of community surrounding the Big Sur marathon is second-to-none; prepare yourself for classical musicians on the course, free strawberries as you enter Carmel, and loads more from the locals.

It’s another 26.2 miler that you should run for the experience, and not the PR: “You can run a good race at Big Sur, but running a personal best or personal record would be quite a feat given the hills and some years, given the winds” says Susan Ibach, 2018 finisher.

3. The World’s Fastest Marathon

7 Bucket List Marathons, Chosen By Marathon Runners 4
credit: Albatros Adventure Marathons

Location: Granada, Spain

Visit organiser’s website

The ‘World’s Fastest Marathon’ is advertised thus as it is almost entirely downhill; it averages a descent of 4.6%, which is 1,938m of altitude drop over the 26.2 miles.

Granada is an awesome setting for a race; an hour’s drive from the balmy Mediterranean – it is a great place to spend some time both before and after the race.

A word of warning from an earlier finisher: “The last 12km is pretty much flat and it was incredibly hard to switch running style after running downhill, pounding your quads, for 30km! We had trained for running downhill, but the actual race was far harder than we had imagined.“

Running downhill promotes eccentric movement; therefore for this race, you want to train both on the downhills, and running flats after hitting the downhils.

Definitely a PR friendly race…if you don’t want to mention to your friends that it was practically all downhill!

4. The Boston Marathon

7 Bucket List Marathons, Chosen By Marathon Runners 5

Location: Boston, MA, USA

Visit organiser’s website

The daddy of city marathons, the Boston marathon has become legendary.

It’s the world’s oldest annual marathon, started in 1897 and one of the hardest to get into – you have to run a BQ (Boston Qualifier) within a target time for your age and gender, which can be brutal (here’s my guide).

Heartbreak Hill is the famous elevation climb that can break elite and recreation runners alike. While the climb itself is relatively slight, it’s located between miles 20 and 21 making it tough on the legs and mind.

5. Loch Ness Marathon

7 Bucket List Marathons, Chosen By Marathon Runners 6

Location: Inverness and Loch Ness, Scotland

Visit organiser’s website

If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting the lush highlands and historic locations of Scotland, then the Loch Ness marathon gives you that opportunity.

Running along the banks of Loch Ness (can you spot Nessy, the monster?) before finishing in the iconic city of Inverness, the route provides sweeping vistas of the best of Scotland – and ends in a host town which highlights the best in local culture.

Usually held in early Autumn, the Loch Ness marathon provides an opportunity to run in cooler – though sometimes wet – conditions.

The route has some rolling climbs in there – nothing too drastic, but enough that it may mar any attempt at a PR.

Still, not every race is about hitting a target time – sometimes it’s all about the experience.

This is one of those races.

6. The Walt Disney World Marathon

7 Bucket List Marathons, Chosen By Marathon Runners 7

Location: Disneyworld, Florida, USA

Visit organiser’s website

One for your inner child!

The Disney marathon is actually a festival of running, set over a few days – and taking place across the DisneyWorld theme parks!

The series of events held over several days means you can actually complete more than one race, including the Dopey Challenge – running 5k, 10k, half marathon, and a marathon over 4 days.

Sounds like fun, right?

7. Comrades Marathon

7 Bucket List Marathons, Chosen By Marathon Runners 8

Location: Durban – Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Visit organiser’s website

The first thing to note about the Comrades marathon is that, despite the name, it’s actually an ultramarathon. At 90.2km, this isn’t a race you can simply should up to – it requires an ultramarathon training approach.

What’s more, the route direction alternates each year. Given the altitude difference between the start and end points, the race is uphill one year, and downhill the next. Surprisingly, many runners prefer the uphill route – running downhill for 90km can be extremely tough as DOMS sets in.

Before You Sign Up For Your Bucket List Marathon, Learn My Marathon Training Strategies

7 Bucket List Marathons, Chosen By Marathon Runners 9

I’m a long-time marathon runner, ultrarunner, and UESCA-certified running coach.

Having helped hundreds of runners achieve their marathon goals, I know what it takes to train for a marathon – and what strategies to use to train smart and maximize results, while minimizing the risk of injury.

Get started with my FREE 5-day Marathon Training Bootcamp, where I share with you the most essential lessons and tips for getting marathon-ready!

Written by Thomas Watson · Categorized: Blogs from Thomas, General, Marathon · Tagged: marathon

The Sub 4 Hour Marathon Pace: Essential Guide + Training Plan

Last updated on Nov 17, 2020 By Thomas Watson

Bagging a sub 4 hour marathon is all about getting that 4 hour marathon pace right.

After running a bunch of them myself and coaching many other through the process, I learned the right pacing strategies and training methodologies to break the 4 hour barrier.

In this post, I’m going to break down what you need to know to break the four hour mark in your next marathon.

We’re going to look at:

  • What your sub 4 hour marathon pace strategy should be,
  • How to get comfortable running at that pace,
  • How to train towards the 4 hour marathon pace, while also increasing your mileage
  • How to structure your training . . . plus I throw in my free 20-week four hour marathon training plan!

Running sub 4 not a big enough challenge for you? Check out our sub 3 hour marathon guide!

Ready?

Let’s jump in!

sub 4 hour marathon essential guide and training plan

The 4 Hour Marathon Benchmark

It just so happens that it takes most well-prepared marathon runners somewhere between three and five hours to run their 26.2 miles.

In a recent London marathon, the average mens’ finishing time was 4:04:23.

This means that anyone breaking the four-hour benchmark is not just a marathon runner – they’re an above-average marathon runner.

Running a marathon in under four hours means you’ve sustained an average pace of at least 6.55 miles/hr for 26.2 miles – it’s a badge that shows not just endurance, but a good level of underlying fitness and training behind it.

The four-hour benchmark has become an important line in the sand.

Many marathoners choose it as a goal – the difference between a 3:59 finishing time and 4:01 is subjective but important to lots of runners.

Note: A GPS watch or running app is pretty much mandatory for the training I’m advising here.

How to Run a Sub 4 Hour Marathon

A sub 4 hour marathon is all in the training.

Here, there are no shortcuts.

In order to avoid hitting the wall or getting injured while training, you’ve got to put in the hours – that typically means a minimum of three to four months of dedicated marathon training.

In this post, I walk through the ‘how’ of a sub 4 hr marathon – starting with how your actual marathon will look and the pacing strategy to use, and then working backward from there to develop a training plan to get you to that point.

So – how do you train to run a marathon in under 4hrs?

sub 4hr marathon training plan

Marathon Success = Pace

A successful 4 hour marathon is all about pacing.

Your pacing strategy can be broken into two elements: speed and consistency.

If you surveyed most marathon finishers, you’d see their pace consistency was all over the place.

The average marathon runner start off very fast, manages to sustain a good pace throughout most of the race, then drops off in the last few miles.

This is typical.

26.2 miles is a long distance, and our bodies are not normally adapted to keep going for so long. It’s to be expected that after three or four hours, your energy starts to sag.

So how do we combat this?

We train for it. 

If you want to run a sub 4-hr marathon, the most comfortable pacing strategy is to run a consistent pace throughout the entire race.

This means you’ll probably be holding back in the first half of the marathon, but this will serve you well later on.

(check out my related article: Why Marathon Pace Is So Important)

Right, so we’ve established that we have to train ourselves to be able to run a consistent pace for 4 hours, but what pace?

(This strategy also assumes that your marathon route is pretty uniform – if you have big hill sections or other challenges, you need to factor these into your training and pacing strategy.) 

The 4 Hour Marathon Pace

In order to get around your marathon in exactly 4 hours, you would need to run a 9 minutes 9 seconds per mile pace, or 5 minutes 41 seconds per kilometer.

Here’s the thing though – no marathon is perfect.

Whether it’s hills, fatigue, toilet stops, crowds at the start, or that old knee injury, something is likely to slow you down at some point in your run.

That’s why I always recommend you plan to run a little faster than an exact 4 hour pace.

If you were to allow for 10 minutes of padding – thus finishing in 3hrs 50mins if all goes well, then your marathon pace would be:

8:46min/miles, or 5:27min/km

Write this pace down on a post-it, stick it on your fridge or somewhere you’ll see it!

The truth is, when I am aiming for a 4 hr marathon I’ll constantly check my GPS and try to always be a little under the 4 hour marathon pace, by a few seconds per mile/km.

It’s fine to go faster than this pace, but don’t go too much faster – all we want to do is finish within 4hrs, right?

And the last thing you want to do is use up energy early on that you later really need.

OK, so we’ve established how fast we need to run, and that we are gonna run as close to a consistent pace as possible, right?

So now, let’s look at how to train for this.

sub 4 hour marathon pace

4 Hour Marathon – Training

 Jump to the end of the post to get a copy of our sub 4 hour marathon training plan.

Here I’ll describe the elements of the training plan, the minimum recommended length of the training plan, and why a training plan is so great in the first place.

The intention with my training plan is to not only increase your maximum mileage but to develop your running base to be super strong.  

This is a key ingredient in being able to run a consistent pace for four hours.

That is why the initial mileage is higher than some of my other marathon training plans, which are not so pace-focussed.

So why do you need a training plan?

Your training plan is going to be your guide.

By mapping everything out at the start of your training, you are giving your schedule some structure, allowing gradual increases in mileage and pace.

Types of Training

Here’s the different types of training I recommend, and have included in the downloadable training plan:

Classic ‘Training Run’ – These are typically 3-7 miles (5-11km) in length, and run at the 4 hour marathon pace (8:46min/mile pace, or 5:27min/km).

In the first few weeks of training it’s alright if you are a little slower, but by around 8-10 weeks prior to the marathon you want to be running this at marathon pace.  These runs are what will really build up your core running base. 

Long Slow Run – this is a weekly long run where you gradually increase your maximum mileage.

Most people do these on weekends as that’s when they have the free time. This should be done at a slow, easy pace – one in which you could hold a conversation with someone.

These runs allow you to very gradually build up your maximum mileage.  You’ll notice that in my supplied training plan, the longest run is 21 miles or around 33km.  

This means that during your marathon, the final stretch will be uncharted territory.  

Don’t worry – if you’ve followed the training plan, you’ll be conditioned to hold your pace throughout these last few miles. 

Speed work – for speed work, you can choose your poison: tempo runs, interval training, hill repeats…. Speed work helps you get your base pace up to that magic 4 hour marathon pace.

Tempo runs involve starting at a slow, very easy pace and gradually increasing the speed over around 35 minutes until you are running at faster than race pace (it should feel unsustainable).  You should peak, then spend the last 5-10 minutes slowing down. These are good to do with a friend.

Interval training means a mixture of running fast and slow. Try this: run at close to maximum speed (90% of max) for 30 seconds, then back off to an easy jog for 3 minutes. Repeat x 10.

Other useful forms of speed work include:

Fartleks – read How To Run Faster With Fartleks

Hill Sprints – read Hill Sprints: Every Runner’s Secret Weapon

Cross training – this means any other type of workout that contributes towards your training. I recommend low-impact activities such as swimming, cycling or yoga.  

Cross-training should compliment your running workouts, and not risk injury.

How Many Months To Train For A Sub 4 Hour Marathon?

In order to build up the running stamina and the consistency of pace to run a sub-4hr marathon, most people with a reasonable level of base fitness would require a complete minimum of four months.

To do your marathon comfortably, I’d recommend looking at five to six months, if not more.

4 Hour Marathon Training Plan – Download Here

Sub 4 hour Marathon Training Plan

Click here to check out the 4hr Marathon Training Plan.

The training schedule which accompanies this post is designed around 5 months of training. If you have more time, gradually build yourself up to the mileage detailed in week 1.

If you have less than 5 months, I recommend you count backward from the end of the training plan and jump in there.

And don’t forget to check out my ebook – The 4-Hr Marathon, 130+ pages with step-by-step advice on how to beat the 4-hr mark – including extensive details on the 4 hour marathon pace strategy!

4-Hour Marathon

Written by Thomas Watson · Categorized: Marathon · Tagged: 4hr marathon, marathon, sub 4hr marathon

How Long Is A Marathon? 4 Methods of Measuring Marathon Length

Last updated on Jan 13, 2021 By Thomas Watson

How Long Is A Marathon – The Metric Answer

The official, globally recognised marathon length is 26.219 miles or 42.195 kilometers.

That’s the standard, objective metric measurement.

(and if you’re wondering How Long is a Half Marathon, the official half marathon length is 13.11 miles or 21.0975 kilometers).

If you’ve just googled ‘How Long Is A Marathon?’, then well done, you should be pretty satisfied.

But wait!

There are other, more interesting ways to describe the length of a marathon . . . let’s look at how to measure a marathon comparatively, subjectively, and emotionally…

(Ever wondered why a marathon is such a weird, seemingly random length?   The story behind the explanation of 26 miles and 385 yards starts in ancient Greece, makes a turn at the first Olympic marathon, and ends in front of the royal Queen Alexandra in 1908.   Here’s my summary of it.)

How Long Is A Marathon (1)

The Length of a Marathon – Objective Comparisons

Alright, so we’ve established a marathon to be 26.2-ish miles or 42.2 kilometers.  

That’s a pretty long distance, but how else might we describe it in terms that are easier to understand?

Hmm, something that is long in real-life, that everyone knows about. 

I’ll avoid all the clichés and go straight for the Golden Gate Bridge.

golden gate bridge how long is a marathon

The Golden Gate Bridge – everyone’s favorite disaster movie prop – is 2,747m long, end to end.

How many times would you have to cross the Golden Gate Bridge to cover a marathon?

GG Bridges How Long Is a Marathon

A full marathon is equivalent to running across the Golden Gate Bridge 15.3 times.

Ooft.

That’s pretty far.

Never been to San Francisco?

Alright, how about if we think about a football pitch (I’m favoring Europeans and referring to soccer, for you Americans).

The official size of a football pitch can actually vary, so I took the average measurements here.

football pitches marathon length

The perimeter of your average football (soccer) pitch is 368m, so that means that in order to cover a full marathon, you’d have to run around a soccer pitch 114.7 times.  

Not much more comforting than the bridge calculation, is it?

How about we start to look at the distance of a marathon in slightly more abstract terms?

Marathon Distance vs. Level of Exertion

We can start by looking at one of the most important variables you’re aware of when you run a marathon; your level of exertion.

It’s an interesting way to consider the length of a marathon subjectively…

A typical, well-prepared marathon runner’s level of exertion will look something like the graph below.

perceived-marathon-length

The first half of a marathon should be relatively smooth; you’ve trained well, you’ve tapered, you’ve fuelled.   Your legs are poised, ready to carry you through the race.   Awesome.

Somewhere around the halfway point, something funny starts to happen.   You begin to notice that you’re not cruising quite like you were earlier. 

You’re maybe noticing slight signs of fatigue.   

In order to maintain a good pace, you’ve got to push yourself a bit more.

As the race continues, your energy levels continue to drop off, and you have to dig deeper – exert yourself more, that is – to keep running.

What is actually happening here (at least for most of us) is that the energy stored in your muscles – called glycogen – is being used up, and your body has to start burning fat as a source of energy.   

This is much less efficient as using glycogen for fuel, so it tends to leave us feeling terrible.

This is what happens when we hit The Wall (see my more long-winded summary here).

On the graph below, I’ve plotted glycogen level against exertion levels over time.   As you can see, from the moment you begin running you are depleting your glycogen levels.

It is only when running long distance, once these reserves are beginning to run dry that you will feel real fatigue and The Wall approaching.

Exertion Glycogen marathon length

The 26.2 Mile Marathon – The Perceived Distance

Alright, this one is a bit more Inception-ish and kinda hard to quantify.

It’s also much easier to understand if you have actually run a marathon.

Although we can say as a scientific fact that a marathon is 26.2 miles, anyone who has run one can tell you that this is both true and totally false.

26.2 miles is a distance you can drive in your car without really thinking about it.  You can probably cycle 26.2 miles without getting too out-of-shape about things, too.

26.2 miles is equal to two half-marathons.

But running a marathon is not just like running two half marathons.

Let me explain a little bit more.

Going back to the exertion graph, here’s roughly what a half marathon looks like (to someone who has prepared for a marathon):

HALF MARATHON length how long is a marathon

Now here’s what two of those, back-to-back, look like, in terms of exertion:

HALF MARATHON 2 length how long is a marathon

Now let’s overlay the exertion level of an actual marathon, and you’ll see what I’m getting at:

MarathonVsHalf how long is a marathon

OK so now the picture is getting a little busier – but hopefully, the message is clear.  Running a marathon is completely different to the experience of running a half-marathon, doubled.

(If you’re wondering why the exertion level climbs faster during half marathons, its because a runner will typically push herself harder when she knows she is getting closer to the end.  Same goes for why the starting exertion level is a little lower for a full marathon – runners will generally try and keep a little bit more fuel in the tank).

So, how could we portray a marathon in terms of perceived distance?

Hmm, let’s see…

perceived distance marathon length

The perceived distance graph shows how the first half of the marathon really is a piece of cake (at least, relative to the second half).

The first 10-15 miles will slide past pretty quickly; it is the second half that really seems to go on forever.

This isn’t just a trick of the brain – time really is relative.   Scientists will tell you time will go faster if you run faster (here’s a link).

But really, what happens during a long distance run like a marathon is more of a psychological effect.   The more significant an event, or the harder something is, the slower and meatier it feels in your brain – in terms of time dedicated to it.

This is why when you reflect on your daily commute, it may seem to pass by without you really being aware of it.   

But if one day you are in a car accident, suddenly that event becomes a significant part of your time – and in hindsight, you remember it much more richly than you would a typical day.

So you are more likely to perceive the second half of a marathon as much longer and more time-consuming, simply because it is going to be tougher and more involving than the first half.

The 26.2 Mile Marathon –  measured in Emotional Stages

Any marathon runner can tell you that running 26.2 miles is as much of a mental journey as it is a physical one.

In fact, I figured out recently that there are a total of 15 emotional stages to marathon running –check out the full blog here for a stage-by-stage psychological breakdown.

Here’s a summary of what to expect:

  1. Anticipation: “Should I have gone to the toilet one more time?”   “Did I take enough gels?”  “Do my legs feel a bit weird?”
  2. Sudden Euphoria: “This is awesome!  I’m flying!”
  3. Adrenaline: “Hey, this is easier than I thought”
  4. Fortitude: “There’s still a long way to go, but things are good”
  5. Boredom: “Did I leave the bathroom light on this morning?”
  6. Doubt: “Am I beginning to feel a little tired?”
  7. Denial: “This is just a minor setback . . . ”
  8. Anger: “Who made these things so long?”
  9. Bargaining: “Maybe if I can just stop for a second, I’ll be fine…”
  10. Depression: “Take me home”
  11. Acceptance: “This hurts, but I guess I’ll continue”
  12. Fortitude (again): “I’m going to finish this, come hell or high water”
  13. Adrenaline (again): “Hey, I’m getting close to the finish line . . .  I’m actually going to finish this thing!”
  14. Euphoria (again): “woohoo!”
  15. The Afterglow: “that was awesome, I feel awesome…hey, maybe I could do another one of those sometime.”

Because I love graphs so much, to finish with here is the 15 emotional stages of marathon running in a nice wave, showing you how your mood is probably going to go during your marathon:

Read more about the 15 emotional stages of marathon running here.

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Written by Thomas Watson · Categorized: General, Long Form, Marathon · Tagged: how far is a marathon, how long is a marathon, marathon, marathon distance, marathon length

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