Everything You Need to Know About Running a Marathon

The marathon is one of - if not the - most famous of running distances. It also has arguably the richest history of all running races. But what is the marathon, how long is the race, how do you train for it, and what races should you enter? In this article, we run through the essential information you need to know about this storied event.

So you're thinking of signing up for a marathon? First of all, congratulations. Tackling a marathon can be one of the most rewarding challenges you can set yourself. But before you get started, there are a few things that you should probably know.

In this article, we're going to explore everything you need to know about the marathon distance. From how far it is, to what it takes to train for it, and how to pace your race.

How long is a marathon?

The marathon is a fixed-distance race of 26 miles 385 yards or 42.195 kilometers. Most marathons take place in and around towns and cities, on roads that are closed to vehicles.

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When was the marathon invented?

The history of the marathon is as impressive as the distance itself. According to historians, the origins of the event can be traced back to 490 BC in Greece, when a messenger called Pheidippides spotted a Persian boat heading towards Athens. Pheidippides ran from the town of Marathon to the city of Athens to warn the assembly of the Persians approach.

Hundreds of years later, the story of Pheidippides inspired a race at the first modern Olympics in Greece in 1896. Wanting to celebrate the glory of ancient Greece, a course was created that paid tribute to Pheidippides' run, following the road from Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium in the heart of Athens. The distance was 26 miles 385 yards / 42.195 km, and that has remained the official marathon distance since that date. Greece's Spyridon Louis won the first Olympic Marathon, finishing in a time of 2 hours, 58 minutes, and 50 seconds.

How long do I need to train for a marathon?

A marathon is a challenging race that puts a lot of pressure on your body. As such, there is no 'one size fits all' answer to how much time you need to train for the race. If you are completely new to running, it is advisable to build up slowly to marathon distance, and enter some 5K or 10K races before stepping up to Half Marathon and Marathon distances.

If you have some running experience, you can get yourself ready for the marathon with 12-16 weeks of focused training that will build in volume and intensity as you work through the training program.

RELATED: How to Train for a Marathon

How do I train for a marathon?

There are a few phases that you will want to follow when training for a marathon:

• The Preparatory Phase: This is where you are building base strength in your muscles and joints by slowly increasing your run mileage. The goal of this phase is to prepare your legs for distance running, and help to reduce the risk of injury.

• The Build Phase: You will start to feel stronger in the Build Phase, as you work on increasing the distance of your long runs, and maybe including some speed work as well.

• The Peak Phase: Now you're feeling strong, it's time to get your body ready for the race. This phase focuses on longer distances, as well as speed sessions if time is your goal.

• The Taper Phase: After the peak, you need to let your body recover in time for the race. This doesn't mean stopping running completely, but you will reduce your mileage and get plenty of rest.

You can find all the information you need to know - including a sample plan - in this article about How to Train for a Marathon.

What equipment do I need to run a marathon?

Investing in a good pair of running shoes is a must when training and racing marathon distance. If you don't have the right running shoes, the likelihood of you getting injured is far higher over this distance.

To ensure you have the right running shoes, your best option is to go to a local running shop and ask them to analyze your running style and recommend some shoes. Doing this will ensure that you have a more comfortable time preparing for - and racing - the marathon.

What are the biggest marathons in the world?

There are a number of huge marathons around the world, but the biggest of them all are called the World Marathon Majors. The Marathon Majors are the six highest profile races on the calendar. They are:

• The Tokyo Marathon - usually held in March

• The Boston Marathon - usually held in April

• The London Marathon - usually held in April

• The Berlin Marathon - usually held in September

• The Chicago Marathon - usually held in October

• The New York Marathon - usually held in November

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How do I enter a marathon?

For most events, entering a marathon is as simple as finding a race that suits you from a time and location perspective, and then registering for it.

However, for some of the bigger races - including all of the World Marathon Majors - entry is a little more complicated. Races like the Boston Marathon have strict qualifying requirements, while events like London and New York operate a public ballot for places on the start line. If you are interested in entering one of the Marathon Majors make sure you check the race website on how to do so far in advance of the race you wish to enter.

What is a good finishing time for a marathon?

When you finish a marathon, you have set a 'good' time at a marathon. It's as simple as that.

If you're looking for a specific target time, it can be hard to generalize 'good' because all marathon courses are different. However, as a benchmark, most runners finish the marathon in a time between 4 hours and 5 hours. As a general guide:

• To run a 4-hour marathon you need to run at 9:19 minutes per mile or 5:41 minutes per kilometer

• To run a 4:30 marathon you need to run at 10:16 minutes per mile or 6:23 minutes per kilometer

• To run a 5-hour marathon you need to run at 11:26 minutes per mile or 7:06 minutes per kilometer

Use Strava's Running Pace Calculator to Work Out Your Target Pace

What are the marathon world records?

The current marathon world records are:

• Men: Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya): 2:00:35

• Women: Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia): 2:11:53

Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to run a sub-2-hour marathon (1:59:40) in Vienna in 2019. However, his time is not counted as a world record because it did not follow standard competition rules.

Has the marathon always been an Olympic sport?

The Marathon has been part of the Olympics since 1896 - when the first Modern Games were held in Athens. Spyridon Louis won that inaugural race, finishing in a time of 2 hours, 58 minutes, and 50 seconds.

Women were not allowed to compete in the Olympic marathon until the Los Angeles Games in 1984. The USA's Joan Benoit won the inaugural gold medal at the race, in a time of 2:24:52.