You’ve seen the stickers on the back of SUVs. 26.2. To the uninitiated, it looks like a radio station frequency or a weirdly specific software update. But for runners, those three digits represent a specific brand of physical and psychological purgatory.
What is a full marathon, really? Technically, it’s a long-distance footrace with an official distance of 42.195 kilometers. If you’re in the US or the UK, that’s 26 miles and 385 yards. It’s a distance that doesn't care about your feelings, your expensive carbon-plated shoes, or how many gels you’ve stuffed into your waistband. It is long. It’s grueling.
Honestly, the distance is a bit of a historical accident. Back in 1896, during the first modern Olympics, the race was roughly 40 kilometers, inspired by the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger who allegedly ran from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to deliver news of a victory. He supposedly yelled "We have won!" and then dropped dead. Not exactly a glowing endorsement for the sport. The weird "385 yards" part? That was added during the 1908 London Olympics so the race could start at Windsor Castle and finish right in front of the Royal Box at the Olympic Stadium. The King wanted a good view, and now millions of people have to run an extra quarter-mile forever because of it.
The Physical Reality of Running 26.2 Miles
Most people think a marathon is just two half-marathons stuck together. It’s not. Not even close. If a half-marathon is a strenuous workout, a full marathon is a different physiological beast entirely.
Your body primarily burns a mix of fat and glycogen (stored carbohydrates) for fuel. The problem is that the average human body can only store about 1,800 to 2,000 calories worth of glycogen in the muscles and liver. For most runners, that fuel tank hits "E" somewhere around mile 20. This is what athletes call "The Wall."
When you hit the wall, your brain starts screaming at you to stop. Your legs feel like they’ve been replaced by concrete pillars. You might get "marathon brain," a lovely state of confusion where simple math—like figuring out your pace—becomes as difficult as solving a differential equation. According to Dr. Tim Noakes, author of Lore of Running, this is actually your "central governor" kicking in. Your brain is trying to protect your heart and organs from total failure by forcing you to slow down. It’s a survival mechanism that feels like a betrayal.
Training isn't just about running. It's about teaching your body to be more efficient. You’re trying to increase your mitochondrial density and train your system to burn fat more effectively at higher intensities.
What Really Happens to Your Body During the Race
It’s not just about tired muscles. Your body undergoes a systemic overhaul. Studies published in the Journal of Applied Physiology have shown that marathon runners can actually lose up to an inch in height during the race due to the constant compression of the spinal discs. Don’t worry; you get it back after a few hours of lying on the couch.
📖 Related: Khyree Jackson Draft Pick: Why His Story Still Matters Today
Then there’s the heart. A study conducted by researchers at the Beaumont Health System found that amateur marathoners often show temporary spikes in biomarkers like troponin, which are usually associated with heart damage. These levels typically return to normal within 24 hours, but it proves that a marathon is a massive inflammatory event. Your immune system basically crashes. This is why so many runners end up with a cold or the flu a few days after their big race.
- Muscle micro-tears: Every step creates tiny tears in your muscle fibers.
- Chafing: If there is skin touching skin, or skin touching fabric, it will bleed by mile 18. BodyGlide is not a suggestion; it’s a requirement.
- Dehydration and Hyponatremia: Balancing water and electrolytes is a tightrope walk. Drink too little, and you wilt. Drink too much plain water without salt, and you risk hyponatremia, which can be fatal.
- The Toenail Situation: Expect to lose at least one. It’s a rite of passage.
Why the Full Marathon Distance Still Matters
In a world where you can run 100-mile ultramarathons through the Alps, you might think the marathon has lost its luster. It hasn't. The marathon remains the "Goldilocks" of distance running. It’s long enough to require months of dedicated sacrifice but short enough that you can still "race" it rather than just surviving it.
Elite runners like Eliud Kipchoge have pushed the boundaries of what we thought was humanly possible. When Kipchoge ran 1:59:40 in Vienna in 2019 (albeit in a non-record-eligible setting), it changed the psychology of the sport. It proved that the "limit" is often just a collective agreement we’ve all made. For the rest of us, breaking 4 hours or just finishing before the sweep bus comes is our own personal sub-two-hour moment.
Preparation: The 16-Week Marriage
You don't just "run" a marathon. You build one. Most training plans last between 16 and 20 weeks. During this time, the marathon becomes your second job. You will spend your Sunday mornings running for three hours, and your Sunday afternoons staring at a wall while eating a bowl of pasta.
A solid plan usually includes:
- The Long Run: The cornerstone. Usually peaks at 20-22 miles. You rarely run the full 26.2 in training because the recovery cost is too high.
- Speed Work: Interval sessions on the track to improve your VO2 max.
- Tempo Runs: Sustained efforts at a "comfortably hard" pace to push your lactate threshold higher.
- Tapering: The two to three weeks before the race where you drop your mileage. This is the hardest part for many. You’ll feel "marathon blues" or "taper tantrums," where every phantom pain in your knee feels like a career-ending injury.
Common Misconceptions About the Distance
People think you have to be skinny to run a marathon. Wrong. Go to the finish line of the New York City Marathon and you will see every body type imaginable. You’ll see 70-year-olds outrunning 25-year-olds. You'll see people who look like they belong on a rugby pitch crushing sub-4-hour finishes.
Another big one: "You’ll lose weight." Kinda, but maybe not. Marathon training makes you "runger"—a specific type of ravenous hunger that leads you to eat a whole pizza because "I ran 15 miles today." Many people actually gain a few pounds during marathon training because they overestimate their caloric burn and underestimate the power of a post-run bagel.
The Psychological War of the Last Six Miles
At mile 20, you have 6.2 miles left. In your head, you think, "That’s just a 10K. I do that for breakfast."
But it’s a 10K after you’ve already done a 20-mile warmup. This is where the marathon is won or lost. It becomes a game of self-talk. You'll bargain with God. You’ll promise to never do this again if you can just reach the next water station. The mental fortitude required to keep your legs moving when every cell is screaming "STOP" is what makes the finish line so emotional.
There is a reason people cry when they get their medal. It’s not just the physical pain. It’s the realization that you were capable of enduring something you weren't sure you could survive.
Actionable Steps for Aspiring Marathoners
If you’re sitting there thinking, "Yeah, I want to do that," don't just go out and run 10 miles tomorrow. You’ll end up with shin splints or a stress fracture.
Start by picking a race that is at least six months away. This gives you time to build a "base" of 15-20 miles per week before you even start a formal 16-week training block. Look for a flat course for your first one—Chicago or Berlin are great, while Boston is iconic but requires a qualifying time (or a lot of charity fundraising).
💡 You might also like: The Book of Manning: Why This Documentary Still Hits Hard Years Later
Immediate Next Steps:
- Get Fitted for Shoes: Go to a dedicated running store, not a big-box sporting goods outlet. They’ll watch you run on a treadmill and tell you if you overpronate. Buy shoes half a size larger than your street shoes because your feet will swell.
- Focus on Consistency over Intensity: Running three miles four times a week is infinitely better than running 12 miles once a week.
- Find a Training Plan: Hal Higdon’s "Novice 1" is the industry standard for first-timers. It’s simple and it works.
- Practice Your Fueling: Use your long runs to test out different gels, chews, or even "real food" like pretzels. You need to train your gut just as much as your legs.
- Respect the Recovery: Sleep is the only time your muscles actually get stronger. If you’re choosing between a 5:00 AM run on four hours of sleep or sleeping in, take the sleep.
A marathon is a massive undertaking. It’s a physical, emotional, and financial commitment. But once you cross that line and someone drapes a heat blanket over your shoulders and hands you a heavy piece of metal, you’ll understand. You aren't just someone who runs. You're a marathoner. And nobody can ever take that away from you.