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I was at my friend’s birthday party when her brother, Ty, entered the room. My friend grabbed my arm, “Oh, Ali!” she said. “I almost forgot to tell you! Ty is running a marathon!”
Because I write about running for a living, this happens all the time. People love to brag on their running friends and family to me, and I love hearing about their racing and training. I asked my usual questions: Is it your first marathon? (It was.) When is the race? (In a month.) How is training going?
That’s when his mother jumped in: “He isn’t training!”
I glanced at Ty and tilted my head in a way that said what the what? He shrugged.
“Tell him this is a terrible idea,” his mother begged.
My first reaction was, of course, horror. Not training? For 26.2 miles? Was he taking stupid pills?
But I gave him a chance to defend himself. He explained that he ran a little here and there. His longest long run to that point was 8 miles. He “sprinted” 3 to 5 miles every day on the treadmill.
“Oh dear,” I said. “Listen, I think you’re about to make the healthiest bad decision of your life.”
He smiled. And before I started telling him about the deferral process, I stopped. I thought twice about continuing on my path of righteousness. Instead, I considered the objective facts:
- Ty is 25 years old, so his muscles and bones might as well be made of rubber.
- He is an athlete/has played other sports.
- He is a new-ish dad without a ton of time.
When I asked him why he wanted to run a marathon, he said it was just something he wanted to do. Fair enough. So, why should I—or any other long-time runner—judge him? Was I being a marathon Karen? How bad could a marathon with no training really be? I posed the question to RRCA-certified running coach (and very honest friend) Erica Coviello.
Her answer? Bad. Here’s our exchange.
The Running Coach Weighs In
EC: Is running a marathon with no training doable? Sure. Advisable? Definitely not. Stepping up to the starting line of a marathon without training is like standing at the foot of Mt. Everest, thinking you can climb to the summit without any research or preparation. While the allure of gaining street cred once you finish can be strong, the risk vs reward ratio is NOT in your favor. There are even some studies that have shown the correlation of injury in first-time marathoners and a lower training volume (not to mention first-time marathoners and not running a half marathon first). Respecting the distance and the demands running 26.2 miles places on the body through consistent and specified training is not just advisable, it’s essential.
AN: OK, but remember that our subject is young, athletic, and kind of naive. He isn’t doing it for “likes” on social media. He’s just doing it for himself—to check a box off his fitness accomplishment list.
EC: But at what cost? Runners who jump into a marathon untrained experience significantly higher rates of injuries compared to runners who have trained with structured plans. Suddenly subjecting unprepared bones, tendons, and muscles to sustained pounding on a hard surface is a recipe for disaster that can take you out of the game for a long time.
Also, when you haven’t trained properly, your form deteriorates quicker, putting even more stress on tissues that are already vulnerable. As the miles pile up, faulty form magnifies the risk of getting sidelined. We’re talking stress fractures, stubborn bouts of tendonitis, and painful muscle strains. Proper marathon training helps you avoid injuries such as these and keeps you on your feet afterwards.
So Are We Right to Caution People?
EC: Absolutely yes. Training also provides opportunities to improve your fueling game. If you train right, your body becomes a fuel-efficient machine. You get better at tapping into your fat stores for energy, which means you hold onto those precious carbs for when you really need them in the later miles.
You learn what kind of fuel works best for you, how often, and just how much you need to keep going. That’s how you avoid ‘hitting the wall’ and finish strong on race day. Furthermore, proper training isn’t just about getting you to the marathon; it’s about setting you up to perform your best, not feeling like you got hit by a truck the next day. It’s about crushing your goals and bouncing back like a champ. A body that’s been consistently trained is tougher and can recover quicker than an untrained body. Your muscles are better prepared to handle the impact that causes so much damage. That translates to less of that zombie-walk soreness post-race and gets you back out there doing what you love a whole lot sooner.
AN: Crap. Did I mess up this boy’s life?
EC: I mean, he might be fine.
AN: I just didn’t want to be so judgmental, since I really feel like the running community can be hostile on this subject.
EC: But we’re not judging him–or any inexperienced runner. They might just be uninformed.
Running a Marathon Shouldn’t Be a Sufferfest
AN: I was thinking about the people who run a marathon with no training and how tenacious they must be. Like, imagine getting to mile 18 and not having been there before and having to will yourself through to the finish line.
EC: Sure, maybe they have the willpower, but running a marathon shouldn’t be a sufferfest where you grit your teeth while white-knuckling it from start to finish line. Sure, it’ll be challenging, and you might enter the pain cave for a little while during your race, but it should also be freakin’ epic. You want to feel like a total badass, not be counting down the minutes until the misery is over. The secret sauce to enjoying your race is consistent training. Build that engine, and watch your confidence increase each mile on race day instead of just wishing for it to end.
Also, those long training runs aren’t just about ticking off the distance but building mental grit. You learn to tell that little negative voice inside to shut up and keep going. You develop the unshakable belief that you can do hard things. Plus, our long run days are often when we connect with our tribe—run buddies, teammates, clubs, etc. That mental toughness and sense of community you can build while training turn to pure gold on marathon day. You feel like you can conquer anything with that kind of support and inner strength, and keep going back for more.
Editor’s note: The subject who sparked the idea for this debate experienced persistent Achilles pain during his treadmill runs two weeks before his scheduled race and decided to defer. The author likes to think that her initial words of caution helped him make this wise decision, but knows it was more likely his mom.