A Run by Any Other Name: The Allure of the Marathon
by
findingDulcinea Staff
New York gets a double dose of marathon fever this week. The first Sunday in November is the traditional date for the New York City Marathon, which attracts nearly 40,000 runners from around the globe and more than 2 million spectators for the 26.2-mile run through the city’s five boroughs. But to add greatly to the excitement, on Saturday, November 3, the U.S. Men’s Olympic Marathon Qualifier will be run in New York’s Central Park.
History, Heroes, and Mentors
So, you ask, why and how do so many people run marathons? This increasingly popular activity has its roots in ancient Greece, and its long history suggests that no matter how daunting the word 'marathon' sounds, it has a wide, even addictive appeal.
At a daunting 26.2 miles, the first New York City Marathon, in 1970, drew only 100 contestants. But increased promotion of the health benefits, potential for charity involvement, and team camaraderie, along with a spike in the popularity of a cousin sport, triathlons, have made completing a marathon like New York both desired and attainable. This week we take a look at the lore behind the sport, and bring you a selection of training tips, inspiration, tools, essays, and interviews. Whether you are an aspiring first-time marathoner, a long-distance veteran, a world-class competitor, or an impassioned spectator, this feature offers something for you.
For more in-depth information about getting into running, see our guide to running, "Runner's Up: The Web Can Help You Go the Distance," which presents links to training tools, injury and health resources, multimedia resources, forums, blogs, and more.
At a daunting 26.2 miles, the first New York City Marathon, in 1970, drew only 100 contestants. But increased promotion of the health benefits, potential for charity involvement, and team camaraderie, along with a spike in the popularity of a cousin sport, triathlons, have made completing a marathon like New York both desired and attainable. This week we take a look at the lore behind the sport, and bring you a selection of training tips, inspiration, tools, essays, and interviews. Whether you are an aspiring first-time marathoner, a long-distance veteran, a world-class competitor, or an impassioned spectator, this feature offers something for you.
For more in-depth information about getting into running, see our guide to running, "Runner's Up: The Web Can Help You Go the Distance," which presents links to training tools, injury and health resources, multimedia resources, forums, blogs, and more.
The Association of International Marathons and Distance Races argues that the marathon distance is nothing, considering what our anatomy is capable of. Reviewing the history of human development, the Association’s Web site states that humans used to run distances “far greater than a marathon. As a hunter, one of man’s greatest assets was his stamina. He would run his prey ragged. The hunted animal would bound away to apparent safety, only for the dogged hunter to turn up alongside again.”
AIMS notes that the increased prestige of the marathon is due to the Olympic Games. The popularity of the Olympics is contagious and has led to considerably more exposure for the “dry runs” during the four-year interim between the games. London, Chicago, New York, Boston, and Berlin host just five of the hundreds of marathons that attract tens of thousands of competitors, rake in money for charities, earn professionals spots on the all-time list, launch novices’ careers, and get nonrunners thinking that just maybe they could do this, too.
AIMS notes that the increased prestige of the marathon is due to the Olympic Games. The popularity of the Olympics is contagious and has led to considerably more exposure for the “dry runs” during the four-year interim between the games. London, Chicago, New York, Boston, and Berlin host just five of the hundreds of marathons that attract tens of thousands of competitors, rake in money for charities, earn professionals spots on the all-time list, launch novices’ careers, and get nonrunners thinking that just maybe they could do this, too.
Source: AIMS Marathon History
If you’re intrigued by the profusion of marathons around the world, browse AIMS’s race calendar. Cool Running, now a part of the sports networking site Active.com, also has a complete calendar. You can browse by location and event type.
Ordinary Life with a Twist
Often, the inspiration for a marathon run is philanthropic. Team In Training is just one example of a national organization that supports competitors in endurance events while helping them raise money for a cause. Team In Training has hundreds of chapters of runners, cyclists, walkers, and triathletes across the country who raise money for leukemia and lymphoma patients and research.
Many marathoners equate their arduous training and racing processes with the epic task of finding a cure for cancer. The two endeavors of philanthropy and long runs are happily wed. And the runners achieve more than just that “feel-good factor”: they are doing their bodies and the field of medicine a service.
PBS’s NOVA series has taken a closer look at the mentality behind the novice marathoner by creating the documentary Marathon Challenge. Examining every aspect of a novice group’s preparation for the 2007 Boston Marathon, PBS sheds light on what makes the sport so appealing, grueling, and spiritually productive. Twelve inexperienced runners—some of whom couldn’t even complete a mile in one stretch when they began the program—share their motivation on the PBS site and discuss what the experience has done for them.
The runners were coached by seasoned marathoner Uta Pippig and former Tufts University coach Don Megerle. They received nutritional guidance from expert Miriam Nelson, who also works at Tufts. The documentary features some of the advice and guidance these three gave the group.
Many marathoners equate their arduous training and racing processes with the epic task of finding a cure for cancer. The two endeavors of philanthropy and long runs are happily wed. And the runners achieve more than just that “feel-good factor”: they are doing their bodies and the field of medicine a service.
PBS’s NOVA series has taken a closer look at the mentality behind the novice marathoner by creating the documentary Marathon Challenge. Examining every aspect of a novice group’s preparation for the 2007 Boston Marathon, PBS sheds light on what makes the sport so appealing, grueling, and spiritually productive. Twelve inexperienced runners—some of whom couldn’t even complete a mile in one stretch when they began the program—share their motivation on the PBS site and discuss what the experience has done for them.
The runners were coached by seasoned marathoner Uta Pippig and former Tufts University coach Don Megerle. They received nutritional guidance from expert Miriam Nelson, who also works at Tufts. The documentary features some of the advice and guidance these three gave the group.
Source: NOVA Marathon Challenge
For the novice, be sure to read the section “Ten Tips from the NOVA Marathon Challenge Training Team”.
Whether you are considering taking up the sport or just supporting someone else, NOVA’s number one tip is “Get the OK.” We’ll be spending time later this week discussing just what “the OK” means and how you can achieve it. Even seasoned marathoners will benefit from some of the nutritional and health advice we’ve uncovered.
Return tomorrow for Part Two, covering some inspiring personal stories and advice from the marathon field.
© 2012 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
