Reasons To Run

Running a marathon will push you to your physical and mental limit. But the rewards make it all worthwhile.

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IT SOMETIMES FEELS LIKE every runner you meet has done a marathon at some point during their racing career, but the numbers are actually very small. In SA, the half marathon is the favourite distance, followed by the 10K – only 8% of all race participants are running marathons. In the wider population, the figures are even smaller. Around 1.1 million people – or just 0.01% of the world’s population – complete a marathon each year.

So running 42.2km really does remain a considerable achievement. The fact that so few people run them, of course, is also testament to how hard it actually is. The training is long, and can be physically and mentally painful - as can the race itself. So why is it worth running a marathon, and what benefits can it bring?

HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS

The benefits to your health of committing to regular training are huge. Multiple studies demonstrate that endurance running reduces the risk of heart disease, as well as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. It also strengthens bones and joints, reducing the risk of arthritis (yes, including your knees) and osteoporosis.