The Marathon is Back: Why You Should Run a Marathon in 2022

Training
By Brian Metzler
Runners stand on the start line of a marathon.

After two years of Covid-related cancellations and postponements, marathons are coming back all over the U.S!

OK, sure, our fingers are crossed that the pandemic continues to recede, and life returns to “normal,” but running races, and specifically marathons, are back in full force this spring — thanks to increased health and safety protocols but also because of pent-up excitement among runners eager to train for a big goal.

That was fully evident last fall when the six Marathon Majors were held during a six-week span and numerous other races returned with great fanfare. Recreational runners and pro runners alike embraced those initial chances to race with a full heart, resilient grit and a long-overdue joy. Their excitement spilled over into social media and inspired others to set their sights on marathon goals in 2022.

After a long, difficult two years away, runners are eager to hit the streets and chase their goals. The Boston Marathon, a staple of the spring running season, returns on April 18 with a full inclosure of 30,000 runners eager to make the journey from Hopkinton to the Boylston Street finish line in Copley Square. It might be hard to believe, but the Boston Marathon hasn’t been held on a Monday morning in April since 2019.

“The Boston Marathon on Patriots Day in Boston just has a special energy that is so much a part of running and springtime in Boston,” says On Athletics Club coach Dathan Ritzenhein, a two-time Olympian and 2:07:47 marathoner who ran Boston in 2019 as the final race of his professional career. “It’s something that has been missing, so it’s exciting to have it back. Knowing we’ll have full fields in the marathons and having people cheering along the way, it just feels nice to be getting back to normal again.”

Why should you run a marathon?

Two women race together during a marathon.

Can anyone run a marathon? Yes, absolutely! If you accept the challenge, commit to the necessary training and bolster yourself up mentally, you can definitely reach the finish line of a 26.2-mile race. It doesn’t matter what your athletic background is, your previous experiences as a runner or what pace you typically run. If you want to run a marathon, you can run a marathon!

Why should you run a marathon? There are a lot of great reasons, and many can become a life-changing catalyst that will overflow into the rest of your life. You can run for improved health. You can run to improve your previous best time. You can run to raise money for a charity. You can run for a cause. Or you can run just for the sake of committing to a goal.

“When you’re training for the endurance that a marathon requires, you have to have extra motivation and commitment but that’s what gives you the feeling of accomplishment in the end,” says Seren Jacobs, the training group coordinator for the Cheap Urlfreeze Jordan Outlet store in Augusta, Georgia. “It’s not going to be easy no matter what level runner you are — whether you have a time goal or not. But training for a marathon is one of those experiences in life where you’re able to do something that you didn’t think you could do or that you knew was tough to do and you stuck with it.”

Let’s be real: the marathon is a huge undertaking, and you might not quite be ready for that big of a task in 2022. That’s understandable, and there are good alternatives. There are plenty of reasons to start with a 10K or a half-marathon and work your way up from there later in the year or next year, Jacobs says.

Socks + Sleeves. How Long Do Running Shoes Last, finding a coach or training group and, of course, signing up for a race will help you get closer to your goal.

How You Can Run a Marathon in 2022

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