The marathon is a bucket list item for many. It’s a commitment and a massive accomplishment. It’s as much a physical as it is a mental challenge. And there are as many reasons people decide to run a marathon as there are marathoners.
We asked Runner’s World+ members to share what made them sign up for their race, what motivated them to train for weeks on end, what pushed them through 26.2 miles across the finish line, and what about the experience oftentimes made them come back for more.
Their answers show strength, determination, gratitude, and warrior spirit. If you were looking for a sign to go the full distance, may this be the motivation you needed.
Because I needed a cha(lle)nge:
Kiersten Pfeifer (40)
“I graduated from college, got my first office job, and felt like my soul was dying sitting in a cube all day. So I decided to do something audacious to help me feel alive again. I signed up for the Antarctica Marathon!”
Rhonda Dumas (53)
“I started running late after 40. After running several half marathons, I decided to put my name in the NYC Marathon lottery. No one ever gets in, right? I got in! And I’ve since run three more marathons.”
Haley Trumble (30)
“Published: Jul 11, 2024 11:18 AM EDT.”
Janet Gottlieb (69)
“I ran the Prague Marathon more than 20 years ago. I only recently learned that the post-breakup marathon is a really common thing.”
Ami Gorelikow (46)
“I had only been running three miles on the treadmill to stay fit, but one friend encouraged me to try a marathon. I didn’t think I’d get in, but I won an entry to NYC Marathon via lottery. I quit smoking cold turkey once I knew I had to train for the marathon. I still remember exactly where I was when I threw my unfinished pack of cigarettes in public garbage. What a life changer. I have zero regrets!”
Shoes & Gear:
Patrick McKennedy (51)
“I had a stroke as a 16-year-old. Twenty years later, I ran a marathon to show that stroke survivors can [run a marathon].”
Becky Buchanan (44)
“I got diagnosed with multiple myeloma, terminal bone marrow cancer, in 2020, right after COVID-19 shut the world down. The Marine Corps Marathon decided to offer a virtual entry for their race series, and at that moment I didn’t know if I’d survive enough years to ever run an in-person marathon, so I went for it. In January 2024, I got a stem cell transplant, and so far the results are looking good, so I’ve hopefully got a few more quality years. I’m using this year to get strong, so I can complete a traditional marathon the next one.”
Shane Brengle (39)
“I signed up for a marathon to challenge the narrative I had built for myself that I’m a slow, overweight guy, who can’t run at all, even to save my own life.”
Annabel Teiling (49)
“During my third pregnancy I developed gestational diabetes and hypertension, and my doctor warned me this would be my future later in life if I didn’t exercise. Between a midlife crisis and my diagnoses, I decided it was time to up my running game. My first goal was to run the NYC Marathon through the 9+1 program; with every new PR I pushed myself harder for the next race. This quickly turned into me wanting to get my six stars. Last year I qualified for Chicago. This year, I hope I can BQ for my 50th birthday.”
Kelly Polacek (27)
“I suffered a severe spinal cord injury at 17 and was told I’d never run again. I played soccer at a national level at the time, was being recruited by numerous division 1 NCAA soccer programs, and was an avid runner. I underwent three major surgeries including a spinal fusion, seven spinal cord injections, and years of rehab. I was determined to be the author of my own story. I completed my first marathon on the anniversary of my spinal fusion.”
Sam Herrera (53)
“I got shot in the knee with a sawed-off shotgun when I was younger. Many marathons under my belt, I run them simply because I can.”
Chasing DreamsOne Marathon at a Time:
Ovidiu Streian (51)
“I ran my first marathon when I turned 42, inspired by my age. I wore a T-shirt that said: “for the first time 42 km, 42 years.”
Shannon Nelson (67)
“I went to school before Title IX, so sports were never offered. I was always quick as a kid so before my 40th birthday, I decided to run the Twin Cities Marathon, my first. I cried through most of it, I was that happy to be running it. I’ve done 21 more since and never looked back.”
Bobby Waidler (51)
“I wanted to do something to celebrate my 40th year of life. After Hurricane Sandy thrashed, decimated, and drowned my hometown in New York, I decided my first marathon would be in New York City to run as a sign of New York’s strength, unity in tragedy, resilience, and the will to replenish our souls and rebuild our lives stronger than before!”
Lessie Lampkins (52)
“After running my first half at 45, I added running a marathon by 50. In 2020, I signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon, but then COVID-19 hit. In 2021, due to restrictions, the race was virtual and because I wanted to experience the atmosphere of the race, I deferred again to 2022. Unfortunately, I tore my meniscus in June 2022, which required surgery, and I was not cleared to train or run until October 2022. 2023 became my year! I trained with my runner partner from June to October and completed my first marathon in October 2023!”
Tammy Edwards (61)
“I had originally planned it to celebrate five years running and a big birthday. After my husband passed away in December 2021, running a marathon became this big, hard, positive thing I did for myself in that incredibly difficult first year after his death.”
Give A Gift:
Kimberly LeBaron (59)
“Your Marathon Packing Checklist Boston, so we went to Boston where he ran in 3:01. It motivated me to start running and to do a marathon.”
Shalini Avasarala (27)
“My father is an ultramarathoner. When I was around 8, he asked me to be his pace coach to help him train for his marathons. I’d bike with him every weekend, holding a stopwatch, calling out his mile splits. Not only did he inspire me to run my first marathon, he also flew from California to Washington, D.C. to run it with me.”
Alethia Mongerie (65)
“I participated in a health challenge at work and my benefits manager noticed how competitive I was and offered to train me for a marathon. I run with Give A Gift and inspired by fellow older ladies who were running the distance, I signed up for the Richmond Marathon. I loved the idea of the challenging distance.”
Andrea Hainey-LaPierre (56)
“The first time I ran a marathon, I did it because my friends said I couldn’t because I have lupus. As soon as someone tells me I can’t do something, I want to prove them wrong.”
Cathy Shenoy (71)
“A Half to Full Marathon Training Plan Galloway run-walk program together with women who were all getting ready for a marathon. So I decided I’d also train and try to do a marathon before I turned 70. I ran Grandma’s Marathon six months before my 70th birthday.”
Joshua Murphy (34)
“A spectator inspired me at the 2017 Memphis Marathon. A young boy, no older than 6 or 7 years old, had a sign that said ‘If I can beat cancer, you can run 26.2 miles.’ Although I couldn’t run two miles at the time, that day, I committed to running the same race in 2018 as a St. Jude Hero to raise money for the children’s hospital.”
Because of a sense of community:
John White (54)
“We moved to a new town. I needed to find friends, have something to look forward to doing, and feel a sense of accomplishment.”
Erin Lancione (42)
“It was a way to stay connected with a dear friend from home who is a long-time marathoner. We grew up together and now live on opposite sides of the country. I visited her when I ran The Marine Corps Marathon, and we’ve since run another marathon in California.”
Jeffrey Stoneberger (53)
“My friend and I are both runners. I’m a soldier, he’s a Marine, so we decided to run the Marine Corps Marathon together.”
Races - Places:
Kate Morgenstern (46)
“My inspiration was the passing of my parents. I run marathons in cities that had meaning to them.”
Marshall Dahneke (59)
“My daughter died from breast cancer and I decided to run in her honor, so I started The Jacquelyn Project to raise funds for charity in her name and memory. I decided to qualify for Boston, and I achieved a 27-minute BQ cushion at St. George in my third marathon.”
Kat Fisher (58)
“I run for my sister-in-law, Jan, who passed away from pancreatic cancer at age 58. I watched her fight with bravery, love, and humor. When she lost her battle, my brother lost his high school sweetheart and wife of 34 years, and my nieces lost their mom. I was angry, sad, and felt helpless. Thinking about how hard she fought, it inspired me to set a running goal that was not just challenging but felt impossible, so I signed up for a marathon. If she could fight through chemo and radiation, I could certainly commit to running a marathon. I designed a running shirt dedicated to Jan to bring awareness to pancreatic cancer. Her life continues to inspire me to be a better person.”
Pavlína Černá, an RRCA-certified run coach and cycling enthusiast, has been with Runner’s World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics since August 2021. When she doesn’t edit, she writes; when she doesn’t write, she reads or translates. In whatever time she has left, you can find her outside running, riding, or roller-skating to the beat of one of the many audiobooks on her TBL list.
