26.2 miles, or 105 laps around a standard track, this is the distance that countless competitors and running enthusiasts alike train to finish every year in different marathons throughout the country. With an estimated less than one percent of the U.S. population having ever ran a marathon before, part of the beauty in the grueling distance that is associated with marathons is the fact that it is one of the hardest things that an individual can both mentally and physically overcome.
Training for a marathon is a months-long process and takes hours of dedication to condition the body into the physical state needed to run for 26.2 miles consecutively. With this in mind, it can be incredibly daunting to take on this challenge to train for a marathon all by yourself.
This is why many former and new marathon runners find a group of friends that they can lean on for support throughout the process. Whether this includes training with others or simply moral support, it is far easier to reach your personal fitness goals if you have a strong social network to lean on.
There are many reasons that you should potentially consider signing up and running a marathon yourself. The first and most evident reason being the cardiovascular and physical health benefits that coincide with running and training for a marathon. Another reason being self-love and discipline. By dedicating yourself towards training for a long-term goal, you are effectively taking proactive action to better yourself and your health in the future. Simultaneously, you are proving to yourself that if you put your mind towards something, you can do anything. Lastly, while training for a marathon, you often meet countless other friends along the way, improving your social life as well.
Regarding races that are offered in Grand Forks, there are numerous events throughout the year that you can sign up for by visiting gfrunning.com with this year’s marathon being scheduled to take place in August of this year.
There are also other marathons that are offered throughout the state including both Fargo and Williston during the later spring months as well. Leading to something that I believe is incredibly inspiring as well on top of complete marathons, are half-marathon, ten-kilometer, and five-kilometer races that are all offered in these cities as well.
Offering a variety of challenging running feats for individuals coming from all different backgrounds. Regardless of whether you sign up for a full marathon or five-kilometer, I strongly encourage you to challenge yourself and begin training for a race that interests you this upcoming summer to improve both your physiological and mental health as well.
Daniel Silva is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at daniel.silva@und.edu.
