Why the Half Marathon is King
There is a certain mystery and charm to the marathon. Legend says that 26.2 miles killed Phidippides, the first man to cover the distance. The 26.2 mile distance requires intense training and dedication to complete. Many runners have to put in six months or more of training to prepare for the marathon. Not everyone has that kind of time, but millions still want the marathon experience.
That’s where the half marathon comes in. Runners get the same hype, the same course, the same shirt, the same medal, the same post race party, and more. And that’s why last year nearly two million runners competed in a half marathon, a new all-time high. At 13.1 miles, the half marathon is a more manageable goal. It’s still challenging, but doesn’t take as much training to prepare for. There are also more races to choose from, which may fit in with more people’s travel schedules. With a half marathon, you can recover more quickly. You’re less likely to get injured. And you still get bragging rights, with a well-timed selfie to post on your Facebook wall.
At last May’s Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon, there were 1,206 marathon finishers with 5,166 in the half marathon. The Sports Authority Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Marathon had 2,203 marathoners cross the finish line in 2013 while the half marathon welcomed 8,613 runners and walkers to the finish.
Since 2000, the number of half-marathon finishers in this country has quadrupled from 482,000 to 1,960,000. That’s an impressive increase of 307%. Running USA reports that the half-marathon has been the fastest growing standard distance in the United States with a 12.5% annual finisher growth rate for 10 years.
And who is fueling the boom? It’s the ladies. For the first time in history, 61% of U.S. half-marathon finishers were females. Women accounted for approximately 1,196,000 half marathon finishers last year, which is a new record, and the highest proportion of any race distance.
Derek Griffiths