People running in marathon

Marathon Central

Welcome to Outside Run’s guide to marathon training and racing with training plans, advice, race strategies, and more

News

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Run a marathon. Recover mid-flight to another continent. Run a marathon. Rinse. Repeat. 

The application period opens February 8 for the world’s largest marathon. Here’s the essential information you need to know.

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Aaron Kuen was en route to a 2:48 marathon at the California International Marathon, but remains in a coma in a Sacramento hospital

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Kenyan breaks his own mark by 30 seconds with an astonishing 2:01:09

The father-son duo of Dick and Rick Hoyt conquered over 1,100 endurance events worldwide, including more than 70 marathons

People

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For Mental Health Awareness Month, the Olympian partnered with the New York Road Runners to share the message that when it comes to mental health, it’s about progress, not perfection

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After being hit by a car, the entrepreneur was afraid to cross the street. Training for a marathon helped her take back her life.

Paul Gains

After running faster than Khalid Khannouchi and Galen Rupp, Canada’s fastest marathoner is riding the wave to the Paris 2024 Olympics

Sarah Bowden, a high-level theater performer, discovered a new source of movement through running. This weekend’s London Marathon will be a true test. 

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Relentless dedication and strength training are some of the keys to his success 

Kristen Seymour

And her world-record attempt won’t stop until she reaches Melbourne at 150 marathons

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Five years ago, Thomas “Rivs” Puzey competed in the famed marathon’s elite field. This year, he was happy to be among the last to cross the finish line.

Molly Hanson

The 35-year-old made the switch after giving birth to her fourth child. Here’s what we can learn from her experience.

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The Olympic medalist turned coach didn’t have time to fully prepare and almost burned out mid-quest. Here’s how she adapted and finished strong.

Training

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We crunched the numbers from hundreds of thousands of Strava uploads, to see how athletes running in different marathons train differently, and why the Boston field is so speedy

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In-race data collected during the world championships sheds new light on how top endurance athletes avoid overheating

What’s it like to train for the world’s oldest marathon for the first time? We reached out to six Boston Marathon newbies, both elite and non-elite, to find out.

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Sharon Gayter’s closely monitored world record reveals insights on marathon fueling, pacing, and strategy

Follow our 12-week, effort-based plans to achieve your half-marathon goals and have a great race experience

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Why marathon pacing is so hard, and how can you improve your ability to pace optimally and not to hit the wall hard during the 26.2-mile challenge.

A visit to Eliud Kipchoge’s Kenyan training camp reveals how he dominates the marathon world

5 facts about reducing training load and maintaining fitness as your marathon approaches. Plus, a proven 4-week marathon taper plan.

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It's not too late to start training for a spring marathon, as long as you've been doing some running this winter. Here's an 8-week plan to get you race fit in a hurry, without overdoing it.

Luke Humphrey

The long run is the status symbol of marathon training, but much of the existing advice on running long is misguided. Luke Humphrey breaks down just how far you should go.

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An amateur who trained with a top elite team shares three of their multi-pace killer workouts plus lighter versions for mortals getting marathon-fit.

Culture

Hannah Belles

Social media influencers have started a trend of posting videos of them running long distances without training. Here’s why the science says it’s probably not a great idea.   

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Reflecting on key moments from the biggest weekend in running

Nutritionists team up to offer essential tips for pre-marathon fueling, plus favorite restaurant picks for the city’s best race-week grub

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Freddy Ovett, a professional cyclist with a running heritage, is taking a unique approach to the Berlin Marathon that may help you improve your running

Marathons don’t happen by themselves; they require months of planning and an expertise in engineering and crowd science. That’s doubly true for the world’s largest race.

Gear

Scientists consider the latest spikes, individual variability, and the pros and cons of training in racing shoes

The New York-based upstart apparel company’s community ethos isn’t just for show

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The running-shoe hype train was high in New York City with a few fast yet-to-be-released shoes in the men’s and women’s elite fields

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Our editors tallied shoes worn by the top 25 men and women pros at the 2023 Boston Marathon. Here's what we found.

We put 49 pairs through their paces. These 7 came out ahead.

Following a breakthrough in shoe design, the IAAF might have to start regulating footwear. We asked the best runners in the world for their two cents. 

Eight picks for pounding pavement

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Brooks’s innovative Aurora BL gives your feet both comfort and freedom