My strava is full of “friends” that run marathons on 25 mile weeks…. Um…why?

Maybe your body is telling you that you shouldn't run a marathon just like the OP suggested.

Maybe you could run a marathon if you ran more, but maybe you shouldn't do it with your current preparation. You are a human (I assume), so you will be fine moving yourself from the start line to the finish line, but why?

Because in the real world of adults that know nothing about running, a 4 - 5 hour marathon (walking is fine) is a MUCH more respectable feat than a 16:00 - 18:00 5k.

Funny to see responses condescendingly assuming that hobbyjoggers running marathons on 25mpw are idiots and don’t know that running a 17’ 5K is more impressive. More impressive to you maybe. The hobbyjoggers are doing what they want to do, and it’s impressive that they can do it off 25mpw while balancing a full time job and family.

Maybe it brings them joy. You sound as if you could learn a lot from it.

In my view running a marathon is a waste of energy unless its your skill set. Don't run it unless you are going to race it. And I don't mean race against my Grandma. For the vast majority it is an exercise of futility. It has nothing to do with running or racing. Its about finishing and box ticking.

Stick to a distance you can run often and measure improvement.
Too many people like to shuffle over that starting line 5 minutes after the gun, and walk run to the finish 4 hours later with a a bored family ready to pick them up and listen to the story of running up some 2 % grade as if they were storming the beach at Normandy.

The thing is they will never understand how easy it is for a real talent to run 20 + miles chatting and joking. Guys like Deeks could run this stuff all day every day. It was easy for them.

Yet some how a bunch of joggers have used it as a measure of their worth.

Bro how tf did you do that, I ran 2:36 averaging probably 80 mile weeks maxing out at 105 and doing a hard tempo and hard long run each week. Did I waste my time or am I just slow ??

35 mpw running. How much cycling? How much other strength training? It's not like he gave you a real full picture.

Good for anybody running a marathon. Everybody has their own time constraints and talent. My girlfriend works a mad schedule at a local hospital, on her feet all day - runs twice a week but also runs 2 or 3 marathons a year. All right around 4 hours. She says she just likes to run them. No problem with that.

My Strava is full of friends who run marathons.

I'll bite.
48 year hobby runner, just ran Rotterdam in 3:10 training 25 mpw. No blow-up whatsoever, just a slight slow-down the last 4 miles. And damn proud of it.

As a busy dad with with a working spouse, I consistently find that I run out of time for running at around 35mpw. Any more and other more important areas of life get dropped. I make do with that.

My second marathon is coming and I’ll probably do one more on a fast course to see if I can break 3. But you are generally right, my body seems to be telling me I ought to be running 45-50 mpw if I want to run marathons.

Spouse and I are planning on having a kid next year or so. 30 years old currently with demanding office job. Is my career over ???

Some people need to learn the hard way, first. I did. I went from an overweight, out of shape, busy guy with young kids who had no business running a marathon and blew up in 5:28 hrs on a flat fast course. After learning how to train and finally having some time on my hands, I've lowered that 5:28 to 3:59 > 3:47 > 3:13 and 3:05 last month, and still improving. I think that's half respectable, for a guy pushing 50.

So, be perhaps slightly more tolerant. Those weekend warriors might show up at the start line one day and surprise you. And if they don't, then be happy. That's one more person for you to beat! You really want everyone training like pro's, beating you at your next race and making you look bad?

Who told you that? The hobbyjoggers I know have a high net worth and self esteem and fulfilling lives, and use objective metrics to assess and challenge themselves including in their hobby of running.

Done a 3:14 marathon on 10 miles per week over 8 weeks and no other exercises, hurt like crazy but blah.

Who cares, most people just want to break 3hr/4hr/5hr or a sub 20min/25min/30min parkrun (5k) as it’s a challenge for them.

It just proves that us humans are slow as …. And the only fast times are from lots and lots of training.

Most people that run care about what they can relate to for those in the slower category it’s what a “non trained” runners can do, therefore the 14:00 - 18:00 5k and 2:15 - 2:55 marathoner are good but ultimately wasting their time as you never made it and you had to spend stupid amount of time where you should of been doing something else.

us runners though, think the opposite as we enjoy actually running regardless the pace

I was very confused at first when I had a friend who was running less than 30 miles a week when marathon training w no type of workouts. But she's done a marathon before(ran 3:59) but she runs 3-5 miles like 4 days a week then does a huge like 18-22 mile long run on Saturdays so I think that works for her. She's up to 40 miles a week now based on that and she's racing in a couple weeks

Why all the hate?

I have a real job and I family. I train about 35 miles per week (50-something km) and have broken 3:00 several times on that. 2:53 PB.

With stretching, strength etc, I spend a bit under an hour a day on running, which is plenty of time for a hobby I'm not too bad at.

I feel bad for people who spend more time just to get to 2:4X, or even to run slower than me!

We hate you for your talent.

If you ran sub 3 hours with 35 mile weeks what could you run if you would train proper?

Simple, the marathon has the most glitz and glamour and your effort will gain the most kudos. It gives most runners a big sense of satisfaction. Second to this would be running a parkrun (5k) pr.

The 10k and half are difficult for most people to run well in because it takes smart training.