Finishing a marathon is a huge achievement. It can bring pride, strength, and amazing emotions. But it’s important to understand that a marathon demands real preparation—both physical and mental.
Sometimes, the best decision is not to start. If you recognize yourself in some of these points, it might be smarter to postpone your race and give yourself more time. You deserve to enjoy your marathon, not suffer through it.
Here are 10 signs you might want to rethink running a marathon. At least for now.
1. You don’t have basic endurance (you haven’t run at least 9 miles or 15 km without suffering)
A marathon requires a developed aerobic base. If you haven’t run 9 miles (15 km) without serious pain or extreme tiredness, your base isn’t strong enough. A marathon is a multi-hour load on the heart, blood vessels, and muscles, and an unprepared body may not cope.
Research shows that gradually increasing run time is key for safe marathon training. The lack of such preparation dramatically increases the risk of injury and overtraining syndrome.
Running 9-12 miles (15-20 km) trains the heart, muscles, and mind. It builds endurance for long, repetitive efforts. If you have not done this, most likely you will give up long before the finish line.
Also, long runs teach the body to switch to the efficient use of fats as fuel. Without this adaptation, you are almost guaranteed to “hit the wall” at 18-22 mile (30-35 km)—a sharp depletion of strength.
Related: At What Mile Do Most Runners Quit a Marathon?
2. You have frequent or chronic injuries
A marathon may greatly affect all the weak points in the body. Running a marathon can make injuries worse. This includes iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS), Achilles tendonitis, periosteum inflammation, etc. It could lead to serious damage.
Running with untreated injuries can increase the risk of stress fractures. It can also lead to long-term inflammation, according to studies. These conditions can put you out of action for months and sometimes require surgical treatment.
Even if the pain feels bearable on shorter runs, it’s likely to worsen during a marathon. Over 26.2 miles (42.2 km), your body absorbs thousands of impacts—and each weak point will experience colossal overloads.
Related: What Happens to Your Body During and After a Marathon?
The most reasonable thing to do is to fully recover first, strengthen problem areas, and only then start long races. Otherwise, a marathon may turn out to be not a source of pride, but a long rehabilitation.
3. You have sleep problems or constant fatigue
Sleep is the basis of recovery. If you chronically do not get enough sleep or feel constant fatigue, a marathon will only finish off your body. Without quality sleep, the body does not restore muscles, the immune system is weakened, and the nervous system is exhausted.
Numerous studies show that chronic lack of sleep increases the risk of injury by 60% and reduces athletic performance.
Long-term loads are especially dangerous. They demand maximum resources from the body.
Fatigue can lower your focus and reaction time. This can lead to falls, poor running technique, and overheating while running long distances. In a marathon, every little thing becomes critical.
If you do not get at least 7-9 hours of sleep per day in the last weeks before the race, you should think about postponing the start. Running a marathon “to the point of exhaustion” is a recipe for a breakdown in health.
4. You don’t have time to recover
Training for a marathon is not only running but also proper recovery: nutrition, massage, rest. If you don’t have time to properly recover between workouts, your body will not progress—it will only break down.
Research shows that if runners do not recover enough, they can overtrain. This leads to lower strength, endurance, and immunity. This is especially dangerous in pre-marathon training.
Chronic recovery deficiency leads to microtrauma, messes with hormones, and may cause depression. This is not always felt immediately, but it affects well-being and results in the long term.
If life is so busy now that you barely find time to run, without proper recovery, a marathon will feel more like torture than an achievement.
5. You have never trained according to plan
A marathon is not just a long run. To prepare safely and successfully, you need to follow a clear training plan. This plan should include a slow increase in volume, rest days, and focused training.
If you’ve always run by feel or without structure, there is a high probability of mistakes.
Research in sports medicine confirms that having a plan reduces the risk of injury by almost 50% compared to intuitive training. A plan helps to avoid an increase in mileage that is too abrupt, which often leads to injuries.
Training with a plan helps you find the right pace, manage your effort, and recover properly.
If you have never trained according to a plan for at least 8-12 weeks in a row, a marathon risks turning into torture already in the middle of the distance.
Download for free: 17 Training Plans—From 5K to Marathon
6. You haven’t tried fueling during your runs
At a marathon, you need to eat and drink properly during the run. If you haven’t tried energy gels, sports drinks, chews, or bars in real situations, you might face some nasty surprises. These can include nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and an upset stomach.
A review of sports nutrition shows that poor carbohydrate and fluid intake often leads to people quitting marathons.
Related: 10 Tips to Avoid Toilet Breaks During a Race
The body must get used to eating on the go: digesting gels at a high heart rate and the correct amount of water without overloading the stomach. This is trained in advance, during long runs.
You can’t put off such things “for later”: what is not worked out in training can backfire in the race—literally.
7. You don’t have a plan B for race day
The weather can let you down. The gear can tear. The nutrition may not fit. If you don’t have a Plan B for heat, rain, pain, cramps, or nutritional issues, you’re taking a huge risk.
Being ready for surprises can boost your chances of finishing a race, according to psychological research.
Plan B includes alternative pacing options, backup food/water sources, and ways to quit if you have a serious problem. This isn’t pessimism, it’s self-care.
In a marathon, a minor problem without a plan can turn into a disaster, especially in the last few miles.
8. You are losing a lot of weight or are too focused on losing weight
If you’re actively losing weight or have recently lost a lot of weight, your body is weakened. Your energy reserves, hormone levels, and immune system may be compromised. In these conditions, a marathon becomes a dangerous test.
Research shows that being in a calorie deficit before a race increases the risk of injury and impairs recovery. This is especially true for women (relative energy deficiency syndrome).
If you run a marathon to “lose extra pounds” or to push yourself hard, you might hurt your health instead of achieving your goal.
Run a marathon only if you have stable weight, good nutrition, and a strong body. Otherwise, you may end up in the hospital instead of smiling at the finish line.
Related: 8 Reasons Why Runners Don’t Lose Weight
9. You have never run a race at all
A marathon is a tough choice for your first race ever. Even 5K races require skills: how to start properly, how to pace yourself, and how to manage race-day nerves. In a marathon, all of these challenges are much bigger.
Studies show that beginner runners are more likely to get injured, especially if they increase their training load too quickly or aim for long distances without enough experience.
Gradually building up through shorter races like 5K or 10K helps runners develop endurance, pacing strategies, and mental resilience, all of which lower injury risk.
Your first race should be an easy and positive experience—5K, 10K, or maybe a half marathon. It will help you better understand your capabilities and teach you how to race smart and safely.
10. You want to “prove something” to someone or yourself
Reconsider your plans if your main goal is to prove something to others or yourself through pain and suffering. A real marathon demands respect for yourself, your body, and the preparation. It’s not about revenge or proving something to yourself.
External motivation, such as trying to prove yourself, can lead to less satisfaction. It may also increase the risk of injury and burnout.
There always comes a moment in a marathon when it will be difficult. If your motivation is toxic, you won’t have the resources to handle a crisis. This is different from those who run out of love for the process and themselves.
The best reason to go to the start is the desire to become stronger, healthier, and happier, and not to pay off internal debts through physical torture.
A marathon should be a celebration of everything you’ve built, not a punishment, not a desperate battle with yourself. Respecting the distance means respecting yourself and your journey.
If you recognize any of these signs, it’s not a failure. It’s a smart move to listen to your body, fix the weak points, and come back even stronger. The marathon isn’t going anywhere, but your health is something you can’t afford to lose.
Train smart, be patient, and when you’re truly ready, the finish line will feel even sweeter.
By Lena Sage
