3 Great Reasons to Run a Marathon

Running is becoming a popular leisure activity, often done to gain fitness but sometimes just for fun. If you are a runner, have you ever ran a 5k? 10k? Half marathon? A full marathon? If you have, then that is an amazing accomplishment, however if you have not, then you should consider it. You should start with a 5k eventually working your way up to a marathon (26.2 miles). It is a great way to get into the best shape of your life, accomplish something huge, and get social.
Running a marathon could get you into great shape. Just running everyday would get you really fit but training for a marathon is much more intense than a leisurely jog. You have to work extremely hard and it is no easy task to prepare for 26.2 miles but once you make it to race day, you will be in the best shape in your life, which is an award in itself.
Another great thing about running a marathon is the huge accomplishment. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Running this long of a race is something huge to be proud of, no matter what your time is when you finish, or how exhausted you are at the end. If you make it to the end, there is no other feeling like it and it will be something exciting to tell your kids and grandkids once you recover.
Lastly, it gets you social. It takes a lot of motivation to train for something as large as a marathon. Because of this, you will want to train with other people. Get a group of your friends together plenty of months before the race and discuss a training strategy. Then you can all train together and keep each other in check. Your friends may even know others that might want to join you, then you can make new friends and make the experience even more enjoyable.
Now, if you have no running experience, it is a good idea to start with a shorter race and work your way up to a half marathon and then eventually a full marathon. It is such a great experience that I don't think anyone should miss out on.