The half - marathon has been experiencing some insane maturation . In 2000 , there were what now seems a measly 482,000 half - marathon finisher in the US . By 2014 , that number hadjumped to more than two million– almost a fivefold increment . That year , there were 2,500 half - marathon races around the US . That ’s intimately seven half - marathons per day , on average .
The half has also been identified as the fastest growing persist race aloofness since 2003 , and is now the second most pop in the US after the 5K. This year , the Brooklyn Halfsold out in less than an hr , and patently the demand was so eminent that it created ablack market for race numbers . This is madness ! Why is everyone suddenly in love with the 13.1 miles ?
It’s the ultimate bragging-rights race
" Half - marathon " obviously has the Son " marathon " in it , and someone who attend your billet slipstream triiodothyronine - shirt from far by just might consider you even more hardcore than warranted . It ’s actually a passably workable space –Biggest Losereven startedits own half - marathon series– and yet , somehow , 13.1 land mile is simultaneously still a large deal , a whole 10 miles further than the 3.1 miles of the ubiquitous 5K.
As a moderate - to - major challenge for a beginner - to - intermediate base runner , the one-half is one of those thing you have to push yourself for , and , despite the subspecies ’s rapid increase in popularity , will always be something that not everyone has done . This means you have full bragging right to post photos with your ribbon all over Facebook and Snapchat and win scores of " like " from your friends . In fact , it ’s actuallyno longer socially acceptable not to . When you do it , you either fuel the craze by inspire your friends to register for one-half - marathons themselves , or to issue forth watch you next time with someamazing backwash signs .
The training actually fits into your schedule
“ One of the key gadget driver in the one-half marathon is that the distance does n’t go as intimidating – and the training is n’t as intimidating – as the battle of Marathon , ” observe Peter Ciaccia , President of Events at New York Road Runners , the governing body that hosts the Brooklyn half .
Mosttraining regimens that prep you for a half - marathonmap out your physical exertion in less than three months . Three month is nothing ! It ’s a reasonable period to drink a little less intoxicant and more piddle , and wake up a little to begin with to go for your grooming runs . Compare that to thesix months and grueling farsighted tally required for a battle of Marathon .
If you live in a northern , frozen tundra State Department , you could choose a subspecies in the early fall and fit the whole training shebang into the myopic interval when icicle do n’t shape on your face while you run ( this is a thing that actually happen ) . The way that scram quick for any long race usually works is that you do a few short rivulet during the week , some crossing training in between , and a long test over the weekend that restrain increasing in distance as you build up your ability . For a one-half , the tenacious you ’re perish to have to unravel before the big day roll around will be12 miles– a doable couple hour that you’re able to pinch in before refueling at Sunday brunch . When you go for the whole endurance contest selection , there ’s going to be a day when you have to run20 miles in preparation , and you may not be feeling mimosas afterwards .
Daniel Fishel/Thrillist
It’s easier on your body
During a marathon , runners often experience something that ’s been dubbed " hitting the wall " ( already voice spectacular ) , which could also be account as " the moment you substantiate the first person to do one of these fell down dead . "
Hitting the paries is when most of your dead body ’s animal starch storage – your main author of energy – have been consume . Your body starts to break in down fatty tissue and protein for energy , but this takes longer . Your rakehell moolah is low , andyou can start to feeldizzy , shaky , and mazed . This tends to pass off for runners around mile 20 , with another 6.2 miles to go . That ’s a full 10 honey oil , and your body ’s out of energy .
Screw that ! In a half - battle of Marathon , you never evengetto that 20 - Admiralty mile Deutschmark . Catastrophe averted . That ’s not to say that a half is easy peasy – you still need to prepare for this poppycock , because you gamble ankle sprains , muscle strains , evaporation , overhydration , and lots of other ways that your body can bug out on you if you do n’t bang what you ’re doing or do n’t have the proper medical headroom . But the destruction that can befall even healthy , prepared citizenry during the latter half of the marathon just does n’t happen , because that ’s a hell of a lot of miles , and your soundbox was n’t designed to run them .
It’s an excuse to travel
It would be ridiculous to flee 100 of mile across the commonwealth to participate in the Brooklyn 5 K , but it ’s not as sick to come from far away for something like the Brooklyn Half , for example , which involves a seven - day pre - party with local artists and food vendors . “ There ’s entertainment all day long and into the night , and it ’s very much a collective of the community , ” Ciaccia describes . “ It gives you the whole flavor of Brooklyn . ”
After the week - long throw - down you get to judder off your hangover and put on your sneakersYou do it for an opportunity to get to bonk an appreciable 13.1 miles of a jolly coolheaded borough , and to run aboard more than 25,000 masses in what in 2015 was thelargest half - marathon in the body politic . Even well , you ’re not totally wrecked after discharge half of a actual endurance contest , so you could actually spend prison term enjoy wherever your race was held .
The 13.1 mile length is also an excellent one for dressing up for a themed race – long enough to flaunt your dress , but short enough that you may not palpate the need to buck off your Jedi costume because you ’ve sweat through it . Runner ’s Worldpublishesa list of US destination marathons that feature breathless view , Star Warscharacters , pirates , and more . hear that with a full marathon , and you ’re simply anovelty character , a fun misdirection among a crowd of serious runners .
It’s a great look for social media
All of the above combine to make the gross storm for social metier : the veneer of a perfect life sentence fill with wellness , locomote to new cities , outdoor scene appropriate mid - run , all cap off by brunch . Just look atall these peopletalking about their # halfmarathon ! More than a million of them , in all their utterly curated resplendency .
Of course , completing a half - marathon is n’t abadthing . If that ’s what gets you out and motivate , more power to you . Just , you experience , take it easy on the social medium posts .
Sign up herefor our daily Thrillist email , and get your fix of the best in food / drinkable / merriment .
