Running with Rachel: The Half or the Full? | The Times-Picayune By | The Times-Picayune The Times-Picayune
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on January 25, 2013 at 5:58 AM, updated January 25, 2013 at 6:02 AM

One of the most common buzz questions that circulates among runners is “What are you running - the half marathon or the full marathon?”

Asking that question opens all kinds of conversation, as people usually have a story about a previous marathon or talk about how it's their first attempt. Or you get the stories of how much one person likes one distance more than the other.

Regardless, running a half or full marathon is a big accomplishment. People usually choose their distance based on a couple of different factors: one, the amount of time they have to commit to training and two, the idea of a new challenge.

Booth blog photo.jpg Local runner Rachel Booth describes the commitment required for running both half marathons and full marathons.

If you've ever run a full marathon, you know there is a huge time commitment involved. Running 26.2 miles is not something people should roll out of bed and do for fun one day if they haven’t done the proper training. 

I can almost guarantee that the plethora of marathon training programs out there suggest at least a 16-week buildup of training before taking on the distance. If you're completely new to the running world and have decided to run a marathon, I strongly recommend training for at least 20 weeks in order to prepare you properly and without injury.

Additionally, not only are the number of weeks to train for a marathon a big deal for many runners, the amount of time per day and on the weekends is usually a deciding factor. Each week your long run will be just that - long. So typically on a Saturday or a Sunday a person has to block off a big chunk of his or her day to get in the training, and many people aren’t willing to do that.

Mandeville resident Jennifer Zenuch just completed her third marathon last weekend at the Louisiana Marathon, and she agrees that proper training is critical for running both distances.

“The biggest differences between the half and full marathon are the time/training commitments and the mental challenge," Zenuch said. "Training for a half marathon takes a large amount of time. Between work, family and social commitments it's hard enough to find time to run a few miles here and there. It's even harder to find the time to train for a marathon. You have to be committed and have a plan.”

Being committed and having a plan is very good advice for people considering the distance because marathon day will be dreadful if you aren’t 100 percent committed to your training. With that said, just because the half marathon is a shorter distance, rolling out of bed and jumping into it isn’t necessarily advised either. 

Proper training is still necessary to get through a half marathon. While you may enjoy the lower number of miles per week and the “shorter” long runs compared to marathon training, the underlying factor is the time you'll need to dedicate to get you through the race. This is not only your time, but for your family as well.

However, individuals often find the time commitment is worth it to embrace a new challenge. People think it's the natural progression in running that if you've done a 5K, a 10K and a half marathon, the full marathon should be the next distance on the list. Therefore, many people decide to run a marathon just to try one and cross it off their bucket list.

If that applies to you, the one piece of advice I would give you is to “appreciate the distance." People sometimes forget that running 13.1 miles versus 26.2 miles is a huge difference. When you get past 20 miles of running, your body can start to fight you very quickly, as putting that vast number of miles in isn’t something most people do on a normal basis. 

I think anyone can run a marathon, as it's a matter of dedicating oneself to it and being medically cleared to embark on the challenge. But if you're going to take on the distance, the training commitment is crucial so you can have an enjoyable 26.2.

When you're deciding whether to run the half or full marathon for your next race, remember that running either race isn't to be taken lightly. Each race requires a lot of time; thinking about how much time you have to devote to it may sway your decision a bit.

Running the half marathon doesn't mean it's half the fun - it's an accomplishment in itself - and running the full marathon is full of all sorts of fun. Essentially, both distances will give you gratification beyond belief, and you will feel proud when you cross the finish line.