Can You Walk A Marathon?

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Perhaps you’ve always wanted to participate in a half marathon or a full marathon, but you are unable to run, or maintain a running pace for 26.2 miles. Finishing a marathon is a goal for many and can be a huge source of pride.

You can walk a marathon. However, walking a marathon may seem easy, but it still requires proper training.

Maximum race time

Many races have a maximum race time, in the case of marathons they tend to be around 6 or 7 hours. So, if you’re planning to walk, you should be training to walk each mile around a pace of 13:45 for an average time of 6 hours and 16 minutes for 7 hours. Some races, however, have no maximum time so you can walk at your leisure.

And, in the case of races like the Boston marathon, you have to have a minimum finishing time to even qualify to run the race, so these may not be great places to start.

Practice being on your feet

The other part of your training should include being on your feet and moving for a significant amount of time. Working in offices and sitting a lot of the day, many of us aren’t used to being on our feet for that amount of time.

The goal is to cross the finish line, so make sure to set yourself up for success. Practice being out and about and on the move and don’t forget to invest in really good and supportive running or walking shoes.