SPORTS

11 reasons to run a marathon

Victoria E. Freile
@vfreile

With the MVP Health Care Rochester Marathon just days away, some non-runners wonder why someone would want to run a marathon.

Whether racing in Rochester or elsewhere, the fall season is well underway.

Preparing to run 26.2 miles takes three- to four-months of training, a significant time commitment that alters your schedule, workout regimen, sleeping and eating habits. Such preparations also require sacrifice and support from your loved ones.

"It's not like people do marathons because they're fun," said Ellen Brenner, co-owner of Fleet Feet Sports Rochester and Yellow Jacket Racing, which owns and operates the Rochester Marathon. Marathoners want to test themselves and achieve a goal, she said. To do so, they train diligently.

"Running a marathon is one of those epic milestones," said Mort Nace, general manager of Medved Running and Walking Outfitters in Pittsford. "The distance is a challenge, especially that second half. What it takes goes well beyond being physically prepared."

In 2014, more than 550,000 people completed a marathon in the United States, including in Rochester, according to Running USA. Four times as many runners, more than 2 million athletes, completed a half marathon in the same timeframe. While a record number of runners are completing 26.2- and 13.1-mile races, marathoners and half-marathoner still make up less than 1 percent of the American population.

Marathon running isn't for everyone. But athletes who feel up to the task - and training - gain more than bragging rights.

Runners hit the road at the start of the 2013 Rochester Marathon. Runners will tackle a brand-new course on Sept. 20.

Achieving a goal - Non-runners know marathons are difficult, but may not understand what it takes to reach the finish line, to accomplish something that you previously considered impossible. "Most marathons will eat you up if you try to make it without training properly," Nace said. "You never know what race day will bring. Embrace it, don't take it for granted and enjoy the experience. Sometimes its about what you learn along the way." Nace said he warned runners that marathons can become addictive. "When it all clicks for a race you won't ever forget it."

Building confidence - When you finish running a marathon, you get that sense of satisfaction, that sense of accomplishment," said Kiplangat Tisia, 26, a professional runner who lives and trains in Rochester. "You feel like anything you try, you can now achieve." The winner of the 2013 Rochester Marathon, Tisia said he wasn't strong or fast when he started running as a child, so he always aimed to finish. "Over time, I improved. I worked hard and always tell kids that 1,000 miles starts with one step. When you take it one step at a time, you know your goals are possible."

Kiplangat "Kip" Tisia, of Rochester, center, heads to a top finish with a time of 2:19:59 at the finish line of the 2013 Rochester Marathon.

You'll test yourself - Jason "J-Mac" McElwain, 26, of Greece is among Rochester's local marathoners who loves the challenge of the distance. A cross-country runner in high school, McElwain said he needed a break from the sport. McElwain, who has autism, gained national recognition in 2006 when he came off the bench as the basketball team's manager to score 20 points in the final four minutes of his last regular season game. When McElwain started running again in 2011, he not only targeted 26.2 miles, but aimed to run fast enough to qualify to run The Boston Marathon. To date, he's run five marathons - including Rochester twice, in 2012 and 2013 - and qualified run Boston each time. (The qualifying mark is 3:05 in his age group.) Part of what McElwain said he loves about marathons is how the distance forces him to test his limits. Your body wants to stop, but your mind can't let it, he said. "I just keep pushing," he said. "I don't think, I just go. I run the mile I'm in." He'll be racing the half on Sept. 20.

Jason "J-Mac" McElwain trains for his first marathon, the Rochester Marathon in 2012. He will be running the half marathon in Rochester on Sept. 20.

You'll be inspired - While running the Rochester Marathon in 2014, Joe McMahon, 46, of Brighton came across 70-year-old Walt Standhart, who was wearing a cancer survivor shirt. Then strangers, the pair started chatting mid-race and ran side by side for eight miles. Standhart, a pancreatic cancer survivor, started running in his 60s and said each step helped him recover after rounds of chemotherapy and surgery. McMahon was inspired by his new friend. With Standhart's son, the trio completed a triathlon relay in August. "You've got to respect the soul of that man to never surrender," he said. McMahon will run his 64th marathon in Rochester next week, which will end his quest to complete three endurance events in eight days, including a half-Ironman triathlon and an Olympic-distance triathlon on Sept. 12 and 13 in Montreal. The goal for Rochester is to finish, he said.

Joe McMahon of Brighton runs in Ellison Park in 2013. He will run his 64th marathon in Rochester on Sept. 20.

You'll gain more than you lose - "No matter how fast or slow you go, it's never easy and it always goes just a bit longer than anyone running it would like it to," said Chris Patterson, 30, of Rochester, who will run his 18th marathon next weekend. "I've gained a lot of humility and perseverance for completing the marathon distance." Patterson, who will be leading the 3:30 pace group for the third straight year, said that in his five years of marathons he likes helping other runners reach their time goals just as much, if not more than, achieving his own goals. Sept. 20 will mark his fourth straight Rochester Marathon.

Chris Patterson, 30, of Rochester will run his 4th straight Rochester Marathon on Sept. 20.

Overcoming obstacles - A large part of training for a marathon in learning from your mistakes. Runners must listen to their bodies and decide when to train (and when not to train) based on how they cope will all they put the body through, Patterson said. To avoid injury, runners also need to rest between workouts and not over train. t Many first-time marathoners aim to conquer the 26.2 distance to honor a loved one to recognize overcoming their own trial, Brenner said. Others simply want to prove they can complete the distance.

Motivation to run - Sometimes the hardest part of each workout is finding the motivation to head out your front door. Patterson said he particularly struggles in the winter." I'll remind myself how much time and effort I already put in to train up to where I am now," he said. "I'll think of how awful it would be to have to work hard just to get to where I have been before, rather than the getting closer to the goal I hope to achieve. That thought alone can get your butt to the gym in the middle of winter pretty quick." But you have to be dedicated. "Streaming Netflix can be a much more appealing option," he said.

Laura Anderson, 28, of Rochester will run her 12th and 13th marathons this fall.

Increasing fitness - Laura Anderson, 28, of Rochester ran her first marathon in 2011 to cross the milestone off her bucket list. She said she fell in love with the experience, in part because she said training for months helped her focus on the process rather than her goal. "You can't just run a marathon," she said. "You have to work hard for it. You can't just focus on your end goal. You have to pay attention to your daily training and nutrition." In the past four years, Anderson said her fitness and speed improved. "You see yourself doing things regularly that once seemed out of reach, like running a double-digit run mid-week."

Friendships - You log a lot of miles (anywhere from 20 to 60 each week) in a training cycle. Running alongside a friend or with a group of like-minded athletes with a common goal helps ease each training cycle. You push each other to do your best and count on one another to help you through a rough day. "It's a community of like-minded people - of kindred spirits - who do long runs together." McElwain runs regularly with Bruegger's Bagel Bunch in Greece, a group of runners of all ages and abilities. "It's good to be around other runners," he said. "We encourage each other to keep going." Tisia agreed, "There's no better feeling than running alongside someone who loves it as much as you do." Anderson in October will run the Bank of America Chiacgo Marathon alongside a close friend tackling her first-ever marathon. The pair will run side by side through the Windy City after months of training. "It's really helped me appreciate her process and remember all those feelings from my first training cycle," she said.

Mort Nace, 49, of Brighton has run 15 marathons since 1991.

You'll explore new places - Nace, 49, of Brighton, has completed 15 marathons since 1991. His first 26.2 was his one and only road marathon since Nace prefers to run on trails. He also loves exploring new communities, parks and natural wonders like Pike's Peak in Colorado. Traveling cross-state or cross-country is a fulfilling way to enhance each marathon experience, he said.

It will change you - "You become a better version of yourself," Nace said. "Having passed that test, having accomplished that goal and suffering through training, you may not run the race you want, but you are a stronger version of yourself as a result." Tisia agreed. "When you race, you compete against yourself and others, but mostly you're reaching for something. Nothing is given to you, you have to work for it and that experience builds you as a person." Knowing you can complete such a feat is empowering and exhilarating. "If you can do this, what can't you do?" Nace asked.

VFREILE@Gannett.com