The first time I saw written that the marathon is a bit too long for a human to race, was in Matt Fitzgerald great ““ book (p. 197). It is a personal opinion, of course, but still an educated opinion. Starting from that, I will shift the discussion on my own experience. Because, in the end, we know also the conventionally wisdom phrase that a marathon begins, in many ways from the 30 kilometers mark. Which, in the end, might be the optimum maximum? A statement again, which is not distributed as a running legacy for nothing, it has a lot of truth in it.
Running 100M it is not a proof of success!
Actually, to start with a short answer to this question, my strong believe it is that, yes, people are meant to run maximum 30 kilometers. Of course, there are still a lot of catches in this statement, especially if we think of the heavy promoters of 100 millers, or at least 100Ks, of supreme proof about running capabilities. Of course all this is mainly crap, but the purpose of the post is not to contradict this, but to try and explain why 30 kilometers might be the ultimate optimal distance.
30 kilometers at Wings for Life
This looks to be an ideal distance to race effectively, and maybe not hit “the wall” which, in the same book I’ve learned 75% of marathon runners do, while half-marathoners only do it in 8% of the cases. An outstanding difference, of course. Now, some of my best races had 30 kilometers, or very closed to that. Wings for Life events in 2023 and 2024, where covered in 31 and 30 kilometers, respectively, and it wasn’t perceived as maximum effort. The goal was for a 30 kilometers mark in 2026 as well, at the same race, but because of several reasons, mainly of GPS reasons, that was not possible.
One of my best performances at a trail run: 30 kilometers!
However, a 30 kilometers race, at Azuga Trail, was one of the best ran by me, in 2024, when it comes to running with a lot of ascent. It was just perfect to feel strong all during the race. In some ways, this helped me develop a special kind of training, I identify the most suitable for me, when it comes to marathon training, and in October 2025, I did manage to do one of the training session I still am most proud of. Because, even if it was rainy and late, I could achieve the initial goal. We all know – or we should! – the concept of negative split.
I’ve learned after the Prague Marathon
This concept, for any kind of race, proves you are in control, regardless of the final result. In short, you run the second half of the race faster than the first. For shorter races it is as easy to do this, as it is to talk about it, but for longer races, and especially for the marathon, things stay different. Beyond the finish time, the most important lesson I’ve learned in Prague, in 2022, I would say, is that it is more important how you finish a marathon than how you start, and keeping this in mind, all races can be labeled, at the end, successful and with the minimum damage.
Last 12 kilometers are decisive in a marathon
When I am talking about the finish of a marathon, I am not referring to the last few kilometers, because those are, of course, fueled by the will to finish strong. I am referring to the second half of the marathon – oh, wow, how brutal it was to find out that a marathon doesn’t really have two halves; or at least not the halves I was thinking about myself! – and especially the race beyond mark… 30 kilometers! To me, managing 30 kilometers, in the end, it looks like a piece of cake, the strategy behind the last 12 define a good marathon.
Amsterdam Marathon, built around a principle
The training session I was mentioning is simple, yet complicated, and quite unconventional, because it was purely adapted to my needs: three stretches of 10 kilometers in a progressive pace, and not only I managed to do that, but paced even lower another three, to surpass three hours of a steady training, aimed to properly prepared for Amsterdam Marathon, which I did manage to finish strong, in 3:17, and with only two minutes between the first and the second half which, for an amateur is a very good management of running. It was not a race without some muscular damage, but it was very well dealt with.
Effort paid off
About that training session I’ve mentioned a bit in the attached link, but you can see it even better now, split from Strava, because that can be, without any doubt, the training session I am most proud of! The point is that the idea didn’t came out of the blue, but from knowledge and from experience, of course! Amsterdam Marathon was not the first Marathon I dealt with great, but I can mention also the Oslo Marathon, one very different, one year before this. A different course, with two loops, and a greater elevation gain. But with similar cool weather.
Valencia built pressure, Oslo helped me relief it and rediscover things
There, I wasn’t thinking of a negative split so diligently, but I to remove the pressure put myself for the Valencia Marathon in 2023, I put a goal of under 3:20. The final result was a decent 3:21, but the key I remember is that on the last 12 kilometers, I skipped so many runners. It was not a negative, but also very close; I felt strong though, and happy I am so fresh comparing to a lot of people in a country, Norway, that lives for sport and at an event of which more than 200 people finished the marathon in under three hours! It was an initial lesson.
32 – 37 kilometers, hardest portion
Basically, for me, the way in which I complete a marathon is very well tight with the first 30 kilometers, which I find very manageable, and not to concern about, especially if I am dosing my energy and effort correct. It always look like everything beyond 30K is from a different league, and I would say the hardest look to be 32 – 37. Maybe this is why the discussion. Maybe the history could have been written different, especially if the Marathon – Athens original distance was shorter. Well, as you might now it was actually 40 kilometers, not 42.195; something decided by the Royal lounge in London, in 1908.
What if a marathon had 30 kilometers?
Between the two distances there is not too much of a difference, but it is very true that 40 sounds better. And I think 30 kilometers rings even a noisier bell, and maybe would have made much more people enjoy the races. Of course than the half marathon was labeled at 15 kilometers, and everything would have been changed. Some might argue that going longer is sexier, and it validates you better. I can’t agree to that, even I ran myself dozens of long races. That puts so much pressure on your body, so nothing sexy in that.
Everybody can hit the wall in a marathon
Of course there are “races” of even thousands kilometers or even miles, but from a point onwards this doesn’t resonate to sport anymore, but mostly to adventure. To be as competitive, as possible, at a large scale, 30 kilometers sounds just right. It is merely before the infamous wall. Of course, you can hit walls at any type of race, exactly like you can in life. Especially if you are not prepared enough for what you sign for, or if you push much harder than you should. But, in the end, even top athletes hit the wall at the marathon, and Jacob Kiplimo is one of the famous examples I can recall, before finishing London in 2:00:28.
You can actually run an official 30 kilometer race in Budapest!
I had many mountain trail races between 30 and 40 kilometers, and I have discovered that for this uneven surface, this is just right. It is seldom to chose a 30 kilometer race to check your competitiveness, apart from the chance you can get at mentioned Wings for Life, but the format is different, and you are more or less depending on the catcher car. To try, though, you can subscribe to the Budapest Marathon, because unlike any other asphalt race I know, they really have a 30 kilometer option! Then, a good opportunity.
30 kilometers, just right
Some of you that read this, might wonder if I am right, some might even disagree. But the truth, from my own personal experience, and from what I’ve read and watched when it comes to running, it really seem that a competitive race up to 30 kilometers can put most human beings in their right spot to efficiently perform. Of course, some can say you already have the half marathon. It is true, that is right. Running 21.097 kilometers it is even better than 30, from a potential showing off point of view. The problem with it, though, it is that it is… half of something. And it is not even an equal half.