A marathon, run over a distance of 26.219 miles, is a foot race that can be very gruelling. However, it does have some health benefits attached to it. Some people even run to show support for a cause or charity. The New York City Marathon has returned in full capacity this year for the first time since 2019. Around 50,000 people have taken part in the event which did not see the light of day in 2020 owing to COVID-induced restrictions.

In an interview with ABC News, five-time NYC Marathon champion Tatyana McFadden, who has also won 20 Paralympics medals, said that often running a marathon is an emotional thing since many people take part in such events for a charity or cause. 

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Zackary Harris, who won the first nonbinary division of the NYC Marathon, said that they loved how such a race challenges not only the body, but also the mind. Harris said to ABC News, “Running a marathon puts every single facet in your mind to its ultimate test, like, your body is pushed to its limits, your mind is pushed to its limit”.

Psychology professor Glenn Geher told ABC News that running for such long distances often gives the runner a rush of endorphins, which is the chemical that is released during activities that give one pleasure. Some have even said that crossing the finishing line can also be described as euphoric.

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Geher also said that running long distances has been a part of humans’ evolution. He said, “Everyone was [nomadic,] and while nomads don’t run marathons, it is not uncommon for a nomadic group to travel as far as 20 miles in a day”. 

He further added that early humans had to develop endurance since they were not stronger than the animals they hunted, and that marathon is a great way to develop endurance. “So it does seem like to some extent long distance running, maybe not marathon running per se, but long distance running does seem to have a long history in the human evolutionary experience”, concluded Geher.