People run marathons because of herd culture

I would say the opposite. People run track races because everyone else their age is and they are told too. Same with XC. How many people have you met (not read about, met in real life) who have done either after being done with school for life. I never have been much for following the herd. Race on pavement, and have since before starting high school. If you were 'supposed to' run for the school teams, I didn't get the memo and would have ignored it if I did.

Do your own thing. Have original thoughts. If you decide to have an ice cream float, have the courage to think of a soda and ice cream flavor. Those who get root beer and vanilla also run for their school teams, and not marathons. Herd instinct!

Is the OP in high school?

Are you a "real" runner?

A marathon is a road race, dingus. And the same thing can be said for the popularity of the 5k distance, probably even more so as it's easier to finish. Also, if people get into marathons bc its 'popular' that's great—gets more people out there running. If you run, you're a runner. If you care about this sport and community maybe reconsider your gatekeeping.

I kind of know what you mean, this whole commercial culture has mesmerized the marathon.

People think because they walk/run 26.2 they are designated as being the top of the athletic achievement pole because a charity told them so.

Many of those same folk dismiss shorter distance achievement.

OP must be a former HS runner. He has a hobby jogger co-worker.

Women in their office are impressed by his co-worker's 4hr marathon, but not by OP's track and XC PBs.

Yes many do it for personal clout as a status thing. They will appear more interesting and ambitious to others if they have some bucket list items to talk about. A lot of people don't want to be the boring person who seems as if they haven't done much in their lives. But humanity persists to celebrate mediocrity. Finishing a marathon that you trained a little bit for shouldn't quality as an outstanding accomplishment, but many consider it that, simply because most humans are mediocre and uninteresting.

Oprah ran one marathon in 1994. Do you really think that's why "most people" run them?

Not the most clever text that is. Topic text is better.

But indeed some people think as longer the race distance as more challenging the run is. So the marathon has a higher prestige as a 5k as example. This is also reflected with the prize money.

"People run track races because everyone else their age is and they are told too."

Believe me, everyone else my age are not running track races. I run track races because I like to do so, not because anyone told me to do so.

I have no desire to run a marathon at all.

I run more than 10 km every day so to run a 5km or 10km race seems so boring.Same as the half marathon I run further on my Sunday long run every weekend.Now the marathon is a real challenge I know its going to hurt.Its a worthy challenge to try for a new PB from time to time.

This right here. You run a marathon or better yet and ultra and you're a social media rock star. You run a 15:00 5k and anyone can run a 5k.

Social media drives the hobby joggers to the marathon.

To real runners 800 meters to the marathon are real, if you train and run to your personal potential.

I entered for one because I wanted to try every distance. If I manage to do sub 3 or around that mark then I probaby won't attempt it again. Instead I would try to go for sub 17 in the 5k or a 35 minute 5k.

A lot of slower club runners enter the marathon because they run it at an easy pace. But running 26 miles at a slow pace is brutal.

Can't run that far eh? Keep at it you'll get there.

People run marathons for different reasons really.

But I'd say one of them is equalising power of the distance. Nobody can run a good marathon on a whim. Even Jakob Ingebrigtsen with all of his talent won't be ready to run 26.2 miles on par with his 1500 or 5K, he would have either to run it slower or bonk or train for the marathon specifically for a rather long while.

So let's say we have two guys. A was a decent miler in HS but not good enough for D1 scholarship and quit running but stayed reasonably fit till his 30. B partied hard but quite that and decided to become fit and got into running. Unless B is supernaturally talented he has no chance to beat A in a mile race. B missed his shot and while A might not be able to beat his school PBs or maybe even get close, with a couple months of training he can still get to a level that's just not possible for B. Now marathon is different. With enough dedication B can get to sub3 or even sub230. A can do that, too, but he will have to work hard. They can compete as equals.

People run races because of herd culture. Real runners don't run races at all because they don't need the validation of others. Realer runners don't even run, lest they be categorized as a runner and could therefore be identified as part of the running herd

I've run every road race distance many times. While I do better at 10 mile and Half (sub 52 and sub 1:10) I also find that running a good marathon is far more impacted by the amount of work and dedication you put in than natural talent. I was never able to break 15:20 in a 5K but have broken 2:30 numerous times.

Marathons are marketed as if the race itself is the challenge. Everyone is blind to their losing the race.

On the track you need to face the failure immediately. It feels like a race the whole time, for the fastest and slowest alike.