Are Marathons The 20-Something’s Quarter Life Crisis?

It feels like one day, everyone I know woke up and decided to run a marathon. More and more of my friends have been setting aside their Sundays to run road races around LA, whether they be half marathons or the full 26.2 miles. Training for these marathons is not a simple endeavor, especially for busy college students. So why are there so many 20-somethings making the ambitious decision to fit marathon training into their schedules? Is running 13.1 or 26.2 miles the new quarter-life crisis? 

This topic has been on my mind lately because one of my roommates just ran her first half marathon. As the one not having to do any actual running, I had a fantastic experience supporting her through the process. I designed t-shirts, watched her train, and got up at the crack of dawn to cheer her on. But I couldn’t help but wonder – why are so many busy students taking on this demanding challenge? 

To get some insight, I sat down and talked with my roommate and her friend, both of whom just completed their first half marathons. They are both full time students at UCLA – one an undergrad and one a medical student, aged 21 and 24 respectively. I wanted to understand what motivated them, as well as other 20-somethings, to take on such a huge challenge and commitment. 

My roommate explained that her initial motivation for running a half marathon came from one of her friend’s urging: “Growing up, I was the slowest person in my PE class, and I never thought I was a runner and that I would be able to do something like this. When my friend asked me, I initially said no, but she convinced me, and here we are!” Her friend’s story was similar, saying that a group of her friends signed up and convinced her to join. But as training progressed, their motivations shifted. My roommate admitted she started to love running and looked forward to her long runs, which became a weekly highlight.

Both runners also noted that their goals changed throughout training. At first, just finishing the race and crossing the finish line seemed like the ultimate goal. However, as they realized this would be easily accomplished, their focus turned to improving their speed and reducing their mile times. It became about pushing their limits and seeing how far they could go. 

In the end, both found the experience of starting and completing their goals incredibly rewarding. But they aren’t stopping there – they are already planning their next challenge. Running a full marathon seems to be on the horizon for both of them (maybe they’ll take on the LA Marathon this year?).  

Give yourself the chance to prove yourself wrong.

When I asked for advice for anyone thinking about running a half or full marathon, my roommate said something that particularly stuck with me: “My biggest advice for runners getting started is to give yourself the chance to prove yourself wrong. I never thought I would be able to run a half marathon, but I was able to prove myself wrong and it felt amazing.” 

So maybe running a marathon isn’t a quarter-life crisis by itself, but rather a way to get through one. Perhaps setting a clear goal, challenging yourself, and coming through stronger, faster and more confident is the perfect way to deal with the stress and uncertainty of your 20s. And who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be convinced to lace up my running shoes and join them. 

• 20s
• 5K Run
• athlete
• college
• half marathon
• marathon
• running
• student
• UCLA