Home > The Scene

5 reasons to try a half-marathon

Whether you're new to the sport or a lifelong runner, you should really consider trying a half-marathon this year

Photo by: lululemon

When it comes to running, the marathon is the most well-known and most talked about race out there. It’s not the only or most important race, though, and there are many other runs with just as much value as the 42.2K. One of those races is the half-marathon, which is an event all runners should try at least once. If you’re not sure that the half is worth your time, here are a few reasons to convince you otherwise. 

BMO Vancouver Half
Kip Kangogo wins the 2017 BMO Vancouver BMO Half-Marathon in 1:06:58. Photo: Rich Lam/RUNVAN.

It can be a stepping stone 

If you’ve never gone farther than a 10K, you can use the half-marathon as a stepping stone toward the marathon. You don’t have to graduate from the half to the full marathon, but if you’re looking to run 42.2K at some point, it’s not a bad idea to test your endurance over 21.1K.  

RELATED: Why the 21.1K shouldn’t be called the half-marathon

You can test distance 

Working off the stepping stone point, the half-marathon is a great way to test out longer distances. If you’re strictly a 5K or 10K runner, it’s a big leap to the marathon, and it can be quite daunting. The half-marathon is a good chance to see if you like running that far. You might love it and finish the race wanting more (in which case the marathon is probably a good fit for you), or you could hate yourself for entering such a long race (which doesn’t mean you’re doomed to hate the marathon, but it probably does mean you should practice at the half distance a few more times). 

Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

It’s a good A race 

If you pepper your schedule with shorter races in the first half or three quarters of the season, the half-marathon is a good late-season goal to work toward. Those 5Ks and 10Ks will help you build to 21.1K of hard running, and you’ll have months to work up to such a long race. 

RELATED: 7 reasons why the half-marathon is better than the marathon

It’s a good virtual option 

Running a solo marathon for a virtual race is a lot to ask. That’s hours of running alone toward a virtual finish line, and it can be hard to find the motivation to complete the full race. A virtual half-marathon is still a big undertaking, but it’s much easier to wrap your head around. It’s long enough to still be a sizeable mental challenge, but not so far that you’ll lose focus or talk yourself out of giving a full effort when you hit the wall and no one is around to motivate you. 

21K is a long run 

A half-marathon is a long race, and it takes a good training plan to get you to the finish line. This is a great goal to set for yourself, and anyone who does so should be proud. 

RELATED: 5 reasons every runner should try the marathon

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

The best trainers in Canada under $150

We curated the best performance trainers under $150 to meet your 2024 running goals, while staying on budget