{"id":538609,"date":"2023-01-10T22:00:01","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T19:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/what-it-takes-to-run-a-marathon-a-day-for-a-year\/"},"modified":"2023-01-10T22:00:01","modified_gmt":"2023-01-10T19:00:01","slug":"what-it-takes-to-run-a-marathon-a-day-for-a-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-it-takes-to-run-a-marathon-a-day-for-a-year\/","title":{"rendered":"#What it takes to run a marathon a day for a year"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3650f85def8\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3650f85def8\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-it-takes-to-run-a-marathon-a-day-for-a-year\/#%E2%80%9CWhat_it_takes_to_run_a_marathon_a_day_for_a_year%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;What it takes to run a marathon a day for a year&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhat_it_takes_to_run_a_marathon_a_day_for_a_year%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;What it takes to run a marathon a day for a year&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2023\/what-it-takes-to-run-a.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2023\/what-it-takes-to-run-a.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"McKee spent close to 1,500 hours running to complete his challenge. Credit: i am adventure\/ Shutterstock\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2023\/what-it-takes-to-run-a.jpg\" alt=\"What it takes to run a marathon a day for a year\" title=\"McKee spent close to 1,500 hours running to complete his challenge. Credit: i am adventure\/ Shutterstock\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                McKee spent close to 1,500 hours running to complete his challenge. Credit: i am adventure\/ Shutterstock<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>For many runners, a marathon is a lifetime achievement. But a British man named Gary McKee took marathon running to another level by running one a day for 365 days in 2022 to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-england-cumbria-64134196\">raise money for charity<\/a>.\n                                                <\/p>\n<p>                                                                                Not only did McKee achieve his goal, he ran an average time of just over four hours. Astonishingly, this is faster than the average worldwide marathon time of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/marathonhandbook.com\/what-is-a-good-marathon-time\/\">four and a half hours<\/a>. He <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>ed over 9,500 miles in the year (around 800 miles a month)\u2014a distance many of us don&#8217;t even achieve by car\u2014and used 22 pairs of trainers to reach his goal. The amount of miles McKee ran is something that many <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/35418513\/\">elite distance runners don&#8217;t even achieve<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>McKee spent close to 1,500 hours running in 2022\u2014around 29 hours a week. That&#8217;s more time running daily than the average adult <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/269870\/daily-tv-viewing-time-in-the-uk\/\">spends watching TV<\/a>. He did all this while balancing a job and family life. <\/p>\n<p>Given how impressive this feat is, many may be wondering exactly how McKee did it and what it takes.<\/p>\n<p> <b>Once a day<\/b> <\/p>\n<p>Completing an ultra-endurance style event can have <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fphys.2018.00634\/full\">profound effects on the body<\/a>, including suppressing the immune system, changing hormone levels, causing injuries and extreme fatigue to name a few.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, one of the keys to McKee&#8217;s success would have been <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33389141\/\">minimizing and managing the symptoms of fatigue<\/a> during each run and throughout each day. McKee would have been battling the effects of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27015386\/\">significant fatigue<\/a> in both the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8997532\/\">muscles and nervous system<\/a>, making recovery essential in order to limit the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29986641\/\">physical and mental<\/a> effects, such as muscle soreness and emotional exhaustion. If fatigue wasn&#8217;t properly managed, it would have made it harder for him to complete his challenge.<br \/>\n                                            <!-- Google middle Adsense block --><\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, fatigue can be <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.2165\/11588760-000000000-00000\">managed with proper nutrition<\/a>. McKee would have needed to consume roughly 5,000 calories a day in order to supply the energy needed to recover properly\u2014roughly the equivalent of 20 plates of pasta. He would have needed a good balance of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29534444\/\">carbohydrates, fat and protein<\/a> to fuel each daily run and to help repair his muscles, tendons, li<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a>nts and bones afterwards. McKee also avoided alcohol for the year as it can <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysportscience.com\/post\/2016\/02\/03\/alcohol-and-recovery\">impair sleep and recovery<\/a> and reduce performance.<\/p>\n<p>Despite doing everything to optimize recovery, McKee would still have been at risk of several overuse injuries because of the amount he was running without any rest. It&#8217;s hardly surprising to hear McKee say he was dealing with a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lancs.live\/news\/local-news\/cumbria-marathon-man-gary-mckee-25868450\">hamstring injury<\/a>, which is common in endurance running due to the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22239734\/\">type of muscle activity<\/a> involved. <\/p>\n<p>To overcome this, McKee would have needed significant mind over matter to push through. McKee talks about his <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news\/2022\/dec\/29\/its-me-against-the-road-meet-the-marathon-man-of-west-cumbria\">motivation to run<\/a> and has said, &#8220;I find a reason to do it. If you break it down, it is just me against the road and there&#8217;s only one winner.&#8221; This positive state of mind has actually been <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s40279-022-01748-2?utm_source=toc&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=toc_40279_53_1&amp;utm_content=etoc_springer_20230103\">suggested by scientists<\/a> as being able to reduce feelings of tiredness during exercise.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s also worth noting that McKee has performed <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Bklhue5h_v0\">many other ultra-endurance feats<\/a>. In 2021, he completed <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-england-cumbria-57199008\">110 marathons in 110 days<\/a>. This past experience may have been invaluable in how he was able to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/1439399\/\">manage and prevent further injury<\/a> and find the motivation to keep running.<\/p>\n<p>McKee is clearly a talented athlete, running the London marathon in just <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tcslondonmarathon.com\/results\/race-results\">three hours and ten minutes<\/a>. This shows us that he was running significantly below his maximum effort during his daily marathons. By starting much slower than his fastest marathon, McKee was using a sensible <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/16869711\/\">pacing strategy<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>By running slowly in his early miles each day and in each marathon early on in the year, McKee was giving himself the best chance of achieving his goal by preventing over-exertion and fatigue. In fact, McKee maintained remarkable consistency in his pacing throughout the year, running his first marathon in three hours and 53 minutes and his last in four hours and 22 minutes. A similar pacing strategy was used by world-record endurance runner Sharon Gayter to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34831820\/\">run ten marathons in ten days<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p> <b>Personal challenge<\/b> <\/p>\n<p>But can anyone do this? The answer to this question is undoubtedly no. McKee clearly has the perfect combination of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fphys.2021.694411\/full\">genetics<\/a>, training history, mental toughness and most importantly the reason and motivation to have completed the challenge.<\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t let that deter you from going after your own goals, however. There are many things we can learn from McKee. For example, slowly progressing towards your goal with <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/health\/wellness\/discipline-freedom-performance\/\">self-discipline<\/a> and an iron will may help you achieve more than you think you can. <\/p>\n<p>McKee also shares many <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2015.02009\/full\">psychological similarities with superchampions<\/a>\u2014including a fierce desire to overcome setbacks and set new challenges for himself. <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Science<\/a> shows it&#8217;s possible to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0022103117305449\">change our own mindsets<\/a> in a similar way to help us better overcome challenges and achieve our goals. <\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;ve been inspired by McKee and want to undertake your own running challenge, you should <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/beginners\/a772727\/how-to-start-running-today\/\">start slowly and build up gradually<\/a> in intensity, number and distance of runs. Many new runners have found success with <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>lications that help to do this <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/live-well\/exercise\/running-and-aerobic-exercises\/get-running-with-couch-to-5k\/\">like couch to 5k<\/a>. A sensible strategy along with finding your motivation will help push you to achieve more than you ever imagined.<\/p>\n<div class=\"d-inline-block text-medium my-4\">\n                                                Provided by<br \/>\n                                                                                                    The Conversation<br \/>\n                                                                                                        <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon_open\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\"><br \/>\n                                                        <svg><use href=\"https:\/\/medx.b-cdn.net\/tmpl\/v6\/img\/svg\/sprite.svg#icon_open\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"article-main__note mt-4\">\n                                                This article is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/gary-mckee-what-it-takes-to-run-a-marathon-a-day-for-a-year-197184\">original article<\/a>.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/197184\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                                        <!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>                                                 <strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n                                                 What it takes to run a marathon a day for a year (2023, January 10)<br \/>\n                                                 retrieved 10 January 2023<br \/>\n                                                 from https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2023-01-marathon-day-year.html<\/p>\n<p>                                            This document is subject to copyright. 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Credit: i am adventure\/ Shutterstock For many runners, a marathon is a lifetime achievement. But a British man named Gary McKee took marathon running to another level by running one a day&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":538610,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2023\/what-it-takes-to-run-a.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-538609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/538609","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=538609"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/538609\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/538610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=538609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=538609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=538609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}