Apple and the American Heart Association have good news for runners!
How to prepare for a marathon is one of the most frequently asked questions by those who take on this challenge for the first time. Although there are many recommendations in this regard, Apple Watch knows how long to train to run a marathon, based on scientific data. And depending on the outcome, it could be faster than we think.
For five years, Apple has been conducting a study exploring the links between physical activity and heart health in partnership with the American Heart Association and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, using the Apple Watch with the device to extract user data.
Apple Watch is optimistic about runners’ times
Since the start of the project Study researchers say there were 201,471 participants. It is estimated that more than 1,500 people have run a total of 2,623 marathons and more than 50% of participants have completed at least one running session of 5K or more.
With these results at hand, The researchers also tracked how participants prepared for a marathon. Thus, the 10% of participants who achieved the best time ran approximately 16 miles, or approximately 25 kilometers, or more per week than the 10%.
Most participants did not run or walk, but researchers have data on how long they ran or walked. SO extrapolated how long it would take most people to run or walk the 26.2 miles, 42 kilometers, of a marathon at your average exercise speed.
This time, using data from April 2023 specifically, they found that Half of participants would run or walk 26 miles in 90 days or less, but average speed is lower
As of April 2023, a total of 76,114 participants logged at least one walking or running workout. During the month, 17,376 (22.8%) participants traveled a total distance of 26.2 miles or more. »
Estimated time to complete an Apple heart and movement study marathon
Although the number of days suggested by the study seems very optimistic, the study notes that it may be an underestimate. Apple Watch can automatically detect a workout and start timing it, but not all participants will have this feature enabled.
Based on April data, half of our participants would walk and/or run 26.2 miles in 90 days or less. The average speed is a little slower, 334 days per marathon, due to a long queue of participants who rarely run or walk. Please note that our method may tend to underestimate the actual distance traveled as we only consider walks or runs that are part of a workout recorded and shared with AH&MS.
While it is more common to train at least four months before a marathon, The study analyzed the previous three months to limit possible overlap in training preparation for other events.
We saw a lot of variation in training strategies, but some trends emerged. “It’s common to gradually increase your miles and reduce them over the last month to ensure your body is well-rested for the big day.”
Although there is a big difference between the 90 days and the 334 days concluded by the study, it is ultimately the individual preparation time that can make the goal seem distant or not.
