Marathon Craze: From Ancient Legend to Modern Obsession and Health Risks
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
The global popularity of marathon running is surging, with more people than ever participating in the 42.195-kilometer race, a trend mirrored in Israel with Haifa set to host a major international event. While marathons serve as significant economic drivers for cities through sports tourism, the amateur participation is fueled by a pursuit of health that can become a "dopamine trap" and a social status symbol, often overshadowing potential physiological damage. Medical research indicates significant acute damage to runners' hearts and other bodily systems post-race, turning a natural activity into a potential mechanism for self-harm driven by addiction and social pressure.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Marathon running's global popularity is increasing, with more people voluntarily participating in the demanding 42.195-kilometer race.
- Haifa will host a full international marathon in November 2026, adding to Israel's major marathon events.
- Marathons are significant economic drivers for cities, boosting sports tourism and city branding.
- Amateur runners are increasingly motivated by a "dopamine trap" and social status rather than solely health.
- Medical research shows acute physiological damage to runners' hearts and bodies after marathons.
- The pursuit of running has become a trend that can lead to continuous self-harm and addiction.
The ancient Greek messenger Pheidippides, who ran from Marathon to Athens in 490 BCE to announce a victory over the Persians and then died from exhaustion, has become a symbol of endurance running. His tragic story has inspired the modern marathon, a sport whose popularity is surging globally, with an increasing number of people voluntarily undertaking the grueling 42.195-kilometer race. This trend has also reached Israel, where Haifa is set to host a full international marathon in November 2026, joining cities like Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Eilat, and Tiberias in hosting major marathon events.
For municipalities worldwide, marathons are more than just sporting events; they are economic engines driving sports tourism and city branding. This model offers a win-win scenario, providing runners with branded courses and social exposure while boosting revenue for hotels and restaurants. In contemporary society, hosting a marathon has become a mark of a significant city.
Historically, the marathon distance was reserved for elite athletes who achieved legendary status, such as Emil Zátopek, who won three gold medals at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, and Abebe Bikila, who famously ran barefoot to win the 1960 Rome marathon. In recent years, Israeli runners like Maru Teferi, Gashaw Ayele, and Lonah Chemtai Salpeter have achieved significant success, including multiple gold medals in European championships.
Professionally, the marathon has seen remarkable achievements, with runners breaking the "two-hour barrier." Kenyan runner Sebastian Sawe recently completed a marathon in 1:59:30, an astonishing pace. This elite success has coincided with a shift in the amateur runner profile, with more individuals without prior athletic backgrounds participating.
This surge in amateur participation is partly driven by the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, but it can quickly devolve into a "dopamine trap." Initial goals of shorter distances lead to feelings of accomplishment and happiness, prompting the brain to seek more intense experiences, leading participants to progressively longer distances like half-marathons and full marathons. The initial health motivation can be overshadowed by an addiction to achieving the next goal.
Beyond personal achievement, running has become a social status symbol, heavily promoted on social media. Runners share their progress, race videos, and running app data, often engaging in a competitive pursuit of personal bests and comparing times with others. The marathon finish medal is often supplemented by a "42.2" sticker on a car's rear window, signifying the accomplishment to other drivers.
However, beneath the veneer of social branding lies a physiological reality that runners often ignore. Medical research indicates that marathon runners' hearts show acute damage markers immediately after a race, similar to those who have suffered a heart attack. Dehydration can lead to decreased kidney function, and repetitive stress can cause irreversible cartilage wear and stress fractures. This modern pursuit of running, once a natural activity, has become a mechanism for continuous self-harm, driven by the need to prove capability or simply to follow a trend.
This cumulative damage culminates at the infamous "wall" around the 32-kilometer mark, where energy stores are depleted, and controlled destruction becomes a genuine physical crisis. The brain signals a warning, muscles stiffen, and the urge to stop becomes overwhelming. The addictive dopamine rush or the desire for social status are often what push amateur runners to persevere through these moments of crisis, much like Pheidippides' commitment to delivering his message.