Thanks to Apple Watch, we know how long you have to train to run a marathon

Apple and the American Heart Association have good news for runners!

Knowing how to prepare for a marathon is one of the most frequently asked questions among those who set themselves this challenge for the first time. Although there are many recommendations in this regard, Apple Watch knows how long you have to train to run a marathon, based on scientific data. Depending on the outcome, this may be sooner than we think.

For five years, Apple has been manufacturing… Study explores links between physical activity and heart health In partnership with the American Heart Association and Brigham and Women's Hospital of Harvard Medical School, the Apple Watch is used with the device to extract user data.

The Apple Watch is optimistic about runners' times

Since the beginning of the project Researchers in the study say there were 201,471 participants. It is estimated that more than 1,500 participated in 2,623 marathons in total, and more than 50% of participants completed at least one running session of 5 km or longer.

With these results in hand, The researchers also tracked how participants prepared for the marathon. Thus, the 10% of participants with the fastest finishing time ran about 16 miles, or about 25 kilometres, more per week than 10%.

Most participants did not run or walk marathons, but researchers have data on how much they ran or walked. So I have deduced how long it would take most people to run or walk 26.2 miles, 42 kilometers, Marathon at average pace workout.

This time, using data from April 2023 specifically, they found just that Half of the participants ran or walked 42 kilometers in 90 days or less, but the average speed was lower

In April 2023, a total of 76,114 participants recorded at least one walking or running exercise. During the month, 17,376 (22.8%) participants logged a total distance of 26.2 miles or more.

Estimated time to complete the Apple Heart and Movement Study Marathon

Although the number of days suggested by the study seems very optimistic, the study indicates that this may be an underestimate. Apple Watch can automatically detect and start timing your workout, but not all participants will enable this feature.

Based on April data, half of participants walked and/or ran 26.2 miles in 90 days or less. The average pace is a little slower, 334 days per marathonThis is due to the long line of participants who rarely run or walk. Please note that our method may tend to underestimate the actual distance traveled because we only consider walking or running that was part of the exercise recorded and shared with AH&MS.

While it is common to have at least four months of training before a marathon distance, The study analyzed the previous three months to limit potential overlap in training preparation for other events.

We saw a lot of variety in training strategies, but some patterns emerged. “It's standard practice to gradually increase and 'decrease' your mileage over the last month to ensure your body is well-rested for the big day.”

Although there's a big difference between the 90 days and 334 days the study found, it's the individual preparation time that can make a goal seem far off or not.