A few weeks back Amy Hunold-VanGundy of the Runner’s Lounge blog wrote Everyone Should Run A Half Marathon and co-blogger Tom Green posted a follow-up with some other great points.

Many people who join charity marathon programs really do want to support the cause but are somewhat nervous about doing a long distance event. Some of them are beginners, others see themselves as “slow runners” as Amy mentioned and others may have health concerns that make long distances iffy. If so the half-marathon, 13.1 miles, could be the perfect answer.

It’s a great distance for many of the reasons that Tom and Amy pointed out. The pace can be slower, you don’t have to train for as many weeks before the race and you don’t suffer nearly as much after the race. When I run/walked a half I did get to a point during the race where I had to push myself to finish, but never “hit the wall” like I had when doing a full marathon. So yea, after the race I felt great, much better than after the longer distances.

5K’s are great to run or walk for charity, but the half-marathon really IS a challenge. Especially for beginners, signing up for a half-marathon can provide a good challenge both physically and mentally. Even though the training isn’t as grueling as the full marathon, it does still take commitment and persistence to complete it.

One of the greatest aspects of half and full marathons is the anticipation leading up to the race and the fan fare on race day. The atmosphere the morning of the race is electric. The participants, event staff and volunteers are so excited about the race. Everyone’s dressed in their race day gear and for charity events many people have buttons, t-shirts, and even tattoos that promote their cause and those that they are running in honor of. It reminds you of why you are doing this.

The excitement along the route of a half-marathon is also much greater than at shorter races. Then once you get to the finish line the adrenaline kicks in again to help you finish that last mile. The announcer calls your name and you get your medal. Crossing the finish line is a great feeling, even at the half-marathon distance races.

So yes, even though I really like full marathons and would encourage anyone to go for the full distance if they can, the half-marathon has many of the same benefits without some of the tougher drawbacks. If you’re wanting to do a charity event but unsure about the distance, choose the half-marathon, you’ll be glad you did.