Apple Health Study Affirms: Marathon Completion Accessible to All with Time

A recent study from Apple utilizing the Apple Watch in the Heart and Movement Study, conducted in partnership with the American Heart Association and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, reveals significant insights into marathon participants’ training regimens and cardiovascular exercises. This ongoing study, launched in November 2019, underscores the possibility that anyone could potentially complete a marathon, given adequate preparation time.

Study Insights

Since its inception, over 201,471 individuals have participated in the study. By January 1, 2024, more than 1,500 of these participants had completed an estimated 2,623 marathons. Surprisingly, over 50% of participants recorded at least one running workout of 5 kilometers or more, while nearly 20% had extended their longest workout to 10 kilometers. The walking component of the study also showed robust engagement, with close to 54% of participants achieving at least a 5-kilometer walk as their longest single session, and almost 14% walking 10 kilometers in one go.

As Marathon Monday 2024 approached, researchers focused on the Boston Marathon participants’ health data. They discovered that the fastest 10% of runners trained approximately 16 miles more per week than the median group. This finding highlights the direct correlation between higher training volumes and better marathon finishing times.

An intriguing aspect of the data from April 2023 is the average duration required for participants to complete a marathon distance of 26.2 miles. The study revealed that 50% of the participants could cover this distance within 90 days or fewer, based on their regular exercise pace. However, this might be an underestimate, as not all participants enabled their Apple Watch to automatically record workout durations.