What happens if you win a marathon

A final commonly cited motivation for running long-distance is the feeling that follows — the so-called "runner's high". So, what exactly is going on in the brain for marathon runners? It's commonly thought that hormones called endorphins play a role, but the calm, relaxed feeling that some people report may instead be due to a rise in endocannabinoids in the bloodstream.

Unlike endorphins, these can pass into the brain. During long-distance running, the brain may also dilute the memory of pain. In , Dominika Farley of Jagiellonian University in Poland and colleagues drew parallels between the pain from giving birth and from marathon running.

Both tend to be underestimated when later recalled, which may be explained by the release of oxytocin in the brain which influences how the memory is encoded, say the researchers. The way pain is remembered is also viewed through the context: if a marathon medal or a baby is on the other end of the pain endured, one may regard the extent of the pain differently.

This may help to explain why "repeat marathoners" are common. An time marathoner and teacher, Erin McBride, ran her first marathon in when she turned Tick it off the bucket list and never look back. But that November day in changed my life forever. And since then I've committed to running at least one marathon a year, and many have been with a family member by my side. But few people exemplify this willingness to repeat the challenge than year-old Liverpool runner Andy Glen who has completed marathons in 42 different countries.

His current target is to run marathons in 50 different countries. He isn't immune to struggle, though. The last six miles are just as challenging as they were when I ran my first. Join one million Future fans by liking us on Facebook , or follow us on Twitter or Instagram.

If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc. Why do people run marathons? Share using Email. By Anne McCarthy. Ahead of the London marathon this weekend, Anne McCarthy explores what motivates people to take up endurance running. Most shoe contracts include a number of bonus clauses for winning races and making Olympic and world championship teams. Flanagan's agent, Tom Ratcliffe, wouldn't speak to her contract but confirmed in general terms that shoe-company bonuses are in the mid-to-high five figures for a major marathon win.

Many contracts include rollover clauses, with the bonus added to the athlete's base salary for the next year, meaning that in some cases the bonus is essentially paid out twice. By contrast, when runners get injured or just don't perform well, they're often dinged by automatic contract reductions. Most shoe companies have some version of these reductions, although Nike, I'm told, is most aggressive, signing athletes to contracts that are lucrative up front but can fall apart if runners don't perform at a high level right away.

That's three. The fourth way for a marathon runner like Flanagan to capitalize on a win at Boston is looking outside the traditional shoe-company model. After Meb Keflezighi won New York in , his brother and agent Merhawi Keflezighi told me, he increased his sponsors from two to Flanagan -- who already has an endorsement deal with Nissan -- could do even better.

As a Massachusetts local, winning Boston would almost certainly propel Flanagan into the mainstream of the New England sports community. I haven't gotten any good estimates on how much those non-traditional sponsors are willing to pay, but that's because genuine American marathon stars are so rare: Keflezighi and Deena Kastor are the only U. The market isn't well established.

Still, just for fun, here are some conservative guesses about what a Boston win would mean for Flanagan, both immediately and over the next three to four years of her career:. The wild cards are non-traditional sponsorships and speaking fees. If Flanagan is savvy and moves fast after winning, I wouldn't be surprised to see her earnings start looking like other major female athletes in soccer or tennis, some of whom earn healthy seven-figure incomes.

Skip to main content Skip to navigation. Boston Marathon: What's a win worth? Team Sky's Froome set to race at Giro d'Italia. Tokyo Marathon restricts entry over coronavirus. Singapore marathon becomes evening event.

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Boston Marathon champ: 'This is gonna be miserable'. The unrelenting Sir Mo Farah. Charlie has been an avid traveler and runner for many years. He has run in marathons around the world for less than it would cost to travel to the next town - all as a result of collecting and using miles and points.

Over the years, he has flown hundreds of thousands of miles and collected millions of miles and points. Now he uses this experience and knowledge to help others through Running with Miles. Some of the links on Running with Miles are affiliate links that pay a commission if a purchase is made. Running with Miles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.