Will Marathons Kill the Half Marathon?

About this episode

This episode discusses the impact of the growing popularity of marathons on the half marathon distance and explores the future of running culture.

The marathon boom is bigger than ever… but could it actually be killing the half marathon? 👀🏃‍♂️ This week on the FORDY RUNS Podcast, Hayden and FORDY dive into the explosion in marathon popularity — including the staggering 1.3 million applications for the London Marathon 2027 — and ask whether the half marathon is starting to lose its place in the running world. We also discuss the rise of the new Super Half series, the huge success of the Hackney Half Marathon, and why some half marathon events are still thriving despite the marathon craze. 🎧 In this episode: • Is marathon running becoming too popular? • Could half marathons decline in the future? • Why runners still love the Hackney Half • The rise of Super Halfs • Marathon culture vs half marathon culture • What race distances runners are choosing in 2026 Whether you’re training for your first 13.1 or chasing a marathon PB, this episode explores where running culture is heading next. 👍 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and COMMENT — do you think marathons will replace half marathons? #Marathon #HalfMarathon #LondonMarathon #HackneyHalf #RunningPodcast #FORDYRUNS #MarathonTraining #RunningCommunity #SuperHalfs…

People in this episode

Host: FORDY

Guest: Hayden

Topics covered

• marathon popularity
• half marathon decline
• running culture
• Super Half series
• Hackney Half success
• race distances

Keywords

• marathon
• half marathon
• running
• Hackney Half
• Super Halfs
• marathon training
• running community
• distance running

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: London Marathon, Hackney Half Marathon, Super Half series

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