More people than ever are lacing up their running shoes, and many eventually eye the ultimate challenge: a marathon. But there's a world of difference between simply finishing 26.2 miles and running them in 2 hours and 30 minutes, as Olympic athlete Yago Rojo points out. The preparation couldn't be more different, and the physical demands shift dramatically depending on your goal.

The Science Behind Training Volume

Marathon Prep: The Difference Between Finishing and Racing

The human body responds to training stress with physiological adaptations: increased blood volume, improved muscle capillarization, and greater mitochondrial efficiency. However, weekly running volume is a critical factor. Yago Rojo describes a typical twelve-week preparation starting at 180-185 km per week and peaking at 225 km. This year he attempted 235 km but suffered pubalgia and femoral pain — a clear sign that excessive volume can overwhelm recovery capacity.

athlete running on track
athlete running on track

“"It's not the same wanting to finish it as running it in 2 hours and 30 minutes" — Yago Rojo”

The relationship between volume and performance is not linear. Exercise physiology studies show that beyond a certain threshold, increasing mileage yields diminishing returns and exponentially raises the risk of overuse injuries. For instance, a 2023 review in *Sports Medicine* found that runners exceeding 100 km per week have a 40% higher probability of hip or pelvic injuries compared to those running 50-80 km. Rojo, at 235 km, is far above that threshold, explaining his ailments.