Fortunately, with the proliferation of the 13.1-mile distance and many other races around that length, the options for runners are abound. They can tackle a race which can provide them with pride for completing it without the same amount of necessary energy and time to train for the race as the full marathon. They can build up their stamina and running prowess and delay gratification of completing the marathon until such point that they can actually run the race. This will keep many from being of the one and done variety, because the experience was undertaken before it actually should have been and left them with a bitter taste in their mouth.
As the marathon is nothing if not the reverse of instant gratification, perhaps the training leading up to actually getting to its starting line should mirror the main event. It will be worth it.
