Jul 2, 2026 – 9.40amSo popular has marathon running become since the pandemic that it is easy to forget how impressive it is for the average person to cover the 42-kilometre distance – never mind in less than three hours.Although every social media influencer and his dog seemingly knows “the secret” to cracking the elusive three-hour barrier, official results from public races and interviews with those who have actually done it prove that getting there remains elusive and hard-won.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Euan BlackHealth and wellness reporterEuan Black is the health and wellness reporter at The Australian Financial Review. He was the work and careers reporter.Fetching latest articles