Marathon Moonlighters Keep Their Running Private

There are moonlighting marathon runners among us (and you probably don't even know it). After walking 26.2 milesmost people might want to post a selfie from the finish line. Perhaps they're posting in a group chat, showing off their medal, or taking to social media to detail their marathon experience. But on the other side of the spectrum, there are people who would rather you didn't know they were running at all. . . also known as part-time marathon runners.

Marathons can definitely have a “photos or it didn't happen” vibe, but not everyone wants to make that public statement. Just look at Harry Styles, who finished the Berlin Marathon in an impressive under three hours. . . and a fictitious name. Stiles is a prime example of what we call “part-time marathon runners.” These are the runners who prefer to hide their achievements. In fact, people around them may be surprised to learn that they are runners at all.

To find out more about this part-time marathon mindset, we spoke to five people who prefer to run alone. Read on to find out why they do it and whether they recommend others to moonlight as a marathon runner.

Why would anyone become a moonlight marathon runner?

It can be difficult to understand a marathon side hustle if you haven't done it yourself. For Rachel*—someone who runs half marathons but never posts her time or how the race went—it's all about internal validation. “I prefer to make it more personal because I'm a very goal-oriented person,” she tells POPSUGAR. “My only competition is me and my pace.”

This feeling is felt by Diana*, who often ran half marathons without telling anyone about it. “It’s an inexplicable connection and feeling you get from yourself,” she says. “It’s not about the success of the race, it’s about feeling powerful.” For her, this is more valuable than photographs and praise.

“My only competition is me and my pace.”

For others, running a marathon side hustle is also a good way to stay focused. “Honestly, keeping it private allows me to focus on the 'why' behind it in the first place,” says runner *Beatrice. “As soon as it becomes about other people's reactions, it loses some of the magic.” Runner *Arlene feels the same way, saying she prefers to interact with the running community offline. “Most of the running content I've worked with in the past has been more of a grouping type of content,” she says. “Because I'm not a fast runner, I often feel underrepresented. And honestly, I'd rather interact with the running community in 'real life.'

*Hannah agrees that she gets enough validation from the race itself. But there may be a deeper reason for her part-time marathon job. “Running is very personal to me—almost like a relationship; you don’t want to tell anyone about it until you’re sure it’s real,” she says. “Maybe part of it is also the fear of being judged. Let's say I tell people I'm training to run this ungodly distance, but for some reason I don't actually do it. The shame around this so-called failure can be disheartening.”

What happens when people find out?

When asked if anyone had ever been surprised to learn about their running, our part-time marathon runners responded resoundingly: Yes. “All I know is when I see [a half marathon]I launch it. My family doesn’t even know that I’m participating,” says Diana. It seems like a little secrecy is key for most part-time marathon runners, but that doesn't mean they don't enjoy surprising some people with revelations. “The reaction is usually a mixture of shock and confusion,” says Rachel. “It could be a fun Easter egg if others find out about it naturally and you get a real 'wait'. . . WHAT?!'”

This is true for both family and friends. “When I first told my friends back home that I had run a half marathon, they were really surprised,” says Hannah. “My dad was very impressed – he said, 'There's no way you're going to run 13 miles… Do you know how much stamina and stamina that takes?' I was like, “. . . Oh yes, I did it.”

Is a part-time marathon right for you?

The bottom line is that you deserve to celebrate your victories, whatever that looks like for you. But if moonlighting as a marathon helps you feel more connected to your goals, don't feel obligated to share that experience with the world. “I think it depends on the person. A lot of people like to tell others because they are more extroverted,” Arlene says. “I don't know if I would recommend it, but I know it works for me.”

For Beatrice, this gives her the opportunity to race all to herself. Instead of being distracted by outside influences, you can harness the drive, challenge, and personal growth needed to complete successfully. “You get to enjoy the process without any external noise or pressure, and that makes crossing the finish line even more meaningful,” says Beatrice. Depending on your goals, Rachel agrees. “If you're a self-motivator, you want nothing more than that feeling after you've finished a great race, knowing that you put effort into it and controlled every possible variable,” she says.

But at the end of the day, running a marathon part-time is still a very personal choice, and that's fine if you enjoy sharing your journey with others. Obviously, both methods work well for different people. “I think to each their own,” Hannah says. “If someone wants to run and tell the world about it, that's great, and if someone just wants to earn extra money, that's fine, too.”

*Names have been changed or edited to protect the identity of sources.

Chandler Plante (she/her) is a social producer and staff writer for the health and fitness department at Popsugar. She has over five years of experience in the industry, having previously worked as an assistant editor at People magazine, social media manager at Millie magazine and a contributor at Bustle Digital Group. She earned a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and lives in Los Angeles.