One runner spent $40,000, another took a second job. Marathoners are making big sacrifices to chase medals worldwide.
Amateur marathon runners are spending significant personal savings and making major lifestyle sacrifices to compete in international races. While some runners view the high costs as a worthwhile investment in life experiences, others acknowledge the long-term financial trade-offs involved.
Why it matters
It illustrates the growing trend of 'runcations' and the extreme lengths hobbyists will go to for personal achievement in the experience economy.
David Boyce, who takes runcations, competing in the London Marathon in 2024. Courtesy of David Boyce When some people travel, they collect fridge magnets or shot glasses. Eugen Godun collects marathon medals. Last March, the 34-year-old software developer earned the coveted Six Star medal for running the Boston, Chicago, New York City , London, Berlin, and Tokyo marathons, known as the original World Marathon Majors. When Godun crossed the finish line in Japan, he burst into tears, overcome by a mixture of pride, happiness, and pure exhaustion. Godun started running in 2014 and completed his first international marathon in Poland the following year, shaving an hour off his previous time of 4 hours and 6 minutes. Over the past decade, his pursuit of medals and faster finishes has taken him from his home in Kyiv to eight countries across Europe, the US, and Asia.
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