20 Years on the Field, 26.2 Miles on the Road

Soccer was at the center of my life for 20 years. From age 3 to 23, everything revolved around the sport. In little league, I skipped playdates for games. In club soccer, I missed high school dances for away tournaments. In college, preseason meant two-a-days in the August heat, spending every waking hour at the athletic center. Soccer always took priority.

Recently, though, my soccer journey came to a close. After six years of collegiate play, my NCAA eligibility ran out. To fill that gap, my graduating class and I signed up for a half marathon together. Training for and finishing the STL half gave me the itch. I’d always imagined I’d run a full marathon “someday”, so I figured, why not now? I signed up for the 2025 Chicago Marathon.

Shifting from soccer training to marathon training has been eye-opening. Both sports demand discipline, but they challenge you in very different ways.

Team vs. Individual

The biggest difference? Soccer is a team sport, running is not.

For two decades, I trained with a built-in support system. Whether it was practice, lifts, or futsal, there were always teammates alongside me – pushing, encouraging, and laughing between reps. With running, it’s just me. My Monday long runs are 2–3 hours of solo miles, with no one there to pick up the slack or remind me to keep going.

Marathon training has taught me accountability in a way soccer never had to. It’s a lonely grind sometimes, but it’s also building a new kind of mental toughness. 

Soccer, on the other hand, gave me the gift of community. That support system made the hardest practices bearable and the victories even sweeter. Where running is about inner drive, soccer was about collective strength, and I’m grateful I’ve gotten to experience both.

Structure and Balance

One similarity I love is the structure. Soccer gave me a schedule to live by: school, soccer, and a social life were the three pillars I had to constantly balance. Marathon training requires the same discipline. To fit in mileage, lifting, recovery days, work, and still see friends, I have to plan and stick to a routine. Thankfully, soccer drilled that skill into me.

Variety vs. Repetition

Here’s where running loses points: it can get boring. Training often means choosing a path, running it, and repeating that day after day. It’s steady, predictable, almost meditative…but not exactly exciting.

Soccer, on the other hand, is dynamic. Every play is different, every opponent unpredictable. You’re constantly adapting, problem-solving, and adjusting in real time. Both sports test you mentally, but in different ways: soccer demands sharp decision-making, while running demands endurance through monotony and mental blocks.

The Pursuit of Progress

One of the most rewarding similarities is that both sports offer endless room for improvement. In soccer, it was tightening up my 1v1 defending or refining my shot. In running, it’s shaving seconds off a mile or building endurance for another long run. Neither sport has a “perfect” performance, you’re always chasing progress, and that pursuit keeps me motivated.

Final Thoughts

Comparing soccer and marathon training has been fascinating. Soccer will always hold my heart: I love the team, the energy, the unpredictability. But marathon training has given me a new challenge, one that pushes me differently and teaches me lessons I never expected. It hasn’t replaced soccer, but it’s been the perfect next chapter.