I recently came across an Instagram post criticizing runners who pursue the Abbott World Marathon Majors, suggesting that completing all six races is more about wealth than athletic achievement. The argument? If you’re finishing in 5-7 hours, you’re not a “real” marathoner—you’re just a tourist with a credit card.

As a physical therapist who treats injured runners, a coach, and a marathoner, I need to call this out for what it is: elitist gatekeeping that fundamentally misunderstands what makes running special.

You Can’t Buy the Training

Yes, you can buy a plane ticket to Tokyo. You can book a hotel in Berlin. You can even pay for a charity bib to New York. But you know what you can’t buy?

The 16-20 week training block. The 5 AM wake-ups. The long runs in the rain. The careful navigation of injury prevention. The mental fortitude to push through mile 20 when everything hurts.

A 6-hour marathoner still ran 26.2 miles. They still trained through the same doubts and physical challenges. The distance doesn’t change based on your time.

Performance vs. Participation: A False Binary

Running isn’t a zero-sum game. Someone else’s medal doesn’t diminish your PR. Another runner’s joy in completing their first marathon in 5:30 doesn’t invalidate your Boston qualifier.

I’ve worked with runners across the entire spectrum . . . Olympic Trials qualifiers rehabbing stress fractures, age-groupers chasing BQs, and first-time marathoners just hoping to finish healthy. You know what they all have in common? They’re all putting in genuine effort at their personal edge.

The Real Problem with This Take

The underlying message of the marathon tourist critique is that if you’re not fast enough, you don’t really belong. This is exactly the kind of gatekeeping that keeps people OUT of running. It’s the voice that whispers you’re not good enough when someone is considering signing up for their first race.

The real integrity in running isn’t about your finish time. It’s about training smart, respecting the distance, supporting your fellow runners regardless of pace, and finding joy in the process.

The Bottom Line

The marathon doesn’t ask about your bank account when you cross the finish line. It only asks: did you do the work? Did you cover the distance?

If you trained for and completed 157.2 miles of racing across six continents, that’s not tourism. That’s an achievement.

Every finish line matters—whether it’s your first 5K in 45 minutes or your sixth Major in 6 hours or your Boston qualifier in 3:05.

Because here’s the truth: the most valuable thing you gain from running isn’t a fast time or a shiny medal. It’s the knowledge that you set a goal, you did the work, and you saw it through.

And that? That’s something you can’t buy at any price.