The reason why women get into marathons is simpler than you might think. First of all, it refreshes the mind.

With household chores, work, and taking care of kids, my head is busy all day, but when I tie my shoelaces and run in the wind, all that fades away for a moment.

No one judges me, and that time when I can breathe and sweat to my own rhythm is so precious.

Another thing is, my body changes. At first, I'm out of breath and my legs hurt, but at some point, I look in the mirror and think, "I'm getting better, right?" My stamina improves, I lose weight, and my skin gets better, which boosts my confidence.

In marathons, consistency is everything, and the mindset is more important than age.

Maybe that's why when you go to a marathon event, the women are the strongest. They run with smiles, encourage each other when it gets tough, and cry and laugh when they finish.

That leads to the next challenge. As I get older, the sense of achievement from accomplishing something with my body shows me how great happiness can be.

And if I aim to finish within 4 hours, I wonder how much time it realistically takes?

There's a common flow among experienced runners.

On average, it takes about a year and a half to two years for a complete beginner to go from starting running to achieving a Sub 4.

Of course, there's a huge difference between someone who runs leisurely three times a week and someone who runs consistently five times a week. The first six months are just about building running muscles and adapting the cardiovascular system.

It's important to get used to running with a focus on 5km and 10km, and there's no need to worry about records. Then, in the 6 to 12-month mark, the goal is to complete a half marathon.

If you can run 10km in 55 minutes and a half marathon in under 2 hours and 5 minutes, the possibility of achieving a Sub 4 arises. After about a year, you can challenge your first full marathon, and most finish in about 4 hours and 30 minutes to 5 hours.

Then, for the next six months, you maintain long-distance pace training and gain experience to break into the early 4-hour range.

Realistically, achieving a Sub 4 is possible in about a year and a half to two years.

In fact, if a working runner trains about three to four times a week, they can achieve a half marathon time of around 1 hour and 55 minutes, making a Sub 4 quite attainable within a year and a half.

If you have a background in sports, it's possible within a year, but for those over 50, it usually takes about 2 to 3 years due to recovery speed.

If you're currently 45 years old and weigh 55kg, you're light and have less lower body strain, making it a very good condition for a marathon physique.

If you can already run 10km in under 55 minutes, it's definitely possible within a year, and if you're a complete beginner, it's better to focus on finishing in the first year and aim for a Sub 4 in the second year.

In summary, if you run consistently, you can achieve a Sub 4 in about 18 months on average.