Marathon Poems

A Masterpiece Written in Dreams

My fingers are already aching,
their muscles weary, spent, and tired.
Sweat soaks through my singlet,
my eyes grow heavy, begging for sleep,
to pay back seventy-two hours denied.

Yet each of my writes lies in his bin,
the sponsor never seems to tire
of casting them there with careless joy.
Perhaps that brings him most delight—
a cross my restless heart must bear.

Would

Fun Marathon Poetry Inspired by Robert Frost -2

The course is lovely, hills are steep
But I need a steady pace to keep
And miles to go–I must dig deep
And miles to go–I must dig deep

Fun Marathon Poetry Inspired by Robert Burns

Quiet as a mousie studying the route
Praying proper prep is not in vain
The best laid plans of marathoners
       Might lead to disarray
Race day ending in grief and pain
       At the expense of joy!

At Mile Thirteen

The crowd is gone.
Even the banners have tumbled,
damp scraps collapse against fences,
glued there by storm and breath.

Here, at mile thirteen, 
the body speaks its own dialect:
ribs clattering like loose screen,
calves stuttering,
lungs threading sparks through the fabric
of my chest.

Still, I keep faith with motion.
Each footfall a defective prayer,
each muscle shivering,
but unwilling to betray me.

I remember the

The Measure of Miles

2025 Poetry Marathon  Mile 12  Contest // Sponsored by: Mark Toney 
( 2nd Place )

Written: August 29, 2025


I did not come here to sprint.
I came to gather the pulse of the road,
to feel the gnaw of silence
against the bones of my resolve.

Each step is a revolution
against tiredness,
against the voices that murmur quit,
against the

Running this endless marathon

This run ain't been fun for a while now
Energy for it all been ran out
Beggin myself to let go of this doubt
N start bein what I always been about
Knock myself off this damn cloud
Kuz its lookin like its about to storm some more
Ya know sht bad when chaoz got me bored
Being sober is more like

The Marathon of Silence

2025 Poetry Marathon Mile 11 Contest //Sponsored by: Mark Toney
( 2nd Place )

Written: August 27, 2025


No trumpet greets the weary stride,
only gravel grinding underfoot,
the breath that rasps against the bone.

I have shouldered storm inside my chest,
their weight pressing like half-done prayers.
The world does not wait for heartbreaks
yet still I walk through its indifference.

The road is

Fun Marathon Poetry Inspired By Edgar Allan Poe

Running after Midnight is eerie 
Passing mile twenty-one, weak and weary
All other runners finished early
A few quaint and curious are waiting
Some encouraging, some baiting
Only this and nothing more
Quoth my sore feet “Nevermore”

Fun Marathon Poetry Inspired By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged on the marathon course
And obviously I couldn’t travel both
And neither were they clearly marked
So I took the one I thought was best
And now I’m far behind the rest

Fun Marathon Poetry Inspired By Basho

water puddle 
marathoners running
soaked sneakers squishing

Marathon of Memories

2025 Poetry Marathon Mile 7 Poetry Contest// Sponsored by: Mark Toney 
( 2nd Place ) 

Written: August 10 , 2025 


The morning fog low over the empty streets,
soft as a whispered promise.
My shoes slapped the pavement in steady rhythm--
each step a heartbeat counting the miles.
I had yet to run—and those I’d left behind.

Streetlamps stretched shadows

The Distance Within

2025 Poetry Marathon Mile 6 Poetry Contest// Sponsored by: Mark Toney 
( 7th Place ) 

Written: August 10, 2025 


I run the miles deep within,
a subdued race, an unspoken intent,
devoid of spectators-- no finish line,
just breath and heart, both entwined.

The shades lengthen along my path
but still a soft dawn finds its way turning into gray.
Stage

Mark's Marathon

A message to all worthy competitors in the Marathon this year.
It should be about camaraderie and having fun.  When the finish line is crossed, I hope you'll have found that your time spent in participating has been worthwhile, and no one will be congratulating a plagiarizer or a machine. 

I'm not taking part, (with

Marathon of Endurance

It's easy to find those who'll sprint,
To the end, with a heroic gleam,
But to run the long race,
With a steady, patient pace,
Is a rarer and more noble dream.

MILESTONE

They say when life is on the dearth of faith,
And you know you've then made the growth,
Maybe that's what it means to get.

Strive, strive and let it come,
This is your moment to choose the ultimatum,
One last chance and a one last try,
Take your spirit through the run.

The moment of glory when the world shall see,
What

• Short Marathon Poems
• Famous Marathon Poems
• Best Marathon Poems
• Read Marathon Poems
• Long Marathon Poems
• Marathon Quotes