"I knew that it would be painful" - When Jimmie Johnson pushed his limits with a marathon after competing in NASCAR

After the Toyota Owners 400 race in 2019, Jimmie Johnson traded in his Hendrick Motorsports' #48 car for running shoes and participated in the Boston Marathon the same weekend. Johnson's experience running in the marathon left him with a sense of appreciation for the amount of effort that marathon participants put in to participate in these kinds of events, while also acknowledging that the challenge was more difficult than he expected.

Speaking with the media after the event in Boston that took place on April 15, 2019, Jimmie Johnson said via Runner's World:

“I knew I was going to suffer and I knew that it would be painful. I didn’t realize the degree of which it would be. I have mad respect for what [marathoners] put themselves through. I’ve enjoyed the challenge. It’s made me stronger.”

The NASCAR driver also attempted the marathon with a goal in mind, of finishing the race in less than three hours. As he crossed the finish line, his final time was 3:09:07.

"I knew three [hours] was going to be a lofty goal. That’s just the way I approach things. I left [the start line at] Hopkinton at that pace and just held onto it to until probably mile eight or nine. I just figured I was going to do too much damage if I try to hold this so I recalibrated my race at that point and ran strong," Johnson said.

Earlier that weekend, on April 13th, at the Toyota Owners 400 taking place at the Richmond International Raceway, Johnson registered a 22nd finish. In what would be his second-to-last full-time season in the Cup Series, Johnson would finish the year with no wins but scoring three top-fives and 12 top-10 finishes.

Jimmie Johnson discussed the difference between racing in NASCAR and running a marathon

Jimmie Johnson (48) races during qualifying for the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway, April 12th 2019- Source: Imagn

After participating in the Boston Marathon, Jimmie Johnson also spoke about the contrast of environment between his day job as a NASCAR driver and being a marathoner. Specifically, Johnson discussed how his fellow drivers aren't very encouraging or helpful, but to be a part of the Boston event, he was surrounded by a lot of support, which was enjoyable for him.

Talking to Runner's World after the marathon, Jimmie Johnson said:

“In my day job, the competitors don’t want to give you any tips, they’re not pulling for you and the fans. So to have this surrounding community of people encouraging all and cheering for me was a lot of fun.”

Johnson also talked about how supportive the city of Boston is for the runners, as well as how he felt about his time participating in the marathon.

“It’s been an amazing experience. I’ve learned so much about myself. I just can’t believe how this city supports all the runners on course,” Johnson said via NASCAR.

For his next race of the 2025 season, Jimmie Johnson will be back in his Legacy Motor Club car for the Coca-Cola 600, which is taking place on May 25.