The Marathon: a personalized comic book gift

Somewhere there is a runner with a spreadsheet of split times and a drawer of race medals they pretend not to count. This comic follows them through every mile of race day, with blisters, energy gels and one very suspicious shortcut offer near the end. Their face is on every page, grimacing, grinning and finally crossing the line. It is a loving way to celebrate a first marathon, a personal best, or the simple fact that they will never stop talking about their running watch.

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Who it is for

Perfect for the running partner, the spouse who trained through every dark winter morning, or the coworker who just ran their first race; give it at the finish line or on their next birthday.

Comic art for a personalized The Marathon comic book

What can happen in the story

  1. 1

    Your hero oversleeps on race day and sprints to the start line still wearing one slipper.

  2. 2

    At mile 20 they hit the wall, quite literally, and a talking banana offers them a ride.

  3. 3

    Your hero kicks into a final sprint, overtaking a rival in a dinosaur costume just before the finish tape.

How it is made

  1. 1. Add your hero.A clear photo, a first name and a few fun answers: their job, their catchphrase, a funny habit, an inside joke or two.
  2. 2. Pick a story idea.We write three The Marathon story ideas from your answers. Pick one and see the cover and the first page for free.
  3. 3. Read it, then print it.The eBook is $7.99 and ready in about 15 minutes. Print the hardcover if you love it.

Create this comic

Questions about this comic

Can the book celebrate a specific race they ran?

Yes. Put the race, their finish time and real moments from the day in the 'anything special' field, including the friend who held the sign at mile 18. The story is written around what you share, though the race itself gets an invented name rather than real event branding.

They just finished their first marathon. Can I give it to them right away?

The eBook is ready in about 15 minutes, so you can share it by private link while their legs still ache. The printed hardcover takes 3 to 10 working days of printing plus shipping, so order early if you want it in hand for a celebration dinner.

All questions about ordering, delivery and photos

More story ideas: Sports