CBD is fast becoming part of the recovery and wellness routine for many athletes, from endurance runners to professional drivers. Yet its future in competitive marathon racing and elite sport will be decided as much in boardrooms and laboratories as on the course.
In 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) officially removed CBD from its list of prohibited substances. That decision created a technical opening for long-distance athletes — including those in marathon events — to consider CBD as part of their post-race recovery or ongoing training regimen. Yet the regulatory and scientific waters remain far from calm.
For marathoners, the appeal of CBD lies in areas vital to success: managing the wear-and-tear of 26.2 miles, reducing inflammation, improving sleep and calming the nervous system in the days following intense exertion. Recent reviews have found preliminary evidence that CBD might improve sleep latency, sleep continuity and subjective sleep quality among athletes. Equally relevant: The slowness of post-racing recovery for a marathon can affect training consistency — and CBD is being touted, in some circles, as a tool to return to form faster.
However — and this is where caution becomes critical for elite marathoners — CBD is not a clear pass. WADA’s exception applies only to CBD. All other cannabinoids, particularly THC and synthetic analogues, remain banned in competition. Further, many over-the-counter CBD products have been found to contain trace amounts of THC or other cannabinoids that could trigger a positive doping test. Athlete analyses note that while CBD’s promises are real, the risk of contamination and inconsistent dosing is significant.
For marathon governing bodies and regulatory committees at major events — from the Boston Marathon to the Chicago Marathon and global championships — the implications are two-fold. First, there is the question of fair play and clarity: If CBD becomes ubiquitous among elite runners for its recovery benefits, does it undermine the advantage gap? Second, there is the issue of athlete safety and clean sport: Regulators must ensure that “legal” CBD use doesn’t become a gateway to inadvertent bans or mask usage of illicit cannabinoids.
Moving forward, three key themes will shape CBD’s role in competitive marathon racing:
Product reliability:
Runners will need to insist on third-party testing, certificates of analysis and brand transparency. Until product quality improves and labelling becomes athlete-centric, the risk of inadvertent rule violation remains high.
Regulatory nuance:
Governing bodies will likely revisit policies on cannabinoid thresholds, potentially differentiating between in-competition and out-of-competition use and clarifying how CBD-only products should be addressed in athlete guidance. Even now, anti-doping agencies warn athletes that use of CBD remains “at their own risk.”
Scientific evidence:
While early data is encouraging, larger, sport-specific trials focused on marathoners are lacking. Without robust evidence that CBD contributes meaningfully to performance or recovery in long-distance racing, its adoption will remain cautious.
For those lining up at the start of a major marathon, CBD could become a tool in the trainer’s toolkit — but only if used with the same rigor applied to any performance aid. Until the regulatory, scientific and commercial pieces align, CBD sits in the zone between promise and prudence.