Kyle Larson, the 34-year-old NASCAR champion, will run the California International Marathon on Dec. 6. Larson, who won his third NASCAR Cup Series championship, aims to finish in under 3:30.

Larson, who has never been into running, started training after friends got into it. He hopes to complete the race in his hometown of Sacramento with those friends. Read more culture coverage.

His longest training run is 16 miles, with a pace that would finish him in 3:16:38 to 3:21:01. A 3:30 marathon requires a pace of just over 8:00 per mile, giving him some room for the second half. Related: 7-Year-Old Sets Half-Marathon Age Record for Second Year.

This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.