Help, I am running a marathon!
Are you running a marathon soon? I have some advice for you.
Contrary to other tips or lists you will find, this one does not focus on the packing list or the race day logistics. It will prepare you for the hardest parts about running a marathon. These were things I wish I would have known before racing my first marathon.
Even the most seasoned marathoners will face self-doubt, have rough patches and might think of stepping out of the race. It is how you cope/handle this situation, that will determine how much impact this will have on your race.
First of all, let me preface the list with this: The marathon owes you nothing. You could have trained perfectly for 20 weeks, and still it all might come falling down on race day. That is the beauty and the ugliness of the marathon. Therefore, it is important to train yourself, both physically and mentally, to have the best chance at succes on race day!
Okay, here is the list!
- The marathon starts at the beginning. Yes, physically the marathon is most demanding once you have reached 30-35km. However, what everyone fails to mention to you is every choice made from kilometer 0 influences how you will feel and what your outcome will be at kilometer 35. I had a clear plan going in to my first marathon, but when it got hard mentally to push through, the plan fell apart. I started doubting my decisions on pacing and nutrition. Having a clear plan and not deviating from that plan is key. Make sure you do not have to think about what to do in terms of fueling, hydration and pacing later in the race. Make it as fail safe as possible!
- You are stronger than you think. Every time I get close to the end of a marathon, I seem to get energy out of nowhere. There is always something left for those last couple of hundred meters. You might have already trained this with a progressive long run, where the goal is to simulate this feeling. Mentally it always gives me a boost to know that his "magic" energy is stored away and is available for me to finish strong!
- It might get very lonely. Every marathon I have ran, my girlfriend was there to cheer me on, even my family came out to support me at Barcelona. Which gives a boost every time you see them. However, the kilometers between seeing them, might get very lonely. Depending on how big the race is, there might be no one around you, and you will be on your own. My tip to make it through these times is to focus on what you can control, and ignore every thought that is an uncontrollable one. Things you can control are your breathing, pace, cadence, hydration, and nutrition. Stuff like the weather, the holes in the road, the person next to you, are out of your control. Transform thoughts like "Oh wow it is hot" to "It is hot, how do I adjust my hydration and fueling?". Keep the focus on yourself. You might ask yourself, how on earth do I train this? Well, you might not want to hear this, but runnning without music on your long runs will get you prepared to battle the loneliness and the negative thoughts.
- Remember your "why". Not everyone has a very specific reason why they run a marathon, some just "want to do it". That is completely fine, however, are you really sure that is true? When I trained for my first marathon, I was exactly like that. I just wanted to finish a marathon, and preferably under 3 hours. Training gave me a reason beyond just finishing it, a "why". My "why" deserves a whole blog post in itself, so more on that later. But, when cramping at kilometer 39, and being at my absolute limit, I needed a reminder. In that moment, thinking about why you run and what it actually means to you, will make it so much easier to push through and actually reach your full potential.
- Negative self-thoughts. We have all been there in training, doubting if you can even finish your upcoming marathon. During your marathon, you will most likely think about not finishing at least once. This is completely normal. Sometimes it might help to know that the people around you, running the exact same race, are feeling the same thing. Self-doubt is hard to cope with, but there are some ways to help yourself push through. Think about all the trainings that did go well, and where you hit every goal. Remember all the hours you put in, the hard work, the days you did not want to go but still went out the door and trained. Hype yourself up, be your own hype man/woman! As you probably know, you are most certainly your own biggest critic. Do not be too hard on yourself.
Lastly, the challenges during your first marathon are quite personal, but these are some of the hardest ones I have faced while running my first one. Keep in mind that, in the end, your training and confidence will determine how (and if) you will finish your race.
Should you wish to receive personal guidance in preparing for your first marathon, I am happy to help you prepare and train smarter. Together we will reach your goal.
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