One last marathon post from me (I promise!) so I can share some of the major things I learned from my experience training for and running 26.2 miles.
1. Find a local running club and participate in the weekly build-up runs. There are so many long hours of training you have to endure before you even get to the starting line and logging miles with the encouragement of others can be a lifesaver on those tough mornings. I remember my first group run I was so nervous to run with strangers but I met a group of fabulous people and we pushed each other and gave each other motivation all summer up until race day. We even finished together!
2. Don’t get psyched out during the taper. Cutting back on miles in the last two to three weeks before the big day really pays off! Your body will get the chance to recover from the peak weeks of training, those little nagging aches and pains will begin to heal and you will be refreshed and ready for race day. I was concerned that my body would “forget” how to run longer distances but it turned out to be exactly the opposite. I ran better than I had on any previous training run.
3. You may have heard somebody say that a marathon is a 20 mile warm up to a 6 mile race. It sounds kind of crazy but this is actually a pretty accurate statement. In my experience I felt awesome for the first 19 -20 miles. Adrenaline really fueled me and the all the people cheering along the course seemed to pull me happily along. The last leg of the journey though was a completely different story. You really have to be mentally prepared and focused to keep putting one foot in front of the other at that point. I knew it was coming but the shift really was quite stunning.
4. Join a pace team and stick with it for the entire race. I had a surge of energy after the halfway point and started to pull away from my pace group. However, by mile 20 I found I had slowed up again and they caught up with me. I think this was a major factor in how exhausted I was those last few miles. If I had stuck with them the entire race I may not have been quite at wrecked at the finish. Even if you have to hold back a bit it will pay off in the final stretch.
5. Start slooooow. I’m talking so slow it feels like you have to force yourself. This is related to what I said about the pace team above. Your body will thank you in mile 23 when you’ve saved that energy. I started the race feeling like I could run for days. At some point though, that feeling WILL fade. Don’t blow it in the beginning and you will finish strong!
6. I’ve said this before but NEVER say you can’t do it! Two years ago I could barely run two miles. Last year I ran my first 5K. Sunday I ran 26.2 miles and finished with a smile on my face. ANYTHING is possible.
Please feel free to comment with your experiences training for races of all kinds. Fire away any questions you may have as well. And maybe join me next year for the 2010 race?
Crossing the finish line in 4:26:47!
What advice can you give for someone just starting to run? Do you recommend the couch to 5K program?
Yes, I would definitely recommend the couch to 5K. I did a sort of modified version of it when I started since I have trouble sticking to an exact schedule. And just today I took my best friend out for a walk/run (who is at the very beginning) and alternated jogging for one minute and walking for two minutes. We went for a half hour and she did great.
I actually wrote a post for beginners a few weeks ago that you can check out here:
http://www.fitmilwaukee.com/post/2009/09/14/Yes-You-Can.aspx
At the end there is a link to the Couch to 5K program as well as an 8 week training program from Runners World. Good luck!
Thanks much! I ALSO need to get over the fact that I think I look funny when I run. I’m sure it’s a common feeling, but I always feel like people at the gym are staring at me! PARANOIA
WHY. Why to run? a question with a lot of answers. it’s the best way home from the tavern without a dui. to run away from a best buy security guard (the garmin 310 is to expensive to buy). my dominatrix mistress quit and i need to feel inferior and in pain. another reason to wear my 1970′s gym shorts. shoe fetish (you need to buy a new pair every three to four months). i hate my life and am looking for more opportunities to be run over by a truck. muggers wouldn’t have anyone on the paths after dark listening to an i pod to beat up. i’v been told that the ladies find nothing sexier than a sweaty fat balding middle aged guy out of breath and complaining of chest pain. these are the reasons i ponder and draw my motivation from, but then i realize running is only something you do after a swim and a bike ride. i hate running…..but i still run.
It’s ok Jeff. Running’s not that bad is it? Maybe you need to slow down. Enjoy yourself. Have a beer or something.
but the slower you run the longer it takes to go a set distance and that only prolongs the misery. run fast get done sooner, mort time for strippers and booze. oh yea now that’s an idea. Who wants a half banana or orange slice, and forget the metallic heat blankets. strippers and a highball full of bourbon waiting at the finish-line and i bet you would start to see a lot more sub threes coming in.
Hello! I was the 4:00 pacer at the Lakefront. I ran as slow as I possibly could since I”m a 3:10 marathoner out there just jogging 26.2 miles to pace runners at a 4:00 goal. I would tell anyone to run with a professional pacer like myself. I gave maybe 10% on my body to finish at 4:00:00 as the pacer, but I gave 110% to my pace group in terms of motivation and helpful tips. I encourage anyone and everyone to check out my website and run another marathon with our professional pace team. See you next year at the Lakefront marathon! Pacer Sam