It’s taken me a hot minute to write the second half of this post, mainly because I’ve actually been living it. I’m scheduled to do my 2nd 20 miler- my last long run- before the glorious taper. If you read the last post, then you have a general overview of what to expect of long distance running. If you didn’t read the last post, this one probably isn’t going to mean much to you. If you're still reading this post, it means I didn’t scare the bejesus out of you with my first marathon post. Welcome back.
Let’s just jump right in. These are the nitty-gritty details that no one really talks about when it comes to running marathons. You need to know about the shoes, the mental game, the financial obligations that I discussed in the first post- but the information in this post is not NEED to know, it’s just NICE to know.
Let’s just jump right in. These are the nitty-gritty details that no one really talks about when it comes to running marathons. You need to know about the shoes, the mental game, the financial obligations that I discussed in the first post- but the information in this post is not NEED to know, it’s just NICE to know.
1. Start with short distances
If you're an aspiring runner, but never really got into it. It's not too late. A marathon might seem like as likely as marrying a royal, but the odds will surprise you. The key is to start with short distances. Run a 5k! Do a "Couch to 5k" plan. Then, sign up for a 10k. After you've done a 10k, there are lots of 8 mile races out there. Work your way up to a half marathon. There are so, so many celebrations between the day your start running and the day you cross the 26.2 finish line. You're actually very lucky. People usually compliment you when you accomplish a goal. Some will buy you gifts. Others will brag about you to their friends. I mean, honestly, this is going to be great for your self esteem and all the presents will get you through until Christmas arrives.
If you're an aspiring runner, but never really got into it. It's not too late. A marathon might seem like as likely as marrying a royal, but the odds will surprise you. The key is to start with short distances. Run a 5k! Do a "Couch to 5k" plan. Then, sign up for a 10k. After you've done a 10k, there are lots of 8 mile races out there. Work your way up to a half marathon. There are so, so many celebrations between the day your start running and the day you cross the 26.2 finish line. You're actually very lucky. People usually compliment you when you accomplish a goal. Some will buy you gifts. Others will brag about you to their friends. I mean, honestly, this is going to be great for your self esteem and all the presents will get you through until Christmas arrives.
2. Use a training plan
Believe it or not, running marathons is a little more complicated that just putting your shoes on, going outside and just running. I blame that misconception on Forrest Gump. You don't "feel like runnin'." You need to educate your sweet, ambitious self and use a certified training plan. Look beyond Pintrest. Livestrong has some great recommendations, Hal Higdon's website is a great place to start. Marathoning is a science. There are proven ways to prepare your body for this gargantuan task. Use a training plan. Follow the training plan. You are more likely to accomplish your goal and less likely to end up with a serious injury.
Believe it or not, running marathons is a little more complicated that just putting your shoes on, going outside and just running. I blame that misconception on Forrest Gump. You don't "feel like runnin'." You need to educate your sweet, ambitious self and use a certified training plan. Look beyond Pintrest. Livestrong has some great recommendations, Hal Higdon's website is a great place to start. Marathoning is a science. There are proven ways to prepare your body for this gargantuan task. Use a training plan. Follow the training plan. You are more likely to accomplish your goal and less likely to end up with a serious injury.
3. Sign up with a group
I briefly mentioned this idea in the last post. Signing up with a group. Big exhale. It's complicated. I've trained for a marathon by myself. I've trained for a 3 marathons with a group that I paid to be in. I've trained for a marathon with a free group. I consider myself a bit of an expert on this topic. If this is your first marathon, sign up with a group that you have to pay for. Kind of like the sorority dues from 2005. If you can pay for friends, you can pay for running buddies. Now, I know what your thinking, "I ain't got $150 for that." Exactly. That's why you need to pay to be in a group. If you're anything like me, paying for it is a sure-fire way to get me to follow through. Mama ain't wasting a single dollar. If I paid for it, I'll be there. It's an accountability factor. Running with a group is also more fun. When you're a seasoned marathoner, groups are completely optional. I've chosen not to be in a group this time because 'Up & Vanished' and the 'Atlanta Monster' podcasts are all I really need for 3 hours. I don't want to talk about Netflix shows, I'm solving murders over here.
4. Set realistic goals
Folks who are training for their first marathon love to talk about finish times. "I want to do it in sub-5 hours," "I want to beat the Oprah line," "do you think 4 hours is unrealistic?" Listen up buttercup, the only time you need to be worried about is getting to the start line on time. Your finish time will be whatever time you cross that line at the end. Your only goal should be to finish. Maybe set a goal to "only walk at water stations." I cannot tell you how much your finish time DOES.NOT.MATTER. When it's over, you ran 26.2 miles. I don't care if it took you 6 hours or 3 hours. I honestly can't even.
Folks who are training for their first marathon love to talk about finish times. "I want to do it in sub-5 hours," "I want to beat the Oprah line," "do you think 4 hours is unrealistic?" Listen up buttercup, the only time you need to be worried about is getting to the start line on time. Your finish time will be whatever time you cross that line at the end. Your only goal should be to finish. Maybe set a goal to "only walk at water stations." I cannot tell you how much your finish time DOES.NOT.MATTER. When it's over, you ran 26.2 miles. I don't care if it took you 6 hours or 3 hours. I honestly can't even.
5. Week day miles
This was my hardest lesson yet. I'm training for my fifth marathon. I ran completed 2 marathons before I learned that WEEK DAY MILES MATTER. In a typical training plan, you're running 3-4 days a week. You'll gradually work your way from 20 miles per week to 34 miles per week. The long run is on Saturday. The long run is what everyone focuses on. You can run a marathon only training for that long run. It's possible, but it is not pretty. If you want to run a good, strong marathon you need to get every single weekday mile in. The week day runs are JUST as crucial as those weekend long runs. Don't sell yourself short on something so easy. My marathon goals for the last two marathons have been 1. Don't get injured. 2. Get all my week day miles in. Last year, I successfully accomplished these two goals. I also PR'd (beat my current best marathon time) by over 40 minutes. Don't tell me week day miles don't matter.
This was my hardest lesson yet. I'm training for my fifth marathon. I ran completed 2 marathons before I learned that WEEK DAY MILES MATTER. In a typical training plan, you're running 3-4 days a week. You'll gradually work your way from 20 miles per week to 34 miles per week. The long run is on Saturday. The long run is what everyone focuses on. You can run a marathon only training for that long run. It's possible, but it is not pretty. If you want to run a good, strong marathon you need to get every single weekday mile in. The week day runs are JUST as crucial as those weekend long runs. Don't sell yourself short on something so easy. My marathon goals for the last two marathons have been 1. Don't get injured. 2. Get all my week day miles in. Last year, I successfully accomplished these two goals. I also PR'd (beat my current best marathon time) by over 40 minutes. Don't tell me week day miles don't matter.
6. Cross-training
You don't really need me to tell you this, but training for a marathon makes you really tired. It requires that you run 3-4 days per week. On top of that, you are supposed to cross-train. The last thing you want to do after you ran 8 miles the day before is go lift weights and do squats. But, this is life. You should do it. If you don't, you'll end up with some fracture or stress injury. So, go ahead and sign up for Beach Body on Demand or your neighborhood bootcamp or those $90 barre classes or whatever it is that you do.
You don't really need me to tell you this, but training for a marathon makes you really tired. It requires that you run 3-4 days per week. On top of that, you are supposed to cross-train. The last thing you want to do after you ran 8 miles the day before is go lift weights and do squats. But, this is life. You should do it. If you don't, you'll end up with some fracture or stress injury. So, go ahead and sign up for Beach Body on Demand or your neighborhood bootcamp or those $90 barre classes or whatever it is that you do.
7. Rest Days
So, back to that whole really tired thing. Rest day is important. It is my favorite day of the whole week. My rest days include sleeping in. I make 8:30 my b*atch. Take that, adulthood. I also eat chicken wings or cheeseburgers. Because, why not? My Applewatch tells me I burn like 150 calories all day long. Am I doing it right? No. You're supposed to have an "active" rest day. That doesn't even make sense and therefore I am refusing to participate. Do some yoga or pilates or swim or go for a nice walk. Enjoy your activities. I'll be watching the Falcons and drinking beer because it's REST DAY, Y'ALL.
So, back to that whole really tired thing. Rest day is important. It is my favorite day of the whole week. My rest days include sleeping in. I make 8:30 my b*atch. Take that, adulthood. I also eat chicken wings or cheeseburgers. Because, why not? My Applewatch tells me I burn like 150 calories all day long. Am I doing it right? No. You're supposed to have an "active" rest day. That doesn't even make sense and therefore I am refusing to participate. Do some yoga or pilates or swim or go for a nice walk. Enjoy your activities. I'll be watching the Falcons and drinking beer because it's REST DAY, Y'ALL.
8. Bathroom situations
Rule #1: Find all the public bathrooms on your route. You will need this information.
Rule #1: Find all the public bathrooms on your route. You will need this information.
9. Routes
Map your routes in advance. Mapping an 18 mile route is hard. Figure it out. It's actually harder to make it up as you go along. When you are so tired and hot and thirsty and achy and over it and your body is to the limit, all you want to do is stop. If you do not have a route in your brain, you will stop. Know your route. Print it out. Don't let it get wet.
Map your routes in advance. Mapping an 18 mile route is hard. Figure it out. It's actually harder to make it up as you go along. When you are so tired and hot and thirsty and achy and over it and your body is to the limit, all you want to do is stop. If you do not have a route in your brain, you will stop. Know your route. Print it out. Don't let it get wet.
10. Therapy
I go to Active Release Therapy. It is not covered by insurance. It is $75 per visit. This is an expensive habit. I literally would not run marathons at all if I did not go to ART. It is the closest thing to black magic I have ever experienced. I was on the phone with my mom one day, and she says "Oh, how was your massage?" Massage? Whatchu talkin' bout Willis? Its the only massage where I walk out in tears. The therapist and I are both sweating. And I frequently hear, "is this hurting? if it's not hurting let me know and I'll adjust." Y'all. ART is pain. It is also life.
In honor of my FIRST Chicago Marathon in 3 short weeks, I've included some of my very favorite marathon pictures from the past.
I go to Active Release Therapy. It is not covered by insurance. It is $75 per visit. This is an expensive habit. I literally would not run marathons at all if I did not go to ART. It is the closest thing to black magic I have ever experienced. I was on the phone with my mom one day, and she says "Oh, how was your massage?" Massage? Whatchu talkin' bout Willis? Its the only massage where I walk out in tears. The therapist and I are both sweating. And I frequently hear, "is this hurting? if it's not hurting let me know and I'll adjust." Y'all. ART is pain. It is also life.
In honor of my FIRST Chicago Marathon in 3 short weeks, I've included some of my very favorite marathon pictures from the past.
My very first marathon. Aaron's very first half. Don't run in Key West. It's not dreamy, its just hot.
Aaron's first marathon! We trained together,
but I dropped out due to our expected bundle of crazy, I mean, JOY!
My 2nd Marathon. Kiawah Island.
My 3rd Marathon. Thank God for this group of Friends!
Hotlanta Half. Me in my element.
Who smiles while running up a giant hill?
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