The Marathon is Mental

It has been 21 days since I crossed the finish line in New York.  It seems that everyone I know asks me about the race and to regale them with stories from the course.  It is really hard to describe what it is like running a marathon especially to those who aren't runners.  I am always looking for little anecdotes to try and let them know both how the marathon feels physically and mentally.  Most people respond by saying they can't imagine how tough it is physically.  But after running 9 marathons, I know that the physical part is not the problem as long as you properly train for the distance.  It is really the mental toughness to keep going even when you are starting to drain your energy stores.

If you are a runner and have read anything about marathons, I am sure you have heard the phrase "the race starts at mile 20."  This statement is made by marathoners to let their fellow runners know that when you reach the 20th mile of the race you are starting to feel a little bit of pain and discomfort.  You will obviously be tired.  It is at this point in the race where your mind must take control to get you to the finish line.  When I reach mile 20 I switch my focus from my time and pace to just reaching the next mile marker.  As I pass each one, I focus only on the next one.  What I have found is that I know I can run one more mile and the finish line starts to feel like it is getting closer faster.

When I ran the New York City Marathon, I had mentally prepared for the race.  I studied the course map.  I knew where all the bridges were along the route which are basically man made hills. I knew that when we came off the 59th Street bridge at mile 16 that the next 4 miles up 1st Avenue would be a gradual uphill climb.  I was both physically and mentally prepared for these hills.  In fact they seemed easy.  Where I made a mental error was that I had in my mind that when I reached 5th Avenue at mile 22, I would have 4 miles downhill or flat the rest of the way.  I admit that as 5th Avenue started to climb up hill, I definitely started to give into those pangs of self-doubt and discomfort.

When I reached the first water stop after mile 22, I grabbed some water and walked to allow me to get the water in.  I wanted to reset my mind and get over the mental mistake I had made in my preparation.  At that point, I told myself that I needed to remember all the training that I had done including the hill repeats.  It was time to just trust how hard I worked and how rewarding it would be to cross that finish line.  I found my mental toughness deep inside of me and started running.  I was prepared for the fact that my body would to be tested during these miles.  The advantage I had now was that my mind would take over and get me to the finish line.

It is at this point in the marathon (miles 21-26) that we marathoners start to lose our mental focus.  Knowing this, I try to do is step outside of my body. I let my mind totally take over and focus only on my surroundings.  In a major race like New York City this is easy.  There is so much going on around you.  As I was ticking off the miles, I began to really see the spectators cheering us on.  I heard them call my name urging me on.  I read as many of their signs as I could.  I started to encourage the other runners around me.  And I drank in the fall colors as I ran into and through Central Park.  When I did this, the pain and discomfort disappeared.  I just felt the true joy of running.

Every marathoner I have spoken to deals with this part of the race differently.  Some of the common things that they all spoke of was the need to dig down deep for that extra strength needed to finish the race. Most of them said that they tend to talk to themselves (I do too) and some said they chant running mantras to keep their mind off of the fatigue that is setting in.  For me, I remind myself that I have sacrificed a lot of time and effort to get to this point in the race.  And most importantly, I think back on how I had overcome fatigue during my training runs and know I can do it again.

Marathoning is not for everyone.  I do believe that anyone can complete a marathon if they are willing to put in the time to properly train.  The key is to not put a lot of pressure on yourself.  You need to ignore all of those helpful tips from other runners.  The only way you can fail in your quest is if you do not train and then create a reasonable race plan.  Or you simply can be derailed by a lack of belief in your ability and preparation.   Olympic marathoner Kara Goucher recommends that you try to see other runners as your friends. “The idea is to beat the distance, not the person next to you,” she writes. “So hang in there, stay positive, and take positive energy from everyone around you.”  If you can do that, you will cross the finish line with a smile on your face.

Nov. 14 – 5.20 miles (48:10, 9:16 pace)
Nov. 15 – 3.10 miles (24:28, 8:53 pace) - Speed Work
Nov. 17 – 4.20 miles (40:36, 9:40 pace)
Nov. 18 – 4.10 miles (42:00, 10:14 pace)
Nov. 19 – 7.20 miles (1:02:54, 8:44 pace)
Nov. 20 – 5.20 miles (28:28, 9:08 pace)
Nov. 21 – 4.50 miles (39:49, 8:51 pace)
Nov. 22 – 6.50 miles (59:16, 9:07 pace)
Nov. 24 – 7.20 miles (1:02:17, 8:39 pace)
Nov. 25 – 5.20 miles (46:35, 8:58 pace)
Nov. 26 – 9.20 miles (1:19:23, 8:38 pace)
Nov. 27 – 6.10 miles (51:18, 8:25 pace)

Total Miles:  67.8 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,938.5 miles