1. Make your main goal to finish. I know, I know... setting a time/pace goal is always a big deal for races and I love setting them just as much as the next person, but finishing a marathon is already a major goal. Marathon training is a lot to take in, so focus on enjoying that so you can get to the finish line injury-free and happy! If you do feel the need to set a pace goal (I know a lot of people do, understandably haha. We are all goal getters!), pick a realistic pace goal for yourself. Your first marathon shouldn’t be where you try to qualify for Boston when your current average pace is not even close to the qualifying time. Setting an unrealistic goal for your first marathon may leave you injured or discouraged.
2. Run with friends. Long runs are well, long. Running with friends can make the time go by quicker. Since you should already be running your longer runs at an easier pace to build endurance, charting during your run shouldn’t be too much of a strain. If your friends aren’t training for the same race or distance as you, that’s okay! They could join your for a portion of your long run or join you on your shorter runs. I tend to use my headphones with a microphone to call my friends or family!
3. Practice your race day fuel all during training. Running for 2+ hours requires you to fuel your body with more than just water. If you’ve trained with fuels before (gels, chews, etc.), start by trying them out. Odds are, if they worked before, they’ll work now. If you’re unsure what to use, try out different types of fuels on your runs to see what works best. Something I like to do is find out what the on-course fuel is for race day and train with that since it’ll be available to me during the race. Once you know what you’re going to use, practice fueling with it just like you would on race day. This will help you figure out how often you need a gel and other little details.
4. Come up with a mantra. We all have little things we say to ourselves that keep us going. I personally like to tell myself “you’ve got this” repeatedly during a tough workout. Something I like to do at the beginning of the training cycle is to pick a word or phrase to help motivate me through training. Anytime I’m feeling like I need that extra boost, I say it to myself. Sometimes I’ll even write it down places I’ll see it, especially before or during a run. Some examples could be “one mile at a time,” “slow and steady wins the race,” “believe,” etc. Just make sure it’s a word or phrase that helps you push through the tough times.
5. Enjoy every moment of training and the race. It’s not often you get to tell someone you’re training for a marathon so own it! Tell people about your training. Brag a little, you deserve it! Look forward to your runs. Smile afterwards even if it wasn’t your greatest run because you got out there and ran anyway! Training will be tough. There will be days you think to yourself “how am I going to run 26.2 miles?!” and that is okay. But just remember that you can AND will do this! Not every run will be perfect. You may only run 3 miles on a day that your schedule said 8 and that is OKAY. Getting out there and pushing yourself no matter what is what matters! Just enjoy the whole experience because it’s definitdly something you’ll never forget! I still remember a lot of my first round of marathon training and most of it is positive (or funny).
2. Run with friends. Long runs are well, long. Running with friends can make the time go by quicker. Since you should already be running your longer runs at an easier pace to build endurance, charting during your run shouldn’t be too much of a strain. If your friends aren’t training for the same race or distance as you, that’s okay! They could join your for a portion of your long run or join you on your shorter runs. I tend to use my headphones with a microphone to call my friends or family!
3. Practice your race day fuel all during training. Running for 2+ hours requires you to fuel your body with more than just water. If you’ve trained with fuels before (gels, chews, etc.), start by trying them out. Odds are, if they worked before, they’ll work now. If you’re unsure what to use, try out different types of fuels on your runs to see what works best. Something I like to do is find out what the on-course fuel is for race day and train with that since it’ll be available to me during the race. Once you know what you’re going to use, practice fueling with it just like you would on race day. This will help you figure out how often you need a gel and other little details.
4. Come up with a mantra. We all have little things we say to ourselves that keep us going. I personally like to tell myself “you’ve got this” repeatedly during a tough workout. Something I like to do at the beginning of the training cycle is to pick a word or phrase to help motivate me through training. Anytime I’m feeling like I need that extra boost, I say it to myself. Sometimes I’ll even write it down places I’ll see it, especially before or during a run. Some examples could be “one mile at a time,” “slow and steady wins the race,” “believe,” etc. Just make sure it’s a word or phrase that helps you push through the tough times.
5. Enjoy every moment of training and the race. It’s not often you get to tell someone you’re training for a marathon so own it! Tell people about your training. Brag a little, you deserve it! Look forward to your runs. Smile afterwards even if it wasn’t your greatest run because you got out there and ran anyway! Training will be tough. There will be days you think to yourself “how am I going to run 26.2 miles?!” and that is okay. But just remember that you can AND will do this! Not every run will be perfect. You may only run 3 miles on a day that your schedule said 8 and that is OKAY. Getting out there and pushing yourself no matter what is what matters! Just enjoy the whole experience because it’s definitdly something you’ll never forget! I still remember a lot of my first round of marathon training and most of it is positive (or funny).
Thanks for sharing this advice! It's too bad we don't live closer, otherwise we could do some long runs together.
ReplyDeleteThat would be so fun! I’m not even sure how far I am from the Princeton area haha. I drove there in April to pick up my cousin but I don’t remember the drive! Maybe eventually we can find a park in between!
DeleteWe should one weekend for a long run! Or even just part of a long run if our schedules don't perfectly match
DeleteYes I love that idea!
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