You Must Be Mental

With all of the physical training we’ve been doing, be careful not to neglect the mental aspect of marathon preparation. Having a plan for the race is an important part of having a successful marathon. And “winging it” is not a plan (or at least not a good one)

If you don’t yet have a plan, take some time now to evaluate where you’re at, what your goals for the marathon are, and how you are going to achieve them.

Here are some thoughts to get you started.

1. Pick a goal or goals.


a) Pick an ideal goal – the time you would like to run if all conditions are optimal and you’re feeling great. Make it challenging but realistic. Coach Debbie calls this her “Super-Fantastic, Best-Day-Ever” goal (but I think that’s copyrighted).


b) Pick one or two alternate goals. Your first alternate goal should be a time you think you’ll be able to run even if conditions are less than perfect or you’re not feeling 100%. Your final goal should be the time that you’re going shoot for even if all the cards are stacked against you that day. To paraphrase Coach Anne, this is your “I’d still be happy if I ran a X:XX under these $@#%& conditions” goal.


c) DO NOT base your goals on what the other members of your group are running. While we’re all for team unity and support, ultimately, you’ve got to run your own race.


d) DO take into account: (i) your past marathon times; (ii) the amount of effort you (really) put into training and how that compares to past years; (iii) the ease/difficulty of the pacing/speed workouts; and (iv) the results of your shorter races (try using a race projection calculator or formula).

2. Make a Plan.


a) Know what your mile splits should be and try to hit them consistently. Don't just assume you will be able to pick it up in the second half of the marathon for a negative split. If you're going to try for a negative split, determine how fast you want to start out and how much and when you'll need to pick up the pace. Conversely, don't start out faster than your goal pace to try to bank time in case you slow down at the end.


b) Identify the likely tough spots – the points where you've tended to get bogged down in past marathons or long runs – and make a plan to get through those miles (e.g., dedicate the mile to someone special; sing a motivating song to yourself or out loud; go "high five" some spectators; or whatever works to get you through those difficult spots).

3. During the race: Be tough but flexible. The marathon is not easy. There are going to be points in the race where you'll want to slow down or even quit. If you've set a realistic goal and prepared properly, you can and will get through those points. Don't talk yourself out of going for your goal. On the other hand, there are a lot of conditions – especially the weather – that are beyond our control. Accept the fact that if conditions are not ideal, you may need to modify your goal. Running a slightly slower time under adverse conditions is just as much of an accomplishment as achieving your ideal goal under perfect conditions.

4. After the race: Remember, regardless of whether you achieve your goals, there will be other races. If you reach your goal, enjoy the moment, but don’t get too complacent. It just means you’ll have to set a more challenging goal for the next race. If you don’t reach your goal this time, don’t be discouraged. Anyone who always achieves their goals isn’t aiming high enough. Tomorrow will bring new races and new challenges with new goals just waiting to be achieved. In the meantime, give yourself a pat on the back for having the guts to toe the starting line and go for it.


That’s it.