Countdown to the Austin Marathon

Well, it’s that time of year again!  The Austin Marathon is less than 2 weeks away!  At this point, you should be in taper mode, as there is nothing more you can do to get physically ready for this race.  You may remember last year I also wrote a blog post about what to do the week before the race.  If this is your first marathon, you may want to review that post for specifics on nutrition, hydration, preparing your race gear, etc.  In this post, I’d like to spend some time on the “mental preparation” that needs to happen for you to have a successful race. 

The marathon is not for wimps!  26.2 miles is a long way, and anything can happen.   Whether this is your first marathon or whether you have done several, no two race experiences are exactly the same.  If you tend to get nervous before events, or if you have had bad experiences in races in the past, it is important to be prepared mentally for whatever happens. 

Visualize your perfect race: how do you feel at the start?  Visualize yourself running the first few miles at an easy pace, getting your body warmed up.  You hit your water stops with ease, tolerate your nutrition with no stomach queasiness, and the miles just seem to click by.  Before you know it, you are at the halfway point and feeling great.  You feel so good that you start to pick up your pace a little bit.  Now you are at the 30K mark, having a great race.  You are remembering to drink your water, take your supplements, eat your snacks, and wave to the crowd.  Now you are entering the home stretch.  You only have 0.2 miles to go.  You wipe your face off, straighten up your shirt and bib, and smile for the cameras.  Now you have less than 0.1 miles to go; you pick up speed, starting to pass other runners as you cross the finish line, arms lifted in triumph!  The crowd goes wild!!!  You slow down, get your medal, and head into the finishers area to collect your goodies. 

Sounds great, doesn’t it?  But we all know that unexpected things can happen that can cause your race to be less than perfect.  Maybe it’s super windy that morning, or raining, or hot!  What will you do?  Having a mantra that you truly believe in, or some type of mental picture of someone (yourself or someone else) overcoming adversity is a powerful tool that you can use to get yourself through tough patches.  If you have run in my training group, you have already experienced all sorts of weather extremes, so you know you can handle it.  Draw on those positive past experiences and know that you can handle the weather. 

What if you start to cramp?  If it is a side stitch, push into the area where you are experiencing the tightness and breath slowly and deeply in and out. You may need to slow your pace down a little.  If you have had side stitches before, you know that they will pass.  Use your mantra or visual image.  

What if you start to experience pain in your knee/back/ankle, etc?  First, assess the pain level.  Is it so severe that you are starting to run with a limp?  Are you recovering from an injury?  If not, is this a “phantom” pain?  Often times if we have not had any injuries in training, as we start to feel fatigued during an event, our mind and body can start to play tricks on us.  Focus on keeping your form, remember to breathe, and continue to run for at least 2-3 more minutes (time yourself), then re-assess.  Again, use your mantra or your visual image.  Use the crowd for support! 

What if your stomach starts acting up?  If you tolerate some type of antacid (such as Tums, Rolaids, etc.), plan to carry some with you “just in case.”  Don’t be afraid to stop and use the port-o-potties because you’ll “lose too much time.” If you try to avoid stopping and run too long on an upset stomach, you will likely feel worse, slow down your pace significantly, and eventually end up having to stop at a port-o-potty anyway.  Once you start running after your “pit stop,” again re-assess how you feel and determine whether you can safely continue.  If you can safely continue, lean on your mantra.   

If you are recovering from injury, know your limitations and lower your expectations.  If you are already planning to finish “no matter what,” be prepared to have to walk. Take in the crowd, the bands, the volunteers and plan on just enjoying the fact that you are still physically able to walk in a marathon! 

Good luck to everyone!