A novice marathoner’s reflections ...
As detailed in my post of Sunday, May 1, my older daughter Arianna finished her
first marathon that day in Providence. Here’s her perspective on the feat in
her own words, which she wrote on May 2:
Pre-race day
My friend and I completed the Providence Marathon on Sunday (May 1).
Full of ambition in the fall, we decided that running our half-marathons (13.1
miles) wasn't satisfying our souls anymore. We wanted to take it to the next
level and decided to train together for a marathon. While the gratification of
running a marathon has undoubtedly got me on a dopamine high right now, I want
to take the time to reflect on the process leading up to race day.
Once my friend signed up for the marathon in the late fall, we were off to a
great start. We both created spreadsheets and a whole training plan. The plan
consisted of lower mileage at the beginning of the week, cross-training, and
rest days. It also included long runs on Sundays. We created the plan by looking
at marathon plans already made, such as from Runners World and Nike, and
shifted them to incorporate them into our daily schedules.
Running a marathon is a considerable commitment. Aside from running endurance,
mental stability plays a vital role. Creating a plan was simple; sticking to it
was difficult. The first six weeks were intense. I hit my weekly quota and was
able to check off each daily task. Then, around the second week of February, I
hit a mental lull after going out of town for a weekend. I started to skip
daily runs, or when I began to run, I would stop after a mile. The month of
February was discouraging. My friend who was training with me also seemed to
hit a lull.
Aside from a mental setback, we also developed a few injuries. I developed a slight
back injury while she had pain in her knees. We weren't sure if we could
complete the race in May. Just a short few months away at that point. After a
few weeks of back-and-forth self-pity, we decided to be brutally honest with
ourselves. We wouldn't be able to complete the marathon if we didn't continue
to train. You can't just wake up and do it. With that mindset, we regained
control.
Takeaways …
Race day was exhilarating. The combination of adrenaline and jitters made race
day exhilarating. Here are some takeaways from race day:
1. During race day, make sure to keep a steady pace. It is easy to want
to speed up, especially when you start to get the runners' high. However,
keeping a steady pace will help you get to head toward the end of the marathon.
2. It is also important to stay hydrated. When your body is telling you
that it's thirsty, it's already dehydrated. Make sure to take sips of water at
every stop, even if you don't think you need it at the time.
3. Lastly, it's essential to enjoy. Recognize that everyone has a
different goal while running a marathon. For example, while some want to
complete a marathon in a certain amount of time, others want to simply complete
one. Everyone is doing their own personal best, so while some runners are
passing you, it is easy to feel discouraged, remind yourself that you are still
completing it. You've worked hard.
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