I’m standing at the start line; the cool autumn morning brings tears to my eyes looking around at familiar surroundings. Can hear the crowd getting more energized by the music as the start draws near.
After several years of virtual races, I am returning to the scene of my first marathon 10 years ago. While they no longer host a marathon, a half marathon, 10K, and 5K are run instead.
The 5K is all I have in the gas tank for this day – and that’s fine. Thinking back to how life has changed and the lessons I have learned because of and since standing on this start line 10 years ago.
The wisdom I have gained from putting one foot in front of another, learning to listen to myself, and allowing life to be is largely because of stepping up to the starting line.
I wipe a tear away, remembering happy memories and the lessons learned along the way.
Lesson 1: Small, Consistent Steps
Consistency is necessary for any endeavor, especially something as life changing as training for a marathon. Developing or following a training plan that allows for a clear path towards a goal over time.
Measured, steady progression allowed me to go from running 3.1 miles to running 26.2 miles without injury.
The plan I followed, with the support of a training group, called for running 3 or 4 days a week with rest intervals regularly placed throughout the week, especially in association with the weekly long run.
Getting out regularly doesn’t seem like much at the time, but over time, the body and mind get used to the routine and become able to go for longer duration.
The same mindset I used for training has proven useful as I move forward with writing. No matter what, I publish a piece each week on my blog and work on additional areas in conjunction.
While this is not a new endeavor for me, it has taken time to produce results as the path to follow was not as clearly laid out as a training plan in conjunction with a race day.
That’s OK – after all, life happens while we make plans.
Realizing that a large project is possible over time is just a matter of acting regularly and repeatedly to achieve results.
Baby steps each day add up.
Lesson 2: Removing Distractions
The ability to tune out background noise while working on a project isn’t something I have come to easily.
Listening to baroque music like Vivaldi and Handel has proven useful when studying or working on technical pieces. Still, it did not help with the overwhelm I felt from everything I felt I was responsible for.
The routine I fell into between work, training, and everyday life had my walks with my dog fall into rest days. Flaps and I would do about 3 miles with him sniffing the world as I appreciated the cardinals and nature around us.
The time away from technology that started on those walks has transformed my life. Now, being off Facebook and limiting time on social media has allowed me to listen to myself more clearly and effectively take care of myself.
When running, hearing what my body is saying is easier without music. While the safety aspect is clear, I was surprised how focusing on my breathing could change the intensity of my pace when approaching a hill or nearing the finish line.
Lesson 3: Listening to Self and Evaluating the Situation
Hearing my needs through training and racing allowed me to make changes based on the weather and how I felt. The time spent training in preparation for race day allows for understanding how conditions will impact the run and the runner.
If I did not eat appropriately ahead of time, my run would be less than optimal. Sleeping seems like an afterthought but it became clear it is essential for completing any quality task, not just crossing the finish line of a marathon.
High mileage on a training run during a hot muggy day, I felt the need to slow my pace. While less than optimal, slowing down was appropriate for how I felt then and allowed to finish the run without injury.
Hearing my needs has allowed for better self-care overall. I am more likely to listen to my body and rest when needed than before.
Lesson 4: Food as Fuel
Hitting the drive-through on the way home from work seemed like a good idea as I was hungry. My favorite cheeseburger and onion rings felt like the perfect comfort food after a long day.
The run that resulted afterward was less than ideal. I felt like a glob of goo and not like myself at all. The realization that I couldn’t eat what I wanted and get the results I wanted was a necessary wake-up call. Yes, I was expending energy, but I needed healthier food to make myself go.
In the end, that small snacks like nuts or fruit before a run with a large meal afterward has worked much better for me.
As I changed how I fueled my body, I realized how what I consumed with my mind impacted my goals.
Lesson 5: Fueling Your Thoughts
Constructive criticism and encouragement both play a part in progress towards goals. Learning how to tune out negative self-talk or unrealistic expectations has allowed to move forward.
Visualizing the course and thinking through the day allowing the mind to anticipate what will be going on at each point along the way, allowed for mental preparation. It also allowed for more effective filtering out background noise.
Well-meaning suggestions I would injure myself or why bother running at all as I wouldn’t win missed the point. Thank you for caring, but I need to do this for myself.
Comments exposed areas where boundaries were established. Learning to be gracious but still walk my path is a skill that is still being perfected but indeed started with training.
Focusing comments and criticism through the lens of my journey has been helpful in realizing when change might be called for.
Lesson 6: Energy Management
Starting off at a pace that is too quick will deplete fuel quickly. That made sense from flying and is as true for humans as machines.
Human fuel comes from food, sleep, and mental acuity.
Taking moments to evaluate regularly if the pace is appropriate and consuming electrolytes and calories at set intervals allows for more evenly utilizing physical and mental energy along the course.
In running, utilizing walk breaks for water stations along with scheduled intervals on my watch, I can consume fluids and calories as my body demands. For longer runs, having a special reminder every 45 minutes has been essential in reminding me to eat.
The regular check-ins that the watch gave me while running I have transferred into life by taking time regularly to get away from screens and be more present. Tools that work for me are a hike in the woods and journaling, as they allow for reflection on how to change course or modify expectations.
Being cognizant of how much rest I need, in particular, has allowed for more meaningful approaches to life in general. Some days, all that gets done is the laundry, and that’s ok.
Not every day is going to look like running a marathon.
Lesson 7: Saying Yes and Saying No
Focusing on the training plan for my first marathon meant that I needed to be diligent with food and rest to get to my goal – no more bad foods before running.
It also got me to think critically about what I needed to give up to progress towards my goals.
I felt and performed better when I went to bed and got up at a reasonable time, getting at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep. After marathon training, that tidbit of self-awareness became a concerted focus when working early mornings.
Making sleep a non-negotiable schedule requirement made it easier to pass on events later in the day and also allowed for being more present and making more focused decisions throughout the day.
Establishing personal guidelines has allowed for more focused, meaningful progress toward goals.
Lesson 8: Seeing the Positive
Since making a conscious effort to focus more on the small moments that make me smile, I have had a better outlook on life and am more able to deal with less-than-ideal situations.
Even on bad days, some moments bring a positive slant.
Training runs with others allowed for conversations that might not have happened otherwise – increasing distances meant more meaningful connection and conversation.
Getting ideas for home improvements is a favorite pastime on long runs, even solo.
Around mile 19 or 20 of my first marathon I was convinced a traditional center-entry home with dormers on the course was a cartoon character that went to war.
The mind will do amazing things to protect us – but seeing Kilroy in a home’s architecture was a surprise!
Moments of levity made the day seem less arduous.
We never know what will happen each day – asking myself what has made me smile brings more smile-worthy moments to the surface. Bad stuff still happens, but it doesn’t feel as negative as it might otherwise.
What has made you smile today?
Lesson 9: Completing Without Injury
Following the guidelines laid out in the training plan ensured I had a well-rounded routine while preparing for the marathon.
Proper posture, even stretches during the run, were discussed as techniques to mitigate injury.
Learning the importance of proper stretching as part of warm-up and cool-down made a huge difference.
The distance run is the same regardless of the amount of time it takes to get there – having the ability to keep going is the only difference between one that quits and one that finishes.
While longer distances are beyond me now, regular stretching and yoga have proven beneficial in mitigating injury in everyday life, too.
Lesson 10: Managing Mind Overload
I didn’t know which way was up at times during marathon training – heading to mid-week runs right from work and grabbing a Clif bar to tide me over was typical. Having the course map next to my computer monitor at work allowed for visualization during small breaks from tasks.
Focusing on the finish line, I knew I was going to finish. How it was going to happen, I wasn’t as sure. But I kept going, focusing on what I could control and deal with and tuning out what I couldn’t.
There will never be enough hours to do everything myself, but I can make my days more manageable by concertedly removing or mitigating what does not work.
Closing Thoughts
Wow! This is longer than I thought it would be. Each of us is unique, but I hope some of the lessons I learned because of running a marathon bring a different perspective to where you are in your journey.
Transferrable skills learned as part of marathon training have allowed for life changes, I might not have made otherwise. Learning to prioritize and focus more effectively has allowed for significant personal growth.
Tomorrow will be a new day for each of us, I hope tomorrow brings a moment to breathe and smile.
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