Aww, I was just a baby! Okay, maybe it wasn’t that long ago, but I was a relatively new runner. It’s fun to look back and remember life at that time, pre-baby! š This was a post that I wrote for MichiganRunnerGirl.com. Re-posting here for fun, but definitely head over to the Michigan Runner Girl site and see what Heather’s been up to because she’s awesome.
Welp, I did it. I ran a marathon. 26.2. Iām pretty sure now that Iāve done it once, I know all there is to know about running marathons. I might as well quit my job and become a running coach, right? Not quite, but the experience still taught me a lot about how to make my next marathon better. With those thoughts fresh on my mind after running theĀ Sleeping Bear Marathon, Iād love to share my top ten tips from a first-time marathoner!
1. Check your clothes, especially socks! I was wearing the same pants, sports bra, shoes, and tech shirt that I wore all through my last couple months of training. I did have to buy a rain jacket at the last minute during my taper because I found out it was going to rain during the race (yeahāitĀ poured), but all of that was fine. The problem arose when I didnāt think to check my shoes or socks before putting them on, and I ended up with a tiny piece of wood jabbing its way into my foot. I finally took off my shoe and sock as I used an aid station and got it out, but by then, the area was really irritated and ended up becoming my best blister. I definitely could have done without that extra bit of pain!
2. Prepare for the worst weather. Hell, prepare forĀ locusts. Think about investing in a good rain jacket ahead of time, and have layers that could be thermal or much cooler than average. Since most races tend to fall in the spring or autumn, being prepared for everything from freezing temps to abnormal heat is important. I know I have most weather scenarios covered from Florida-hot to Alaska-cold (this is Michigan after all), but I donāt make myself run in the rain. Thatās why I did not have a rain jacket ahead of time, and found myself wishing I had one that I had practiced in during my training.
3. Donāt time it. Some people need personal goals and competition to enjoy running. I do not. I thrive on of the joy of experiences that are intense, enlightening, or challenging, without the added pressure of timing. For that reason, I didnāt time myself. The race volunteers called out splits at the half marathon turnaround, and at the marathon turnaround, but I didnāt have any idea how I was doing after that. I wanted it that way. Instead of being anxious about keeping up my paceāor being upset about slowing down as I hit a wall and dumped rain out of my shoesāI enjoyed the time on the road.
4. Enjoy the scenery. Look around! I didnāt load my phone with music and wouldnāt have had service anyway, so I didnāt bring it with me. Instead of a nice, distracting soundtrack, I tried to take in the scenery and the sounds of the run. Granted, some āEye of the Tigerā may have helped when I thought my legs were going to fall off, but it was nice as a first time marathoner to really be a sponge and take in the beauty and craziness of it all.
5.Get a designated driver. I donāt know what I would have done if I hadnāt had a friend to drive our car. I figured Iād be fine because I was fine after running twenty miles in training, but I was very wrong. I had to use my arms to lift my feet into the vehicle, and thereās no way it would have been comfortable (or even safe) to drive that afternoon. For a first-timer, plan on having someone else drive.
6. Take a few days to recover. I had vacation time to use up so I took two days off after the marathon. I normally bike commute around my city and to work, but I took four days off from that. I know I could have gone into work on Monday because I would have just sat at my desk like a typical office-job day, but it was great to be at home in my sweatpants instead. If your work involves a lot of movement, stairs, or any kind of muscle control, I suggest using a couple personal days after your first marathon. And remember, often it isnāt the day of, or even the day after that is the worst. The key is to remember that the D in DOMS stands forĀ delayed. [DOMS=Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness]
7. Train for the course. It was nice that I had the experience of doing the Sleeping Bear half marathon last year, and nice that I knew the area, because I knew that I had to train for hills. A lot of people pick a flat course for the first marathon on purpose. Thatās probably a good idea, but for those of us who pick a race thatās not flat, make sure you train for it. Thereās nothing worse than pre-race anxiety about hills, or running toward a hill that youāre not prepared forāthat can really make the experience a drag. I found the biggest hills in my city and ran them as part of my distance runs most Saturdays. That might have been the smartest thing Iāve ever done!
8. Cross-train and strength train. Varying training is another thing that I feel like I got right even as a first time marathoner. I joined a few 30-day fitness challenges with my friends on Facebook and we worked through 30 days of increasing squats, planks, and core exercises. For over two months during training, I was doing these and body weight exercises to help with strength training. Between that, bike commuting, hiking, paddling, and swimming, I got my cross-training in and Iām glad I did!
9. Pick the perfect race. You only get one first marathon! Weigh all of the factors that matter to you. Do you want something scenic and nostalgic like I did, or would you rather have something comfortable and familiar? The skyās the limit on this and there are more and more races happening all the time. Want the fanatic crowd support and fun of a Disney or Rock āN Roll race? Go for it! Would you prefer a nice flat race in your own city so that you can run the course for practice? Sign up!
10.Ā Donāt freak out. The first rule in life is no matter what happens, donāt freak out. Very rarely does freaking out help. Injuries happen, plans change, friends canāt make it, weather goes bananas, life gets in the wayājust donāt freak out. Youāve trained for it. You can only do your best. Youāll be happy that you did it no matter what, so just trust in your training, and know that you can do it!
As I passed the 20 mile mark and hit the wall, I bargained with my legs to keep moving. I had to walk, especially when I walked through aid stations. It was so difficult to get running again. It took everything in me to just keep going, so I promised my legs that Iād never run again if they just didnāt stop moving. Thankfully, I tricked my legs into running those last six miles (I wasnāt breaking any records) and adrenaline kicked in toward the end as I approached the finish line. I realized that Iād done it. It was the most incredible feeling. I highly encourage all runners to try it at least once. Even with the horror of taking off my socks when it was done, and the pain of trying to hobble up stairs, and the inability to do normal tasks with my body for several days after, it was still worth it. ItāsĀ soĀ worth it.