How not to train for (and run) a marathon
Let me make a confession before proceeding: I had not planned to write this particular article.
Towards the conclusion of the previous year, I received confirmation that I had secured a spot in the London Marathon. I was filled with ambition and wished to outdo my past accomplishments by surpassing my personal best (3 hours and 50 minutes). I had aspirations of reaching the 3 hours and 30 minutes mark.
I convinced myself that achieving success would require following a rigorous exercise plan, maintaining a controlled and healthy diet, and avoiding any alcoholic beverages at all costs.
I had a dream of completing the most important race of my life and reaching the end point in front of Buckingham Palace. I imagined a medal being hung around my neck and feeling both tired and satisfied knowing that I had become part of a special group of athletes, although not necessarily one of the most prestigious.
However, things did not go as planned. Although I did receive a medal at the end of the race yesterday, it took me 4 hours and 31 minutes to complete it, which is an entire hour longer than I had anticipated.
I finally completed the marathon after running 26.2 miles. It was a challenging experience as my legs were sore due to lactic acid build-up. I could hardly walk and was bent over like a shrimp while my right sock was soaked with blood from my damaged toenails.
I participated in the London Marathon two times in the past, specifically during 2018 and 2019 while I was still in my early 20s. The initial race took me about 4 hours and 40 minutes while the succeeding race was shortened by almost an hour.
On a Sunday morning, which happened to be my 29th year of existence, I was mentally ready for what was about to happen.
However, despite my efforts, I still couldn't alleviate my agony as I kept moving forward, covering miles and taking steps that only led me further into the abyss of suffering.
After running for around 10 miles, I began to feel extremely tired and anxious about what was ahead. However, it was during the time when I was slowly walking away from the towering Canary Wharf buildings, with my left calf almost about to give out, that I began to seriously ponder my choices in life.
This is where the people are the liveliest: they hold signs, wave flags, give out Haribo candy, and sometimes offer a refreshing beer. It seems as though everyone is supporting you, pushing you to keep going and reminding you that the finish line is close.
However, this still did not give me the energy I needed to finish strong. I was completely depleted and lacked the motivation to push forward.
However, even though I didn't achieve my initial objective and the race ended at about 3:30 pm yesterday afternoon, a few hours after Alexander Mutiso Munyao and Peres Jepchirchir emerged as the champions in the men's and women's elite races, I didn't feel even a hint of disappointment.
To be honest, I always had a feeling that I was meant to have a leisurely pace in life.
This is mostly due to the fact that my training program wasn't as rigid as I thought it was, my manner of eating healthily was not disciplined and I couldn't resist the temptation of a cold beer after work during the last 12 weeks.
Allow me to elaborate further.
Half a decade ago, I established my personal record for a marathon by following a workout regimen that included about three jogging sessions per week. These activities entailed a restorative run, a rapid run, and a sustained run. I made a purposeful choice back then to decrease the likelihood of repetition injuries that hampered my earlier endeavor.
For my latest attempt, I decided to use a similar strategy, without considering the fact that I didn't have as much experience running as I did back in 2019. During the pandemic, I shifted my focus away from running and took up cycling instead. Since the pandemic ended, I haven't been participating in any sports, as I've been occupied with enjoying the pleasures of going to pubs and dining out.
I made a mistake by disregarding the short runs of five to six miles that contribute to the overall weekly mileage and condition the legs for the extended weekend runs.
This indicated that my multiple efforts to surpass 16 miles during my training were mostly unsuccessful, leaving me feeling disappointed as I walked to the nearest bus station to return home early. Overall, I only accomplished one 18-mile run before the day of the race – which was certainly not sufficient to achieve a three-and-a-half-hour finish.
Next, I encountered the problem of my self-esteem. As I was going through my training course, I became increasingly disappointed that I was not making progress as quickly as I had hoped. As a solution, I decided to incorporate shorter intervals into my longer runs in the hopes that this would improve my overall speed on the day of the race.
I wasn't in good enough physical condition for it. If I had kept a slow and steady pace, I might have had a better shot at completing over 18 miles. Unfortunately, I overexerted myself too soon during every long run and ended up exhausted.
My Garmin is partly responsible for this mishap. I know it's a lame excuse, but I've never used it for running before. Instead, I used to plan out my routes beforehand and relied on my intuition to set my pace.
Back then, everything was going smoothly. However, this time, I found myself constantly gazing at my wrist to monitor my running speed. Every quick peek made me feel like running faster, first at 9.15 minutes per mile, then at 9.0 minutes per mile, later at 8.45 minutes per mile, and the cycle kept repeating.
I feel foolish now as I realize that I was solely responsible for the situation. However, I was overly obsessed with achieving a particular deadline, which would have also surpassed my partner's best personal record. This was quite a source of pride for us, and I did everything in my power to meet it.
Lastly, and while I acknowledge that others may not feel sorry for me, another issue arose - a two-week vacation to Argentina only slightly more than a month prior to the race.
At this point in time, I was supposed to be at the highest point of my training and physical health. Unfortunately, I was unable to resist the allure of steaks, wine, and dulce de leche cookies. I ended up losing my discipline and failing miserably.
Am I completely remorseful about it? Not really. Will I repeat it? Very probably.
When considering everything, it is easy to comprehend why my last extended jog – which was supposed to be a 22-mile trek through the calm and level nature reserve in Buenos Aires – had to be ended after only 14 miles.
Therefore, when I positioned myself at the starting line of the marathon yesterday morning, I was well aware of what I could expect.
Despite the discomfort and soreness that followed the run, it was still a worthwhile experience.
London experiences very few days like this, where the entire city joins hands to support unknown individuals and their admirable causes.
I personally decided to team up with a childhood pal who was participating in a Cancer Research UK event as a tribute to his mother. I couldn't have completed the race without his support, and I'm aware that he appreciated my company during the event.
Yesterday's race was participated by thousands of people with their unique experiences of hardships, difficulties and support from their loved ones.
No matter when they did it, it's still quite an accomplishment that they were able to tackle this challenge and complete it successfully. This applies to both them and us.
My physical condition also improved significantly after running three times a week (although it did not help me reach my goal of a 3.30 finish time). One of the main reasons I decided to participate in this activity was to shed some pounds and maintain a regular exercise routine. I am glad to report that my weight has indeed dropped and I now weigh 80kg, which is quite an achievement.
What knowledge did I gain after finishing my third marathon? It's important to let go of pride and not overlook shorter runs. Also, Argentina is a great place to visit during the spring season.
