10 things i learned from running a marathon
TDr. Claire Mazzacco PT, DPT here to talk about the lessons she learned from training for and successfully running a marathon!
As some of you may (or may not) know, I ran the Boston Marathon this April and it was truly the best experience. This marathon felt like a long time coming for me, and I feel very happy, fortunate, and proud to be able to cross it off my bucket list.
I also trained for the Indianapolis marathon this past fall (fewer stakes lol), but due to a minor injury I did not end up running it. I learned a lot over these past two training blocks - some fun lessons and some learned the hard way. Why I’m sharing them with the internet, I’m not sure, but here they are!
1.Marathons are hard
“What, like it’s hard?” Yes, actually! I’m not sure what I was expecting... I for sure didn’t think the marathon would be easy, but I definitely did not expect it to be as hard as it was.
I had done my long runs on the course - that’s the home field advantage, right? My 20 mile run from Framingham to Boston went swimmingly - felt relatively easy, legs were fine during and after, and I did it at a pace that was faster than my marathon goal pace. I figured I’d start feeling dead at mile 21-22 of the marathon. Nope - cue mile 16! My legs were heavy, my heart rate was HIGH (I’m talking 185-195 the entire race - thought a heart attack might take me down on Heartbreak Hill), and I was hot. But hey, I made it.
2. Consistency is key
There was one major difference in the training block I did for the marathon in the fall and in the training block I did for Boston, and that thing is consistency.
I mean you can literally see it on my strava. Ugh. Hate when the facts are so clear. In June-October, I would run 35 miles one week and 10 the next. I was all over the board. NOT GOOD. It’s crazy how being consistent with mileage, volume, and strength training can make a difference. It’s like we have these training plans for a reason…weird?
3. Strength training simply has to happen
I learned this one the hard way. In my first training block, I dropped the ball on strength training. And when I say I dropped the ball, I mean I just wasn’t doing it. I would run 3-5 times a week, do nothing on the other days, and call it a week. No wonder I got injured!
Running is a repetitive sport that puts a lot of wear and tear on the body. During my second training block, I made strength training a priority 2-3 times a week. My body thanked me.
4. It is hard to keep all things afloat while marathon training
Running. Strength training. Work. Travel. Social life. Family. Friends. The list could truly go on.
I’m a pretty social person, and I tend to overbook myself even when not training for a marathon. So throw a training block in there, and it gets really hard to balance all of these things!! Completing these training blocks myself has lent a deeper appreciation to other people (especially friends or clients) who have or are training for something themselves - whether it’s a half, a marathon, a triathlon, a competition, you name it. It’s tough and requires a lot of discipline.
I had to learn to squeeze a long run in before a weekend of traveling, send myself home early so I could sleep well before a long run the next morning, cut back on a drink or two at dinner (and gosh I love a cocktail at dinner), and occasionally say no to social plans. Don’t worry, I still said yes plenty of times too. And I don’t regret the yeses at all. My favorite hobbies are literally going to dinner and hanging out with friends and family so I still needed to do those things. I had to find a way for the training block to fit my schedule vs. trying to get my schedule to fit the training block.
5. Hot take: I kind of like a winter training block
First off, I’m a fall and winter gal. Me and heat do not mix. Me and the sun aren’t great friends (cue sunburn). While yes, running in sleet and trying not to slip on ice weren’t super fun either, it was kind of nice to bundle up and stay active in the winter. I am fortunate to have a work schedule that allows me to run without waking up at the crack of dawn, so I didn’t have to run in the dark very often (shout out to @themethod for a healthy work/life balance). And my social calendar is less busy in Jan-March = more time for runs :)
6. Fueling is necessary
Girl’s gotta EAT. Love/hate relationship with that point in the training block where I was just hungry all the time. Snacks on snacks on snacks. Eating well balanced meals made a huge difference in energy levels and fatigue.
Fueling during long runs also made a huge difference. I could tell with my fatigue levels and my heart rate if I was under fueling while running.
I also finally taught my stomach how to handle a meal before a run. My go to: English muffin, peanut butter, banana, honey. YUM - there’s truly nothing like it!
7. MUST HAVE A PT!!!
Have you heard me mention injuries?? I am lucky enough to work at the best in the biz (biased, I know), and my coworkers are lovely people who are so kind and sooooo giving of their free time :) I dealt with a knee injury during my first training block, and I had a very odd back issue the week before I ran Boston. It was an all hands on deck situation. That one worked out well, but we all lost a few hours of sleep over it. They helped me both physically and mentally, and I truly would not have been able to get through either of the blocks without their help. Whether it was dry needling, giving me exercises, talking me off a ledge, or holding me accountable, they were my go to gals and my biggest supporters :D
8. Sometimes the answer is to listen to your body
I’m going to keep this short and sweet. Flashback to the first training block - it was going well, I was feeling confident but as we know, I was super inconsistent. I had some very sharp left knee pain that came out of nowhere that we chalked up to runner’s knee. My aforementioned PTs were so helpful, but the knee pain was persistent, and I couldn’t run more than half a mile without stabbing pain. I was so frustrated because I had put time and effort into the training block, but I was feeling a bit miz. So I listened to my body and chose not to run the Indianapolis Marathon, which was definitely the right decision for me.
9. If it’s not fun, what’s the point
Once the whole knee situation happened, I wasn’t having fun anymore. I’m not an elite runner. Throughout the course of training, I kept having this inner dialogue with myself about why I wanted to run a marathon. I’m not gonna win! These are the reasons I kept coming back to - check it off my bucket list, challenge myself, and have fun. And I definitely had fun.
If I do another one in my future and for some reason don’t seem like I’m having fun, someone PLEASE tell me to get a grip and start having fun.
10. I can see why people get the marathon itch
Ughhhhhh. I wish I could say I’m a one and done, but unfortunately I don’t think I am. It’s kind of fun to see what your mind and body are capable of. So stay tuned. It might be a few months or a few years, but I do think I might have another 26.2 in me. We’ll see where it goes!
Everyone’s marathon experience is different, but I learned a lot about myself these past few months. I’m grateful I had the experience of a failed training block because it made running Boston that much sweeter. And now I have a cool jacket that I’ll get to show my future kids someday. And who knows, maybe they’ll keep the tradition alive!
