My 4 part marathon race strategy to perform my best and have a great race. If you have a goal for your race OR if you just want to practice running smart and strong – you have to plan how you’re going to attack the race.
Note: This can be used for a half marathon too, just update it to breakdown the miles into 4 pieces.
Hi! Today’s Hyland’s Team Challenge post is to visualize the race and do some word association for a few different miles of the Boston Marathon. How does that mile make you feel? What do you think of when you imagine hitting that mile marker? The point is to share any specific mile or part of the race that is particularly scary or exciting or stressful or fun (some miles are all of those things).
This was kind of a fun and scary process (just like actually running a marathon) because I had to think about how I’d feel at the end of the race. I don’t want to think about that because I already know how I’m going to feel = like quitting or crying or peeing or doing all of those things at the same time.
I don’t want to think about that! I like to just let it surprise me.
But I hate surprises – so that’s not really a smart plan.
So I am creating a marathon strategy to run the race smarter and stronger. I broke it down into 4 parts.
Boston Marathon Race Strategy
Mile 1 -6 : Run Smart.
I need to run the beginning of the race smart. I often go out way too fast and pay for it later. This is an even bigger challenge at the Boston Marathon because it starts downhill!
The combination of being super excited about running the freaking Boston Marathon, just starting the race and there being a big decline = RER running too fast and completely using all her energy in the first 6 miles.
So my focus is to run smart, listen to my body, pay attention to my pace and enjoy the race.
Mile 7 – 12: Turn on the machine.
You are a machine, a running machine that is primed and ready to rock 26.2 miles. Get in the zone. Run YOUR pace.
Enjoy everything around you. Take in all the sights and sounds and crowds. Take a deep breath, say a prayer and thank God for getting you through all the training miles that led up to this point. Turn on the machine and run your plan.
Mile 13 – 18: Work hard, run hard.
I remember Sole Runner’s coach Steve saying something like miles 13 to 17 is when you put in the work. This is the part of the marathon where you are no longer buzzing with excitement. Your energy is probably fading at this point too. You’re not close enough to the finish to feel like ‘you’re almost there’. You can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel yet.
This is where you just buckle in and do the work. Make sure you’re fueling and hydrating – the wall is coming if you don’t! Get in a zone and try to conserve energy by checking in with your running form. Check your pace and keep it steady. Have a gel or bloks. Keep going.
Mile 19 – 26: Be Brave and fight for it.
This is where I tend to slam into the wall. This is where the finish line seems so far. This is where I want to quit or cry or pee or cry about how I have to pee. My mind starts falling apart, my body feels heavy and slow…. and the only thing I can do is tell myself.
BE BRAVE.
You’re hurting? Okay, that’s normal – be brave and keep going.
You’re tired? Okay, that’s normal – be brave and keep going.
You feel like quitting? Okay, that’s normal – be brave and keep going.
Be Brave.
Save the excuses for something else and fight for yourself. Fight to finish strong. You put in all the training and so much work. You deserve to fight hard to finish strong.
YOU GOT THIS.
Believe in yourself. Stick to your race day plan and go get em!!
Want more on the Boston Marathon course?
Check out this Mile by Mile Guide of the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon Elevation Profile
I’m so in awe of anyone who runs a full marathon (I set a goal to complete a marathon by 30, so I have 9 years to train still, but it seems impossible ;D) I have this moment near the end of any training session or race or when I am trying to increase my distance, where my lungs hurt and my legs are tired and I feel like just stopping. Not because I really cannot go any further, of course, I am just exhausted. Common sense, I guess, and everyone feels like that, but my reminders are a combination of visualizing the finish line and thinking: It could be worse. Somehow thinking that this might be a bit painful, but not really, c’mon, it could be way worse, helps me to run the last few miles.
I really like Be Brave. That one may have to come along with me to Ironman Texas. 🙂
I definitely try to break marathons down into little bits but only once has that really worked. I think I just try to be ready to solve any problems along the way and know that at some point, it INDEED will come to an end.
You totally got this!
Can’t wait to hear all about it.
😉
I tend to break down races by mileage. I typically break them down into 5 mile spans. I really love how you gave each section a goal.
I’m so excited for you to go to Boston!!
Never thought about the idea of doing a breakdown with races or long runs. It seems like a good strategy and might try it next time.
I love this! I’m running Boston for the first time this year. My race plan is similar to yours.
Thanks! This is great, gonna pin it for future reference. I always have a plan but it quickly goes out the window right along with don’t go out too fast. I have never been “brave” enough to start out slow even though that is the smart thing to do….
Depending on what hurts (or what I think hurts but really doesn’t) some combination of counting things (like people you pass), praying (or bargaining with God…), thinking of what treat I get at the end. OR this past weekend I PR’ed in the half and part of the credit goes to Janae at Hungry Runner Girl for the post about focusing on pumping your arms/leading with your elbows. I just repeated “breath and lead with your elbows” over and over for the last 6ish miles.
Best of luck! So excited for you to have this opportunity!
Love this! Especially the “be brave”. It is going to hurt, you know that going in. Now its time to remember that you are strong enough to finish.
thanks for sharing!
I usually break half marathons down into chunks too. I never pick up the pace until mile 10. My fastest races are all almost exactly even splits. My body either has a good day or a bad day. So Picking up the pace usually doesn’t work for me early on. But once I’ve got only a 5k left I know I can handle the pain and I’ll push.
For full marathons it’s all mental for me so I like to celebrate milestones….getting through 5k, 10k, half and then mile 16 because I know I’m about to enter single digit mileage remaining territory.
“Be brave” is a phrase I tell myself whenever I feel weak. That includes scenarios that aren’t running, too. It really motivates me
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