Longtime readers know that for me, the true challenge of the marathon isn’t the physical but the mental.
In fact, it’s not even really the marathon itself – it’s the run-up. I am a high anxiety animal, and my brain loves to drum up all sorts of exciting scenarios about how my race might go wrong. Of course, this means as I approach this weekend’s Marine Corps Marathon I am already struggling with a jangle of nerves. What if I get sick? What if my hip flexor issues flare up? Heck, what if something goes wrong I haven’t even thought of yet?!
Obviously the best thing to do would be to conquer that fearful mindset and don some rose colored glasses. Alas, easier said than done. What I CAN do is reckon with the possibilities, think through how I would handle an unfortunate eventuality, and practice making peace with it in advance.
A MARATHON FOR THE MIND
Thus I have chosen to approach my Marine Corps Marathon this weekend with the following mantra, borrowed from Bert’s opening number in one of my all-time favorite childhood (and adult!) films, Mary Poppins. Says Bert: “I feel what’s to happen all happened before.”
If you are an optimistic type who prefers to set your sights on Plan A and trust it will come true, I salute you, truly. But this might not be your kind of post, because I set out to collect in one place a compendium of Murphy’s (Marathon) Law: if it can go wrong, it will go wrong!
I asked my Instagram followers to tell me about the worst things that happened to them during a race, and they delivered. Behold, the things that can go wrong:
A NON-EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF POTENTIAL RACE HICCUPS
Sickness. I could get sick before the race, or even during the race. It’s wise to pull yourself from the course sometimes.
Injuries. Not all injuries are created equal, but if your body is saying stop, stop. Heck, maybe don’t start?
Bad weather. Sometimes the weather just isn’t on your side. Rain can make things slippery or make it hard to see. When it’s hot, dehydration is no joke!
Lost luggage. When traveling for a race, the threat of lost luggage is real. Try to keep things with you on the plane, but if you can’t be prepared to pivot with some race expo shopping. Yeah, it’s generally not considered a good idea to run in untested gear, but sometimes you just have to roll with it.
Lost runners. It’s scary when you get lost out on the course! A wrong turn can send you miles out of your way.
Uncooperative gear. I received one submission about a race costume that chafed so bad the runner in question wound up with scars!
Transportation woes. Lost race buses, canceled flights, broken down cars, missed ferries – I’ve read about ’em all. Try to stay calm; I’ve heard many stories of race organizers allowing runners to start late. And even if they don’t, at least you didn’t give up!
Alcohol. Sometimes people overindulge before a race; I even received one story of someone who overindulged DURING a race! Course-side shots are fun but maybe keep it to one or two max. 😂
BUT HOW DOES THAT HELP?
You might be wondering what I can possibly hope to accomplish with this litany of threats, stumbling blocks, and bad running news. Well, everyone will metabolize it differently – but my aim is to put myself in a head space that encourages me to make smarter decisions.
There is no shame in a hard race. There is no shame in a slow race. Did Not Start, Did Not Finish – no shame and no shame. I want to live to run another day, not drag myself to the finish line sick or injured. I want to have the courage to slow down or even stop if I have to.
It’s a different kind of hard that can be tough for endurance runners to reckon with. But if my race – or your race – goes wrong, we should remember that these things happen. It will be okay. No one will be angry. We can get up an try again next time, if we like. I feel what’s to happen all happened before. Someday it will happen to me. And when it does, I hope I will handle it with intelligence and dignity. Or at least not mess myself up too bad. 😅
A LITTLE MARATHON KARMA BOOSTER
Feeling nervous about your upcoming race? For an instant karma boost, do one simple thing before you toe the start line: donate to a fellow runner’s race fundraiser. They get a little closer their own running goals, and you put something positive out into the universe – which with any luck will provide the insurance you need for a good race day. Or a non-disastrous race day, anyway.
It can’t hurt, so why not try it? If you don’t know anyone with an active fundraiser, hop onto social media. And if you don’t see any posts about race fundraisers, ask! Someone will respond, I promise.
Wishing everyone a happy race day – or, barring that, the mental fortitude to handle whatever comes your way. ❤️
Don’t forget, you can follow FRoA on Threads @fairestrunofall and on Instagram @fairestrunofall. If you have any questions or thoughts, leave a comment or email fairestrunofall@gmail.com. See ya real soon!