Marathon Training Update

What Marathon Training Has Taught Me

About 6 weeks ago I wrote about stepping out of my comfort zone as I prepare for my first ever marathon and then training for my 4th Dan Black Belt grading. As I wrote that in mid-March the marathon date seemed really far away and the details of exactly how this was going to come together successfully were still difficult to picture.

As I write this now the race is 9 days away and I am both nervous and excited.

One of the biggest surprises in preparing for the race has been the level of commitment required. I knew it was going to be physically challenging but to some degree I thought I could just “muscle” my way through. I didn’t factor in how much mental energy would be need thinking about training routes, times, scheduling, creating variety, and making sure it all fitted with work, family and recovery.

I’ve come to recognise the local area in West Fife is not flat! There’s hills everywhere and so I found myself driving to different places to try and get the right sort of run in that would reflect the marathon conditions. Eventually I had the idea that it was about 20 miles into the centre of Edinburgh and it would be kind of cool to run to Waverley and get the train back. I really enjoyed that run and it was great to have the experience of jogging along Princes Street Gardens, past the castle and up to the Waverley Steps.

That said, the long runs have been by far the toughest part of the training, not just physically, but mentally. There have been days when I just did not not want to go run, especially when I knew there was several hours of effort and discomfort ahead of me. Towards the end of the longer runs, when the legs are heavy and muscles are aching, you start asking questions of yourself.

One longer run early on in my training, I ran out to Kincardine along the coastal path. It was an out and back run from Torryburn. On the way back I got terrible pain in my lower legs. Everything felt like lead and I could not continue running. I had no choice but to walk the remaining miles back to the car. It was crushing and filled me with self-doubt and really had me wondering if I had it in me to run a marathon distance.

It was one of the lowest points in the training. I reached out to my running coach, Shari, and reviewed what might have happened. She had me adjust my plan a little by reducing my training a little, changed my pre-run fuelling, and had me strictly monitor my pace when running. I did a bit of stretching and light self-physio and backed off the pressure, something I wouldn’t have done without expert advice.

The following week was a completely different experience. I stuck to a slower easier pace and managed the run without issue. It was a huge mental breakthrough which shows that not every obstacle has to be attacked head on. I am truly indebted to Shari at Green Strides Fitness for all the support, check-ins and the amazing training plan that’s guided me through the process and got me ready for the marathon.

As we get closer to the big day I’m backing off the running in a process called tapering. My instinct is to go out and do more long runs but the proven scientific advice is clear – taper, recover, fuel and trust the work you’ve done.

I’m nervous. The farthest I’ve run is 23 miles, which is close enough to be confident I can cover the full distance. I also know those last few miles will demand something extra physically and mentally, but I believe I can do it because I trust in the work that I’ve put in to get me to this point.

I’ve had a love-hate relationship with the training process. I’ve lost a stone in weight and I feel as fit as I every have for my cardio fitness. I’ve learned lots about running, pacing, fuelling and recovery. I understand consistency over motivation by constantly connecting back to why I chose to take on this challenge. What gets you though is having a clear reason why you are doing something in the first place.

As you may know, I’m running to raise some money for Alzheimer’s Scotland. It’s a charity that’s become important to me as I’ve come to understand the impact it has on those diagnosed with the disease but also because of how it impacts family and friends of those living with the disease. I’m very grateful for all the donations given so far – thank you!!

Craig’s JustGiving Page

A few months ago running a marathon felt like it might be beyond me. Now, I feel pretty confident that I can do it. Not because of anything superhuman, but because I stayed consistent, took advice, trusted the process and kept moving in the right direction, even on the days I didn’t feel like it.

Soon there’s only one thing left to do…