This is a guest post by David Damron of Running Somewhere.
With every ounce of my body worn and every emotion from my soul being exposed, I stepped across the finish line of the 2006 Corelogic Sacramento Cowtown Marathon with a time of 4:06:48.
Then, I cried for the next 30 minutes.
To this day, I like to ignore the fact that it was probably the pain coursing through my body that brought about the overwhelming emotion and tend to focus on the idea that the emotional high of finishing a marathon was finally allowed to be free. I was a marathon finisher.
On that day a handful of years ago, I learned that it doesn’t take being an expert to finish a marathon. All it takes is putting one foot in front of the other…for a very…very…long…time.
How You Can Become a Marathon Finisher & Live to Talk About It
The first time I truly understood what a marathon was, I thought “they”, being marathon runners, were crazy and that I could never accomplish such an idiotic and painful feat nor would I want to. A few years later, I found myself at the starting line of 26.2 miles and one incredible experience.
Honestly, I could stop there and let you believe that finishing a marathon was like finishing a gallon of cookie dough ice cream. We both know that they both don’t end well though. You’re in pain and regret the decision to complete such a task half way through. Fortunately for you, this guide will help you accomplish something more self-fulfilling than finishing a carton of fattening ice cream.
Throughout this guide, I will detail the process, approach, mindset, and plan for teaching you how to complete a marathon. This guide will not help you win the next marathon, rather become enough of an expert to have the opportunity to brag about finishing one.
Before continuing, please grab a notepad and pen and jot down key points, notes, thoughts, questions, etc. as you read through. This is extremely important because part of your plan of attack is to be as prepared as possible. The more thought and dissection you bring to marathon planning, the likelier you are to not to collapse when “the wall” hits (more on that later). You will find tasks throughout which will keep you on track while setting you up to succeed and eliminating the chance of failure.
Let the fun begin…
The #1 Way to Finish a Marathon is…
This journey from no miles to twenty-six point two is 100% possible and you need to know that from the get go. The #1 way to finish a marathon is committing to the idea that you will finish it whether that is by running, jogging, shuffling, walking, crawling, and/or a little bit of them all. All you have to focus on during training and the race is putting one foot in front of the other until you cross that finish line.
So, here is your first task, take a piece of paper and write down the following:
I will finish the marathon.
Now, post this somewhere in your home or car that you will see every single day from now until race day. By the marathon, this will be so ingrained in your brain that come mile 23 you will be talking yourself off the marathon ledge in no time.
How to Pick a Marathon
To many non-runners surprise, marathons are now quite frequent in your own neck of the woods assuming you are within 50 miles of a major metropolis. They may not all be the New York City Marathon, but they all cover the same distance.
When picking a race, make sure to pick one that allows for four to five months of training (more on this later).
Finding one near you is as easy as checking out one of these sites:
Runners World Race Finder: One of the most comprehensive guides on the web, Runners World can narrow down your search even to the race type like chip-timing (time tracking device). Runners World is always the go-to site for a beginner.
Active Running Race Search: Provides a search tool (on the left side of the site) that is just as detailed as Runners World. The benefit here is that most races in every corner of the United States use Active.com as their sign-up source. Thus, you will find more of the smaller races listed here than on Runners World. The unfortunate part is that the search is sometimes overwhelming and inaccurate in regards to what is a race and what is just a group doing a training run.
GetSetUSA Search : Like Active.com, I seem to find the most obscure races that I would have never known about here. GetSetUSA is a highly comprehensive site that I think will continue to grow. Only downfall for their growth is that Active.com has become such a huge powerhouse in race sign-up sales. This is still a top source.
Advice on Picking the RIGHT Marathon
Love my wife to death, but traveling to races seems to bring about more stress than racing locally. Her best races are when they are within driving distance of our front door. When it comes to my marathons, I crave destination marathons. As you can see, picking the right marathon is critical to making the experience a good one for you.
Local marathons offer the comfort of home and knowledge of the area. You know exactly how long it will take to get to the start area. You will be as prepared as possible and, if something comes up, you can adjust accordingly. Through running a local marathon, you will be able to have the most support of friends and family. Local marathons can reduce the overwhelming feat of the marathon itself.
Destination marathons are those that you travel to and often make a vacation out of the journey. Traveling to a marathon can bring about heightened awareness of what you need for your race and keep you on your toes in regards to being prepared. Traveling to a marathon also brings the opportunity to meet a new city and its people. Often, cities are accepting of big races as they are a major economic boost to the region. If you have never been to the location before, you get a chance to check out, what is often, 26.2 of the best, most beautiful areas of that location.
As you can see there are plenty of pro’s and con’s to each. You will have to make the call as to which is better for you.
What Gear Do You Need
As with any new venture, there is a price tag attached. Luckily for you, there are endless opportunities to get the latest (or near to it) gear and not break the bank.
When it comes to gear, there is one item that the price tag shouldn’t matter. Your shoes.
Shoes are a major part of this undertaking. The right decision is critical and that is why I am not going to list one single shoe here as the shoe to get. Why? Because there is not one shoe that works for everyone. I have tried and/or ran in Vibram barefoot-style shoes, “traditional” thick soled shoes, low-drop shoes, and on and on. To this day, I have found a few shoes that I prefer, but I have yet to find a shoe that works for everyone as well as me.
The key to buying the right running shoe is accepting ignorance and pleading for help. During my first marathons, I ran in run-down (pun intended) shoes that should not have been taken on a 26.2 mile journey. I was being the typical guy and refused to ask some running shoe expert what I should be running in. These days, I do a lot of my own research, but I still rely on the experts at the local running stores. Why? Because they get the most feedback and experience with the shoes out there. On top of that, they have ways of testing what would work best specifically for you. Once I started accepting my ignorance and pleaded for the shoe-gods at the local running store for help, I started to find shoes that were right for me.
If you only take one piece of advice from this entire guide in your journey to completing a marathon, let it be this. Go to your local running store and ask for help picking the right shoe for you.
In regards to other running gear, I suggest picking up what works best for your climate and your feel while running. For example, I wear the same type of Adidas running shorts during every run. They work for me. The same goes with my running hat, climacool technical t-shirts, and headphones. When you head to the running store, take a look around the clothing section and head out to Amazon when you get home to save a bit of money on a new running outfit that works for you.
How to Train for a Marathon
It’s about time we got to the running part. Now that you have the mindset for the marathon, the race picked out, and the gear you want to look cool in, it’s time to focus on the one aspect that is probably the most important – training for the marathon.
Before I begin, I want to share a bit of back-story regarding my own approach to training for a marathon. The longest training run I had prior to my first marathon was 15 miles and I finished in just over four hours. The longest training run I had prior to my attempt at qualifying for the Boston Marathon was 21 miles and I finished in 3:56 and change (due to a race injury). Recently, I ran the Denver Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in 4:21 and change with only a 10 mile training run under my belt. First, these aren’t amazing times and I accept that. Second, my approach hasn’t always been perfect or worked out. Lastly, there is no right training plan for me or for you if your sole goal is to finish a marathon. With that said, I highly suggest following a structured running plan for your first marathon that has been developed by someone who has finished at least a few. There will be times when you may stray from what you should be running, but if you stick to 95% of a training plan developed by someone who knows what they are doing, you will finish the marathon in a lot less pain and suffering.
A key to developing a training plan is to make sure and take it slow at first. It may not seem like it now, but some days you will want to run 5 more miles than you are scheduled to do. Stick to the schedule and you will prevent training injuries that could kill your efforts. Set the goal of competing in the marathon 4-5 months from the day you start training. Any longer and you will lose focus and desire. Any shorter and you might not have enough time to prepare. Obviously, the level of your current running abilities will play a significant role as to how far out you start training.
The following are great sources for developing a training plan.
No Meat Athlete Marathon Roadmap: Matt Frazier’s marathon guide is one of the best I have seen in regards to guiding you to completing a marathon. Sure, he does discuss doing it on a vegetarian diet, but you don’t have to follow the diet plan if you don’t want. It’s simply an additional approach to finishing a marathon. Matt knows his stuff as a Boston Marathon qualifier and I highly suggest this guide.
Runners World Marathon Training: Tons of information for all levels of running with expert advice as well as novice commentary.
Cool Running Marathon Mania: Much like the running advice per Runners World, Cool Running has a wealth of knowledge for all levels. There are a bunch of quick tip articles for solutions to problems that are bound to come up during training.
Jeff Galloway Marathon to Finish Guide : Galloway is a marathon legend and genius that you are bound to read about anywhere you see marathon discussion. He has written multiple books on running and each is considered to be top of the line when it comes to running advice.
What Happens When I Get Injured?
It is quoted that Kenyan kids run up to 10,000 more miles than their American counterparts before reaching the age of 18 (source). In other words, unless you spent your childhood in Kenya, you probably will find becoming a runner to be a rough transition. Along with that, you might find that you aren’t as “agile” as a Kenyan schoolboy.
You name the injury and I have had it. The worst being an injured iliotibial band. I have lost (lots of) toenails. My ankle has been sprained numerous times. Lactic acid makes its home in my legs after long runs. The list could really go on, but I will spare you. The thing is, you will probably find yourself injured in some way at some point. It’s okay though. Every runner gets injured at some point. Hopefully, not race week. It’s a matter of addressing the injury immediately and appropriately.
Your #1 source for running injuries will be Google. If you have injured something running, you are bound to find a cure (actually thousands of them) via a basic Google search.
Since, explaining every running injury would take the rest of my life, I will just go over a few key injuries and ways to prevent and/or cure them.
- Illiatibial Band & Tight Muscles: I injured my IT band during my Boston qualifying attempt in 2008. I found that using a foam roller pre and post training runs and races brought fewer ITB injuries. Matt Frazier has some great advice on foam rolling here. I suggest buying a Trigger Point roller , which is actually hard plastic with an outer edge of tough rubber. Foam rollers can warp while the roughly $45 Trigger point never changes form.
- Lactic Acid Build Up & Joint Issues: Though recent research suggests that lactic acid may not be such a bad thing for the body, I have a feeling you will find yourself, like me, with cramped legs and hips come the end of the workout no matter how well you train. The solution many people have found to resolve much of the muscle fatigue and joint discomfort is to take a 10 minute ice bath following workouts. No, they will not feel comfortable. I have put up with the torture simply because my recovery time has been reduced to just that day following long runs and an ice bath.
Still Have Doubts You Can Finish a Marathon?
I completely understand. Running a marathon is quite the undertaking. Through proper planning and training, it can be accomplished by anyone.
Sometimes, we need something else to propel us to success. Here are a few tips on how to really increase your success rate:
- Find a Partner. Running groups are some of the fastest growing communities in the US. Through the camaraderie and commitment of joining a running group and having running buddies, you will be able to help others complete their goal and they will help you likewise.
- Help a Charity. Team in Training is an enormous charity that supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Runners ask for donations to help the charity via their accomplishment of completing a marathon. Not only will you be accomplishing an astonishing goal, you will be helping others in need.
- Show Off. Run with your smartphone and use the MapMyRun application (don’t forget to turn on GPS settings). Once you are finished with each training run, the program lets you easily share your results on Twitter and Facebook. Show off to your friends your progress. Often, they will encourage you and keep you accountable throughout the months of training.
- Know that Anyone Can Finish a Marathon. Even this guy.
Don’t Believe Me – Ask These Folks
I am no expert on finishing a marathon. I am just enough of an expert to finish without killing myself. However, there are thousands of others out there that are much wiser than yours truly. Here are a few I suggest checking out to find guidance and inspiration:
- Matt Frazier, No Meat Athlete – Frazier went from my level of running to incredible feats including Boston qualifying and finishing an ultramarathon. His vegan-preaching ways have built a huge following at his site and community. His articles are always extremely thorough and honest. Great read for all levels of running.
- Pete Larson, Runblogger – Your average joe running way better than average times. I like to think of Pete as me, just the much much older me.
Actually, this 30-something father and runner shares incredibly detailed reviews of the latest products he has tried as well as running approaches. If you are looking for someone who has done the research themselves and that you can actually relate to, look no further. - Jason Fitzgerald, Strength Running – Jason provides top-notch training advice along with practical running advice at Strength Running. He has a wealth of knowledge and personal running experience to back it up. Definitely hit him up for any running question you might have. He’ll probably hate me for saying that when he gets a hundred emails from you guys.
- Running Somewhere – Shameless self-plug? I know. Hopefully, I can help you become a better runner through my advice and personal experience over at Running Somewhere. I am always down to right an article answering any of your questions, so feel free to send them to me via Twitter or email : runsomecontact [at] gmail.com
- Others? : I know I missed some great resources so please include in the comments section below.
Time to Start Running
The first marathon I finished brought me to tears as I stated earlier. What I didn’t tell you before was how those tears have led me to four other marathon finish lines and countless other running races.
I have accepted the fact that I will not be an Olympic marathon runner. However, I have found myself living the running life that allows me to be expert enough to accomplish the impossible of finishing marathons time and time again.
I’d wish you good luck, but luck has nothing to do with finishing marathons. It’s all about your determination to reach that finish line by putting one foot in front of the other for a…very…very…long…time.
(post image via Flickr)
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Hey Folks!
Thanks to @corbettbarr & @calebwojcik for this opportunity!
If you have any questions, comments, or thoughts, please include them in the comments here or shoot me a message on twitter. You can find me @DavidDamron on Twitter.
I hope this helps you get on track to finish your first marathon.
David Damron
RunningSomewhere.com
Of course David. It is great to have you be apart of the launch of EE.
Especially with such a great post you put together.
David, I was SO inspired to read this today, after having some friends run the ING NYC marathon this weekend and thinking, “Man, I’ll never be among them.”
Another person I’d suggest for anyone who doesn’t believe it can happen is my friend Theodora (www.losingweightinthecity.com). This weekend’s NYC marathon was her second, and she beat her previous marathon time by 40 minutes. She’s lost a lot of weight in the past few years and running is really helping her keep it off.
She’s not paying me to say that or anything. She’s just that awesome.
Hey Joan –
I am glad this gave you some inspiration to look into running a marathon yourself. Never say Never.
Your friend taking down their PR by 40 minutes is astonishing. Especially in a race of that size. Incredible.
If I can be of any more help, please do send your questions my way via twitter (@DavidDamron) or over at RunningSomewhere.com
David Damron
Run Some
Hey David, great write-up! Honored to be listed here – really appreciate that.
Hey Jason –
Thanks for being an inspiration for us all. I know you will inspire through your writing so I hope readers who visit Strength Running will learn as much as I.
David Damron
Run Some
Thanks for this. Reminded me of my first marathon and the ups and downs involved with the training and race.
Another great resource for runners is http://sweatscience.com/
Alex covers a wide range of topics, but running and science are his passions.
Cheers.
Hey Mark –
I just checked out Sweat Science. Thanks for the recommendation. Looks like a pretty interested back and forth with Christopher McDougall there.
Glad I could help bring back the memories of your marathon.
You running any races soon? If you have any questions, shoot them my way.
David Damron
Run Some
I ran the Dublin, Ireland marathon a couple of years back and am looking to run the Victoria, British Columbia (my hometown) marathon next year. My wife and I are expecting our first child so, we’ll see!
I battled a IT band syndrome and plantar fasciitis in training for my first marathon. If you or any other readers are interested in reading what worked for me you can check it out.
http://www.healthynomics.com/2009/02/iliotibial-band-syndrome-marathon-training/
I agree with you in that a foam roller saved me!
Any advice on what’s worked for you or other readers with regards to plantar fasciitis would be appreciated.
All the best.
I was pretty excited to read this post. This new blog is great and I as I just learned from reading your post, the content is going to be great too.
In 2009, I was serving in Iraq (my 3rd tour) as an active duty Soldier in the US Army. My First Sergeant (1SG) had ran a marathon in the past and he loved to brag about it. I couldn’t blame him. Though I have been an athlete the entire 27 years of my life, I never had the guts to run over 10 miles at once. I’m a sprinter.
Being one of the most athletic and in-shape guys in my Field Artillery unit, I was known as the 150lbs-soaking-wet guy. Really, it’s more like 165lb but I’m 5’10″… so I have a decent shape. My old, beer-bellied 1SG decided to call me out on the fact that I hadn’t ran a marathon. Bad idea (for me).
In November of 2009, there was the Seattle Marathon. In Baghdad, Iraq, the marathon was mirrored! My most senior Soldier, myself, and our 1SG hopped on a blackhawk and went from our camp to Baghdad to run the marathon.
I had no training (outside of Army physical fitness) and I had never ran more than 10 miles at once. All I had was your first tip:
“I will finish the marathon.” (Mixed with a little “I will shut my 1SG up.”)
I finished that marathon in the Baghdad sun (and dusty air) in 4 hours and 31 minutes.
Was it the best time? Nope. It’s right at the male average time in the US, though. To this day, I still can’t believe how foolish I was to just jump out there as if it was a 5 mile run.
Truly, I was only able to do it because I decided that I would long before the whistle blew (no gun fire… we don’t like that out there).
GREAT article, my friend.
Hey Sean –
First, thanks for serving our country well. I appreciate it and hope you are home safe and sound for good.
Second, that’s an incredible story. I’d love for you to possibly share via a guest post and some more detail over at Running Somewhere if you feel so inclined. I think it would be great to share.
Lastly, its crazy how, we as guys, can become so focused when others brag. I started my running life after a drunken night with buddies where one started bragging about his 5k time. After that, I started training like crazy and now am a running freak. Not a very good one, but I hold my own.
Thanks again for sharing. Hope to connect some more.
David Damron
Run Some
Thank you for the support! I actually finished my service to our country on November 2nd. Yup… my 8 1/2 years of serving ended just one week ago. I am no longer SGT Davis… I am now a proud veteran with many memories.
I would absolutely love to write a post for your blog. There’s a nice little twist to the story that I was going to put on here but now I think I’ll save it for your blog. I’ll contact you once I am done here.
I agree that our egos can definitely play the role of motivation sometimes. I was definitely humbled, though, when I hit my wall at mile 17 lol. Our run course was two identical 13.1 mile laps. Not only did I shut my 1SG up, his full marathon became a half marathon when he realized that a 2:26 half would not lead to a full under 5 hours… which was the goal.
Shortly after the run, he told me that he never finished his first marathon either. He just wanted to see if I had the heart!
Again, great article and you’ll hear from me shortly.
Sean
Really enjoyed reading about your Marathon journey. I am now in training for the Virgin London Marathon in April 2012. By training I mean I am at the stage of going out once aweek but I will be running three times aweek by Christmas.
My own goal when running a marathon is to cross the finishing line looking and feeling good. Everthing else is secondary to that.
My own tip with shoes is to find a pair you like and when they get too old take them along to the shop and say I want a pair that is the equilvent of these.
Nice post I will think about it during the comming months when I am running the cold,fosty,snowy lanes and paths of a UK winter.
Hey Patrick –
Thanks for your comment!
I really want to run the Virgin marathon one day. I loved london and Richard Branson is an idle of mine.
Another tip, once you find the shoes you like, go out and buy a second pair right then. While training, rotate each pair for each run. The reason is that if you wear one pair to its final days then start fresh soon before the race, the new ones will fit differently. If you interchange between both, you wont have such a drastic shift come race day.
If you have any other questions, feel free to send them my way.
David Damron
Run Some
If you love destination marathons, I believe there is race that follows the original route. It’s called the Athens Classic Marathon. That would be epic!
Hey Benny –
You are right. Here’s the link:
http://www.athensclassicmarathon.gr/marathon/fMain.aspx?lang=en-US&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
David Damron
Run Some
Very cool article David!
I enjoy running because I guess is the only time of day I am in absolute peace (I run without a cell phone if that means anything) and since I started acquiring ideas for my business when I run, I haven’t stopped.
I am currently preparing for a half marathon in Mazatlan, Mexico which takes place in less than 30 days. After not running anything for a very long period, I have found that I’m struggling like hell but I am trusting on my muscles memory for this, if I feel prepared I will run, if not then I’m going to be very, very mad at myself unless I run it anyway.
My best times for a half marathon were 1:57 (which is pretty bad I know LOL) and my somewhat ‘decent’ time at a 10K was 46:17 which was in Los Angeles on the first Nike Human Race.
I can’t wait to start preparing for my first 26.2 race, I’m planning a trip to run NY on 2012, I’m not really sure if I’ll run another one prior that one but it is unlikely.
I really enjoyed your article although I was expecting to read more on ‘Hitting the Wall’ topic but I really read everything with a smile on my face anyway.
Hope you keep writing, will surely look for more of your great advice!
Sergio
Hey Sergio –
My apologies for not including the “hitting the wall” part. Might have to see if I can add a bit to the post after the fact. Have to check with Corbett.
1:57 is an amazing time. Don’t be ashamed of that. I always say that anything under 2 hours for a half and 4 hours for a full is something to really pound your chest about. Great job!
In regards to your possible up-coming half, train but if you dont train enough, still run it. Look what Leo did with no training at all. I definitely believe you can too.
Good luck and shoot me any questions you might have.
David Damron
Run Some
David, what a great and comprehensive post! I’m proud of you for being featured here! You deserve it.
When I trained for my first half marathon, I found that I liked to be comfortable on race day. That means the same socks I was used to running in and the same shorts. I wanted to be comfortable. Not a good day to try new equipment!
The same for my breakfast I ate before the race. I kept it the same as what I would use before my long training runs.
It worked out for race day.
I’m really out of shape now, but reading this post has got my juices flowing to do another half marathon.
Great post!
Hey Benny –
The same is usually the best approach. I am a complete hypocrite on this a lot of times. I need to be better at sticking with what works.
Glad to hear this inspired ya to possibly get back out there pounding pavement.
David Damron
Run Some
Awesome post!
I can relate to the emotional feeling after finishing a marathon
I remember I was crying too when I finished my first one in August 2006 (Helsinki City Marathon). I run my latest marathon one month ago and it was my 14th one.
I’m actually both a triathlete and marathon runner, but I’m focusing more on running next year. Hopefully I get close to 3 hour mark next season.
One thing that I learned the hard way (like 99% of the marathon runners I guess) is to start out calmly and save your power till the end. I just love the feeling, when I have only few miles left, but I can still increase the speed of my running.
Cheers,
Timo
Hey Timo –
Thanks for the comment!
I am torn as to whether holding yourself back is the best thing. I have done both and I have had better results giving a great effort for as long as possible and then trudging through the end. When I lay off in the beginning, I seem to still give out around the same point as when I push it early. I need to test this out more and will try to let you know more over at Run Some.
David Damron
Run Some
The only other thing I wanted to add that I wish I knew when I first started with marathons was having my first one be on a flat trail/fire road, which meant less of a beating on my legs (and in-turn my mind) encouraging you to keep with it. Too many of my friends stop after their first marathon because of the beating your legs take.
For an example, check out the VIrginia Creeper Trail marathon.
Happy Trails!
The Gear Monger
thegearmonger.com
I have my first marathon lined up for the 28th of April, raising money for a local hospice. I am determined to finish and reading articles like this one help be keep the belief that I will.