This morning I decided to venture out into my ‘hood for an easy 6 mile run. Temps are cooler this week but it was nice and humid so I worked up a good sweat. Now if the highs could just be about 20 degrees lower I would be a happy camper.
My legs were feeling a little dead today after my run last night (5 miles + strength training in my apt gym) so I knew today would be an easy day. There were many times during my run this morning when I wanted to cut it a little short but I knew I wanted to hit a solid 6. After about mile 4 I got a little bit of a second wind and headed home to hit just over 6 miles.
One of the runners I coach over at Luke’s (who is running Marine Corps as her very first marathon, yay!) asked me a great question about hitting the marathon “wall” a few days ago. Those of you that have run a full marathon before know exactly what the proverbial marathon wall is. Your energy stores get depleted and you really feel like you have nothing left to keep going. It’s something that is truly hard to describe to someone who hasn’t experienced it. Doing some research I found a great explanation of this from the Running Planet.
When I ran my first marathon in Chicago the biggest mistake that I made was starting out entirely too fast. The crowds were exhilarating and made me feel so powerful right at the start. I had so much energy that I pushed right through all of my glycogen reserves and I had nothing left in the tank in the back half of the race. Of course my goal for the first one was just to finish but at the end I knew why I had blown up. Going into my 2nd, 3rd and 4th marathons I used that 1st one as a learning experience and knew just how to hold back in the beginning to avoid hitting that wall. When I ran MCM last year I held back just enough, and PR’d with that sub 4 finish.
This year I do not know if I will PR, but I am going to go and see what happens. I have put in the training, the speedwork during the week, the long runs on the weekends, and I am praying that my hard work will pay off in October. With God and my mental toughness on my side I know that I will fight til the very end. And push through those barriers and those walls. I am going to trust my power!
Have you ever hit “the wall” during the marathon? How did you push through or overcome that wall? What MANTRAS do you use to get you through a hard run or tough workout?
It is freaking humid out, isn’t it? Ugh. I think tomorrow and the weekend will be MUCH better. I’ve only ever hit the wall in one marathon, the Boston Marathon. Of course, right? It’s because everyone tells you about the crazy hills and you train for the uphills but noone tells you that the course is basically all DOWNhill. 16 miles of it. My quads were trashed by mile 20. I was in so much pain but my bf who ran the last 6 with me kept me going. I have a mantra. I say over and over: “light, easy, smooth, and fast”. Kinda cheesy but it works….sometimes
You’re gonna kill it this year!
I like that mantra! And how AWESOME that you’ve run the Boston Marathon, that is truly an honor and a desire of mine to run it one day!
eek I think that is what scares me the most about running a marathon is hitting a wall, I just don’t know what I would do! You rocked that marathon, way to go!
Hitting the wall is definitely tough but I have no doubt you would rock the marathon distance, my friend!
Chelsea, you are amazing! And yes, my mantra is I’m gonna run until I can’t hear anyone or anything (totally focus on the task as long as possible).
Sometimes that “focus” takes me out in front, sometimes it’s behind other runners…just depends on the environment. PACE IS EVERYTHING.
I definitely believe that you have that focus needed to get through the tough parts of this race! Just keep your mental game strong and you will do great. I am rooting for ya girl, we are going to have FUN!
I hit the wall at mile 22 last 2 marathons so 3rd time around I will do it a little differently. Take it slower at the beginning and hopefully finish strong. That said, I embrace the ‘wall’. It’s my validation that I gave it my ALL and then some.
You are going to do great Shirley! Trust your training and keep your mental game tight.
Booya! This post just pumps me up. I dig your mental fortitude and how prepared you are (mentally and physically) for your upcoming 26.2. You’ll rock it. PR, baby!
Aww thanks Erin!
Hey! Love your blog!
And, yes. I’ve definitely hit the wall around mile 22 of my first (and only) marathon. That’s around the time I had to give myself 5-second walk breaks or walking through all of the water stations. I just play mental games like running to the next street light, and then the next stop sign, and then the next water station. I had to break it down into small portions instead of thinking about the 4 giant miles ahead of me.
Yes, mental games definitely make a huge difference!
the humidity in san diego has been in the high 70%!! …sweating buckets just walking to class
I expect to hit the wall in a marathon, it’s the nature of the beast!
During the marathon I mentally prep for the wall, and pretend like I’m running towards it!
I hope you’ve been having a great week so far!
xoxo!
haha I love it! Run thru that wall and crush it down!
I have never run a marathon, I can’t imagine the mental strength/ will power you would need to push through. It is so hard not to over do it in the beginning.
It definitely is mental more than anything!
You’ve trained hard, done what you can, and now it’s time to focus on how awesome you’re going to do!
I think if you worry too much about a wall you’ll always be afraid of it, I say you go out there to give it everything you can and that’s all you can do. I remember during my marathon that all sorts of crazy thoughts go through your head, lol.
I totally agree…I think it’s better if you put not so much emphasis on it and just relax and enjoy the ride