Marathon season is here. There are lots of lessons to be learned, whether its your first or your twenty-first marathon. Today’s Medal Monday celebrates everyone who took part in the London and Manchester marathons yesterday. Seeing all the stories took me back to my first 26.2 miles in New York. Here’s what that journey taught me.
1. You start where you are, not where you wish you were
I couldn’t run three miles when I began training. My solution? I mapped a three-mile loop with one rule: no coming home until I finished it. Walk, run, or crawl – didn’t matter. I was going to complete the distance. It worked. A couple of weeks and I was feeling relatively comfortable over three miles and I was able to build from there.
Showing up consistently beats perfect performance every time.
2. Your body changes in ways you don’t expect
Finding myself ordering water at the pub instead of beer shocked me. Not because I forced myself. My body actually wanted it. Marathon training changes you from the inside out. The biggest surprise was turning up for my regular Friday night drinking session. I was not expecting ‘I’ll have a pint of water please’ to be received very well. This was a group of big drinkers, it was Friday night, and I’m Scottish. They all took it in their stride, made no comments and presented me with a pint of water. People surprise you, often more than you surprise yourself.
3. Race day will test you in ways training never did
Marathon day hit 68°F after a week of bitter cold winds. I’d dressed wrong and spent the first mile stripping off layers, and re-dressing, while moving.
The New York bridges taught me another lesson. Without crowds cheering, it was just me and the road. Those quiet stretches force you to find motivation within. I hadn’t realised how important the crowds were until they weren’t there.
These were the lessons I learned from my first marathon. My second time round I learned not to set unrealistic goals at the start line and many other new things. That’s a story for another time.
4. Your WHY will save you when your legs give out
Three-quarters of the way through, my legs were burning, when I saw someone holding a sign: ‘Remember Why’.
Those two words hit hard at the perfect moment. I was running for my friend who died from a heart attack at 29. My pain seemed small compared to why I was there.
5. What you know and what you do can be different things
This is one of those lessons that if, like me, you were ‘lucky’ enough to learn in your first marathon, it will serve you well in every other run you do. I knew not to try anything new on race day – no new shoes, clothing, fuel. And yet, I still grabbed Gatorade at an aid station when I’d only trained with Lucozade. The stomach cramps were brutal. Luckily I had made it to Central Park before taking leave of my senses, so there were only 2-3 miles to go. Not smart. Even less smart when you know that what you are doing isn’t a good idea.
Knowledge isn’t enough. You have to stick to the plan when it matters most. Here’s my 15-step plan, tried and tested.
6. Mental goals push you past physical limits
I kept telling myself: ‘I want to say I ran the New York Marathon – not parts of it.’ I didn’t want to qualify my achievement.
When I heard finishing under 5:50 would get my name in the New York Times, I pushed harder. And made it.
7. The best rewards aren’t always medals
My marathon gave me something better than a medal – time with my dad. Recently retired and usually against long flights, he came along when he learned I was going alone.
He took so many finish line photos I started to seize up. We spent a week exploring New York together. Now that he’s gone, these memories are precious. So many funny moments, including some classic mishaps that could only happen to him.
First marathon done. Lessons Learned. What’s next?
Finished your first marathon? Celebrated? Marked your first Medal Monday? Now what?
The post-marathon period is crucial. It’s the when you build on your success or learn from what didn’t go to plan.
Many runners miss this opportunity. Either they jump straight into the next challenge without processing what they’ve learned, or they lose momentum entirely.
Here’s some points to consider as you reflect on your achievement. These questions are particularly important if you ran your first marathon and want to take note of the lessons you learned:
- What went well?
- What didn’t go well?
- What would you do differently next time?
- What surprised you?
- What didn’t surprise you?
- Did you feel prepared? What are the reasons why you have answered ‘yes’ or ‘no’?
I help runners make sense of their marathon experience and turn it into a foundation for what comes next? Book a free call today to debrief your marathon experience and map out your next steps as a runner. Don’t let your marathon be just a one-day event. Let’s turn it into a stepping stone for your running journey.
