Hi, my name is Katie and I like running, but I don’t want to run a Marathon. So, I guess that makes me unpopular right? Maybe I should give it a try? It’ll change my life, right?
You see, I love to run, but as the years have passed I’ve realized that right now I like running shorter distances and I shouldn’t feel apologetic or less of a runner because of that. I’m the kind of person who is easily swayed and there was a time when the possibility of running a marathon crossed my thoughts more than once. It wasn’t the training or even the endurance, that stopped me, it was the simple fact I didn’t want it enough.
I find the Half Marathon distance tough, physically and mentally, for me to be able to run a Half Marathon with a reasonable amount of confidence, I’d need around 4-6 months of training. Of course, there are other people who can just pull this kind of distance out the bag with no training or those who enjoy running further and this isn’t about being caught in the comparison trap, it’s about doing what makes me happy.
There are so many elements that go into running a successful Marathon, well, I say that regardless of what ‘success’ means to you. There’s still the balance of training, making the time, preventing injury, nutrition and all that forward planning fills me with stress and anxiety. That’s not to say I don’t feel huge amounts of admiration towards people who run that kind of distance, in fact, anyone that run’s a Marathon is awesome in my eyes, I credit you wonderful folk whom can run 18 miles before breakfast. I credit the people who make it a lifestyle choice, the people who complete the distance as a one-off, or for charity, you are incredible and you do make a difference.
Enough about me. I thought it would be interesting to chat to a couple of ladies who DID run a Marathon and have decided not to chase that distance again…
Naomi Jane – @ohyaynj – Ran Cologne Marathon in 2017
Firstly, which Marathon did you run and why?
Cologne Marathon 2017 – I was actually signed up to Yorkshire, but then I changed my job 12 weeks before & was invited on a trip I couldn’t turn down, so I switched to Cologne as my running club was already planning a trip there. It was the week before Yorkshire was supposed to be.
What would you say was the biggest high from the event?
Another woman running turned to me around mile 23 (when I was walking, grumpy and fed up) and tried to encourage me to run with her. She was speaking German and I didn’t understand, but she managed to tell me that when we started the race she’d seen me and I had helped her pace the beginning well. We ran a mile or so together when I really didn’t feel like running & even though we didn’t speak the same language it really helped to have some company.
I’d love to know, what would be your reason for not completing another marathon?
Basically, all my training went really well, then on the week of the race, I got a terrible cold and chesty cough. I probably shouldn’t have even run, but I did, and I felt absolutely rock bottom from 10miles. I had major hydration/nutrition struggles (which I’ve still not found a solution to) and have told myself I’m not willing to put in so much training effort and time commitment to have it all go so easily wrong on the day!
Julie Godfrey – @TigerJules – Ran The London Marathon
Firstly, which Marathon did you run and why?
I ran London (luckily I got a place through my work, a rare chance so couldn’t turn it down). I wanted to as all my running friends had done one. To start off with I always said I wasn’t interested but then when I was running every weekend with people who were training I felt left out like I wasn’t properly in the club!
What would you say was the biggest high from the event?
Running across the tower bridge and my parents coming to support me. Seeing them in the crowd was great! Sadly I couldn’t find them at the end and I spent over an hour cold and hungry and tired and alone with a dead phone.
I’d love to know, what would be your reason for not completing another marathon?
My feet!!!! As I upped the distances I suffered from constant blisters on the balls of my feet. I bought new trainers, new socks, saw a podiatrist (who just said don’t run) I taped them up but they burned. I rested due to flu and my feet a month before the race. The actual race was OK, it was cramp that got me at mile 21. But I scraped in under 5 hours at 4hr 58mins! I loved it but my feet just never recovered, I still get the blisters no matter what I tried. It’s also a lot of hard work. A long run every single weekend for months no matter what the weather. The long runs used to wipe me out for the rest of the weekend too. And if I ran on a Sunday I was like a zombie at work on Monday. I don’t regret it. But it’s in the bag, I have the medal and now I don’t have anything to prove
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At the end of the day, we’ve all just got to set out to chase the highs that we love and accomplish whatever our running dreams might be. Talk to me, is the Marathon distance one for you?
Katie
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