Marathon season nerves: Got maranoia? Time to chillax...
As a host of big marathons, including London and Boston approach, it's time for runners to confront - and defeat - those pre-race nerves
Marathon season is upon us, and with it a host of nervous runners are weighing up whether they’ve done enough training to take on the famous 26.2 mile distance.
Two of the world’s biggest events are set to take place before the end of April - Boston and London, while races in place like Manchester, Hamburg and Belfast are almost upon us.
And that can only mean one thing - social media feeds full of people worrying if they’ve done enough training, or contemplating what to do on that final run before their big event.
Yes, if marathon season is upon us then so are, in this crazy world of everything and everyone being a portmanteau, the joys of ‘maranoia’.
Officially - apparently - defined as the ‘mental anxiety found in marathon runners, characterised by the irrational belief that last-minute disaster is imminent,’ maranoia is the nagging feeling that slight twinge in your glute is Piriformis Syndrome poised to strike you down the second your big race starts.
It’s your mind telling you to do one more 18 mile warm-up, or - conversely - that stepping out of the house in anything less than a full cotton wool bodysuit will lead to injury.
When you’re approaching huge events like the Boston or London Marathons, such nerves can be even worse.
Everyone knows the event is about to happen, coverage is almost impossible to avoid, and most of your friends and family probably know you’re doing it - after all you’ve been on their backs for fundraising donations for months.
On Running Tales, we’ve spoken to experienced runners who’ve headed off on their own, without telling anyone, to take on their first marathon or try for a personal best - such is their fear of failing to hit their goals.
It’s perfectly normal to start questioning all your best-laid plans, wondering if you should take a gel you’ve never tried before or swap your tried-and-tested trainers for a new pair.
Ady Pendred: The late developer who runs sub-three hour marathons
Northamptonshire runner Ady Pendred has more experience of marathons than most - but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t made some mistakes along the way.
Ady, a sub-three hour marathoner, headed to France to run his first 26.2 mile event as he was nervous he might make a mess of it in front of friends and family in the UK.
He finished in just over three hours, but readily admits he got his nutrition wrong along the way - the only piece of pre-race advice he got was from a running club colleague who told him to eat porridge until he was sick.
Ady’s first few marathons were completed in a pair of trainers from Lidl, though he says they are the best footwear he’s ever had.
And at the Milton Keynes Marathon, he came a cropper when following a pacer who half-way through declared he was going to up the pace and raced away, leaving Ady struggling behind.
But none of that has stopped him taking on the distance - and his biggest successes came when he relaxed and ran the marathon without putting any pressure on himself.
You can listen to Ady’s running story in full on the Running Tales Podcast.
As you hit that all important taper time, the voices in your head will be calling you to head out for one last long run or speed session.
The first thing to remember about those pre-marathon nerves is that they mean you care.
That’s an important thing when it comes to your big day, because it’s caring that will get you through those horrible last six miles, or allow you to keep going when your body is screaming that this is madness.
Caring probably means you’ve trained properly. That you’re ready for this challenge.
Running a marathon is as much a mental feat as it is a physical one. Embracing those nerves about the big day means you will have trained properly and are prepared for what you’re about to face.
It’s important in the lead up to a marathon to remind yourself you are capable of achieving your goals. Writing down the preparation you have done, as well as the reasons you wanted to do the race in the first place, can really help.
Reminding yourself of what you are most looking forward to can boost any flagging motivation - whether that be passing Tower Bridge or Boston’s Ashland Clock Tower, meeting up with friends and family along the way, or simply looking ahead to that feeling of crossing the finishing line.
And remember, you can only control the controllables - so focus on those things. There’s no benefits to worrying about the weather being too hot, too cold or too wet, or about catching a freak cold or tripping over a pavement.
Ask yourself what you can influence, whether that be fuelling your body sensibly, making sure you stretch properly or planning your route to the start line.
As for maranoia? Just chillax. Don’t be your own worst frenemy. Get over the line and stick a spork in it.
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