From Head to Toe
The Anatomy of a Long Distance Runner
With the exception of elite and seasoned club runners, the vast majority of runners on 26th April will be focused sensibly on completion of the course rather than personal best times. For them, the London Marathon is tremendously personal; the target finishing time of other athletes should be irrelevant. The streams of runners speeding past you during the early part of the Marathon may well be younger, more physically fit and anatomically attuned to distance running than you. Therefore co-habit the course with them but avoid getting involved in their race!
The depth of your sense of achievement is dependent on a wide range of factors: the quantity and quality of your training regime; the tapering period (last 2-3 weeks) before race day; negation of rapid changes of pace and regulated intake of liquids and energy gels.
Remember that there are no official prizes or appearance money for most of the participants so the overriding consideration ought to be how best to enjoy Marathon Day, bearing in mind that the experience is likely to be tougher than anything you have endured previously.
I have invariably used the acronym PACE to govern the mental aspects of my run where:
P = Positive outlook: aim high but do not overstretch the mark! Ignore the exploits of other runners particularly those who sprint past you, cut you up or are generally thoughtless in their pursuit of 'glory'.
A = Adaptation: be open to adjusting your race plan; listen to what your body is telling you and seek help from others if you feel 'under the weather' at any time. There is no shame in pulling out; safety and health must be the highest priorities.
C = Character: draw on the essential aspects of you as a person; namely, determination (quiet and understated); perseverance and resilience.
E = Enjoyment: breathe in the waves of joy and encouragement, emanating from the crowd.
Coming up:
Next: On Thursday David will share some further thoughts on the psychology of marathon running.
Soon: How to follow David and Olivia live as they run the 2026 London Marathon.
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Posted by David & Nobby
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