Why is this so hard?
A big misconception is that marathon training should get easier over time. Reality is training for a marathon is and will always be difficult.
Over time certain elements become less daunting. For example, I know I am capable of running 26.2 miles. But, what I don’t know is if I’m actually capable of meeting the lofty goal I’ve set for myself.
While other elements of training – speed work, long runs, injury prevention and mind games are always a challenge.
I’m in the middle of my eight week of training and so far I’m not feeling like I’ve made much progress. My tempo miles are slower than they were this spring yet, I feel like I’m working harder than ever. The effort is there. I just hope the work translates to faster paces this fall.
My first seven weeks of training basically looked like this:
- 1-2 strength sessions a week (1 barre class + something else)
- 1 tempo run
- 1 easy run
- 1 long run
- 1 recovery run
Week 4 was an impromptu cutback week due to some personal stress and lack of sleep.
I know that true commitment to training lies in being dedicated to the details. Last week I saw my physical therapist, started adding in core work after every run, added in strides once a week and recommitted to foam rolling whenever possible.
Now that I’m in the thick of marathon training, I’ll start to post regular training updates. I’m also tracking all my training runs on Strava. If you’re a strava user, let’s connect!
I feel like I could have written this myself, and in fact, echoed similar sentiments on my last post! This summer has demolished my confidence more than any other training cycle I’ve done. It’s been so incredibly hard and seeing slower paces than I had been doing in the spring has been really demoralizing. I try to keep reminding myself that this has been an exceptionally oppressive summer – our local news station just posted that this August has been the hottest on record in Boston! Hopefully we are all experiencing some nicer weather soon and that it translates into better running!
I hope we having an amazing fall!
Honestly, it has 100% gotten *mentally* easier for me over time — I know what to expect, how the rhythm of training & life fits together, when to push harder & when to back off, & I’ve done the distance enough times that it doesn’t feel looming or scary anymore (which I think was a big part of why my first couple marathon cycles felt mentally harder than later ones). Physically, I feel like how hard it is is mostly determined by how much effort I’m putting into it. I’ve had easier training cycles where I ran less or did fewer workouts for whatever reason, and tougher ones where I worked a lot harder. Any time it starts to feel “easier,” I know I’m not working as hard as I could be. (But, I never expect to put in the same level of effort and have it feel easier.)