Comments on: Fearing the Marathon: My Feelings of Self-Doubt https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html Running Shoes, Gear Reviews, and Posts on the Science of the Sport Sun, 26 Sep 2010 16:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.7.11 By: Jim https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-81116932 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-81116932 Pete – I suspect that your “fear” is a healthy respect for the marathon and your expectations for a BQ. I had a very similar experience this spring at the Vermont City Marathon: I also needed a 3:15:59 BQ which I had failed to achieve in previous attempts (at least partly attributible to trying to qualify at the Manchester City Marathon!). I set my Garmin for a 7:25/mile in order to “bank” a little bit of time – my splits were consistently close, sometimes a bit faster – and even with some GI issues, I managed 3:14:50. I think that all of your hard training is going to pay off in ways that you don’t expect – if you’ve trained on the same Concord hills that I have, you definitely have that part covered – all you have to do is stick to your race plan and take what the race gives you. I’ll be running the marathon on Sunday as well – couldn’t pass up a race that bills itself as the “flattest and fastest” in New England – hope to see you achieve your goal! You can do it.

]]> By: Rick https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-81006354 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-81006354 check out this negative split chart http://feelrace.com/fr.pl?th=M…
I think you need to concentrate on all the positive stuff and put the rest out of your mind, there are so many things you could worry about, but whats the point.
just go out and do your best, you can do no more.

]]> By: Daniel K. https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-81558066 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-81558066 Planning is the key for me.

I have a schedule of what to do every day for 1 week before I run the marathon. I follow and stick to this schedule. I plan what time to get up, when to run, when to eat, what to eat, what to do, where to go, make sure I stay hydrated and rested every day, etc..

The day of the race, if I were shooting for a 7:30 pace, I would run the first mile between 7:45 to 8:00… somehow my body and mind are not working together until after the first or second mile into the race. If I am feeling good and start to feel the rhythm I then begin to pick up the pace to move towards at 7:30 to 7:20 pace.

Fear, it is always there… especially if you know you are going to push yourself (after I hit mile 2 it’s gone). Fear never exists if I am running at the same pace with my friends or running for fun.

Good luck… oh yes, and one other option is that you can always slow down if things aren’t going the way as you planned them.

]]> By: Pete Larson https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-81121849 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-81121849 In reply to Jim.

Jim,

Yeah, Manchester is definitely not a race to run for a one-shot BQ attempt!
Tough, tough course. I’m looking forward to Hampton as there are a bunch of
us from the on-line running community running it, and as you say it is
supposed to be fast. Do you live in Concord? Great town, and great place to
run (including the hills!).

Pete

]]> By: AaronF https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-81136703 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-81136703 Pete: one thing I found really helpful is to get a friend who’s not racing to pace you through your wall. Someone people do better with someone hot on their heels, some prefer a rabbit to follow.

-Aaron F

]]> By: Pete Larson https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-81022530 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-81022530 In reply to walt chadwick.

Walt,

Thanks for the advice – that’s probably exactly what I will try to do. We’ll
see how it goes!

Pete

]]> By: Pete Larson https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-576058949 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-576058949 In reply to Pete Good.

Awesome, congrats!

Sent from my iPad

]]> By: Greg Strosaker https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-81574734 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-81574734 If you didn’t fear the marathon, you would be a fool. The right balance of fear and confidence is necessary to deliver a good result, and I think your approach of going out easy and picking it up when you can is the right one when facing a bit of uncertainty. I am a bit of a hypocrite to recommend doing so, since I have never taken such an approach myself, but I do know that when I do reach my final PR, it will come in a race where I surprise myself by going out easy and being able to finish with negative splits, like you did at Disney. Best of luck at Smuttynose Pete, and I look forward to reading your race report.

]]> By: AshwynGray https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-81126496 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-81126496 Pete, this post is so timely for me! And, I really thank you for that. It’s good to know that even a runner as seasoned as yourself experiences some of the same negative thoughts I’m feeling.

My first marathon is three weeks away. And, I was to run my final and only 20 miler this past weekend. But, I bonked that run, not even completing the full 20 miles. So, naturally, I’m having some serious self-doubt issues right now, too. I just can’t seem to get the fueling formula correct. I certainly dread the thought of my first marathon being a terrible experience.

Anyway, obviously, I don’t have an answer for your questions. I just wanted to thank you for this post. I’m sure you’ll rock your marathon, though.

]]> By: Pete Good https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-554104672 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-554104672 In reply to Pete Larson.

Thanks Pete!

]]> By: Pete Good https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-553704809 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-553704809 Hi Pete, I’m 3 weeks out from my first marathon on the Gold Coast in Australia – something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I’ve always been a decent middle distance runner so I thought I could do the marathon relatively easily. However, I ran 32km today and it was a real struggle and now the same self doubt is creeping in. I don’t think I hydrated or fueled well enough today so I hope this will help on race day and I get my target time. I’ll keep reading these marathon posts for inspiration!

]]> By: Greg White https://runblogger.com/2010/09/fearing-marathon-my-feelings-of-self.html#comment-81786475 Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://localhost/runblogger/wordpress/?p=565#comment-81786475 Going through the same thing right now. I’m running Long Beach in 18 days (marathon number 5). After a great summer “off-season” full of trails and hill training, I came down with a seriously gnarly case of shin splints about 6 weeks ago.

I’ve only managed a 23 miler and a handful of 15-18 milers in the past two months and while I feel much better now (some strengthening work and a shoe change), I’m worried about how things might go on race day.

Worried, and yet oddly optimistic.

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