Boston Marathon 2018, a race of truth. What can we learn from their suffering?
Race Preparation, April 18, 2018
A marathon is always a race of truth, but on Monday competitors at the Boston Marathon faced some extreme running conditions. What can we learn from their success or problems, and how can you then be more prepared for your next race?
Photo: Charles Krupa/AP/REX/Shutterstock
On Monday the Boston Marathon was run in such pretty terrible conditions (rain, cold, and a headwind most of the way), which resulted in a lot of DNFs and athletes under-performing. However, there are a few lessons there for those preparing for the next race.
The first is that not every race goes to plan. No matter how well you train it can simply just not be your day. It is not the end of the world, and you are not less of a person because of that. Plus you are fitter than you were 12 weeks ago.
The second is that is doesn't really matter how you feel on race day, or during the race you can still bring out a great performance if you have properly prepared. Here is what the women's winner Desiree Linden had to say:
“Early on the race I was feeling horrible and I nudged her (Shalane Flanagan) and said, ‘I might drop out. There’s a good chance I’m going to drop out today. If you need something … let me know.’ … (I thought) Well I should probably help Molly reconnect to (the leaders). And then I looked back and I was in third (place) and I thought ‘Well I probably shouldn’t drop out (now).’ Honestly I felt miserable, but sometimes when you pick it up and forget about how you’re feeling and just engage for a little bit you can turn everything around.”
So we don't always know what we are going to get out of ourselves, but in order to see what we can do we have to show up and test our boundaries. "Some days it just flows and I feel like I’m born to do this, other days it feels like I’m trudging through hell. Every day I make the choice to show up and see what I’ve got, and to try and be better. My advice: keep showing up."- Desiree Linden.
This quote was from the start of March, so it wasn't just something she said after winning the biggest race of her life and wanting to sound cool. She lives like this every day.
Thirdly race to the conditions. If it is hot, humid, windy, cold, or wet that is how it is. If you race in extreme conditions like you would normally race in great conditions you are going to fail. Paitence becomes more of a key when the termperature drops or raises a lot in the days before a race, asyour body is not going to acclimatise in such a short period, so it will need more energy just to regulate yourself. So if you are feeling good at the start that is good, but don't take off. Save your energy for the last 1/4, and if you still have that good feeling push on. Also throw your expectations a bit out the window and don't focus on the time. Focus on your performance. You should be looking at maintaining your level of effort, which will be a slower pace than you hope, but if you know how to run on feel it will result on your not falling apart in the later stages.
The next point is to be equipped to race in any conditions. You race can be hit with heat, rain, or cold, and if you don't have the right equipment you will suffer. It could also result in you having to buy somehting at the last minute and not knowing if it will fit well over the race distance, and putting yourself in more discomfort.
Despite the weather in Boston Yuki Kawauchi, the men's winner raced in a singlet, arm-warmers, gloves, a hat, and split shorts. I would've done the same ashim, but with maybe a tight fitting undershirt. I run a lot in Jackets, but I would never race in one. If you have good fitting shirts they can protect you just as well, while being more breathable and not blowing around in the wind. If you are having a lot of exposed skin on a rainy day you can use an oil on your skin to provide a layer between your skin and the elements. A simple baby-oil works well enough.
It worked for me in 2011 when it rained all morning and the wind blew at Lübeck. I couldn't break my course record, but I still won, and was warm enough throughout without overheating.
Lastly if on a great day (in terms of results) a marathon is tough. Don't expect that despite being perfectly fit that it will be a walk in the park. Often being fitter just means we can run in the comfortably uncomfortale zone for longer. It doesn't make it easier. BUT you will still have a great day.
We will all have dark patches, but you can come out of them a winner!