Marathon Minds

At mile 21 with the Cheer Squad <3 Photograph by James Measom

In the days leading up to the race day, a good few people told me that "only 1% of the global population will run a marathon in their lifetime". One percent. Assuming that this is true, that means 99% of the world won't ever run a marathon. And you know what, I really don't blame them - 26.2 miles is a long way to go. A few years ago just the word marathon sounded like something H-U-G-E, something undertaken by "serious" runners, professional runners, something I certainly was not. It just never entered my head as a possible challenge I could ever undertake.

However, a few years back I only ever ran alone. I did enjoy running, which is why I continued to do so, but I wouldn't say it was exciting for me at that stage. Running was so faded into my routine, my routes never changed and my pace had plateaued. I wondered if I could take it further and so it seemed like the next logical step for me to join a running group. I found out about a group called Still Waters Run Deep through a friend, got over my nerves, joined them for a run one Monday evening and never looked back. Just under 8 months later I had signed up to run Manchester Marathon.

People talk about the mental challenges of distance running and how having a positive mindset propels you into achieving the distance. Before you run a marathon, or any distance really, I think that this is where it starts. Instead of thinking "I can't, this isn't for me" you start to question it. Why not? Why not me? Then when you start training, you start to build confidence. Each mile adds to the mindset of, actually, I definitely could do this. When I ran alone I couldn't have moulded my thinking that way. But when you're surrounded by a network of positive and inspiring people, and when you push yourself, it opens your mind. I saw what other people were doing and running with the Still Waters community made me realise what I could do, what I was capable of.

Signing up for a marathon is one thing, but training for one requires dedication like I've never known before. I'm a pretty ambitious person but I also get bored really quickly (bad combination I know). In the past I've undertaken tasks with the best intentions only to slowly give up on them a few weeks later. But if you want to run a marathon, you actually HAVE to train. There's no two ways about it! If you don't put the work in and do the distances, then you will get injured or face the possibility of not being able to complete the run on the big day. This sounds like it might by really obvious, but going through the whole training process really showed me that you have to stick to something to achieve it.

There are thousands of people out there that go out to run marathons alone and undertake all of their training solo, and that is nothing short of amazing to me. I knew there was no way I would ever sign up to run 26.2 miles on my own. Knowing that I had a network of people to train with, talk to and offer advice and guidance along the way made such a huge difference. I actually looked forward to training runs, more for the people and not the miles toward the end but still, knowing that there are people with you along the way and being able to share your journey with others is so important. For many of us it was our first marathon too, which was a huge bonus.

It's hard for me to talk about the actual marathon without sounding really cliché. I've typed and deleted and re-typed this paragraph so many times so I'm just going to go ahead and fully embrace sounding cheesy. Running the marathon was extremely TOUGH and despite all of the training there was no way I could have prepared for how difficult it would get until I actually did it. At mile 24 I was at a low. I was struggling and even though my mind was powering through my body wasn't co-operating. If any point during the race was the time to give up, that would have been it. It took the kindness of strangers and some very amazing volunteers working at the water station to get me back running again. But I also refused to give up. At major points, and for the majority of the race what it does really come down to is you, your own self-belief and knowing that you can do this. I knew that I would see Still Waters at mile 21, and my parents and boyfriend at mile 23. It gives you such a lift seeing friendly faces in the crowd. I knew that the finish line was at 26.2 miles. All of this kept me going at my most difficult stretch. But before that was just one long run that was just me, doing it.

And I did it.

Me at mile 25. I was not this happy at mile 24! Photograph by Liam Walsh