Why you should run a marathon

The Marathon has been an Olympic distance since the modern Olympics started in 1896 in Greece.

The tale upon which the modern Olympic Marathon rests is the mythic run of Pheidippides from Marathon to Athens. He was a professional messenger and, in 490 BC, is supposed to have brought a message from the plains of Marathon, where the Greek Army had just won a crucial battle against the invading Persian Army of General Datis. After the battle, in which he may have taken part, he was dispatched to Athens to deliver the news: “Rejoice, we are victorious' '. He did this, and no more, dropping dead with the delivery.

A month before the Olympic (1896) race a Greek Championship event was held, in which 11 competitors ran from Marathon to Athens. This was the first ever Marathon race. The distance from Marathon to Athens is nearly 42 KMs.

The official distance for the modern marathon is kept at 26.2 miles or 42.192 Kms.

When I say you should run a marathon I don't literally mean that you should run the whole 42 kms. It could be a half marathon, 10k or even 5k. The concept here is to push your body and mind beyond your expectations and physical capacity.

Running a full marathon is a mammoth task for me which requires more than a year of training as I have never run more than 6-7 kms in one go. So I decided to run a half marathon. You can choose your distance according to your physique. But remember this distance must be challenging and 3-5 times longer than the distance you can do it today.

I am going to share my journey here and some of the lessons I learnt by doing this. The reason for writing this blog is that what I have learnt through my journey was not only helpful for health and fitness but also the lessons for life.

Settings up your goal

Get registered with any marathon which is near your city. Set your distance according to your physique. Ask yourself how much running is challenging for you and what distance will make you feel accomplished when you finish it.

Lesson: set your goal higher, it will make you hungry for big achievement.

Settings up your pace

Remember, distance is important, speed is not. Set up your pace 20 % short of the cutting-off time for the race. So If your pace is off on your race day then also you'll have a buffer time for finishing up before time. If you set the pace fast then there is a chance of burning out early and not finishing the race at all.

Lesson: slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be.

Working hard

This is the most boring but most important part of the race. Now you have your target distance and target time in which you want to finish. I chose a half marathon (21 kms) for my race and 3 hrs as my target to finish. I started 2 months before the race day, and worked on my running at least 3 times a week. In this process, I came to know my strengths and weaknesses. I tried to overcome my weaknesses. I worked on breathing patterns while running. There are periods of running and brisk walking alternatively so you don't get fatigued.

Lesson: hard work is the key to success.

A trial run

You should have at least one long run before race day. This will give you confidence if you can do this or it could be an eye-opener that you need to work harder. I suggest that the long run should be at least 50- 75% of the race distance and you should complete this distance easily with the same pace as you have planned for race day.

Lesson: Don't be overconfident, must do a reality check once in a while.

Race day

Finally, the day has come for which you have worked hard. Prepare for the race day in advance. 2-3 days before the race day don't run long distances or fast pace. Give your legs some rest for recovery from earlier runs. You can go for leisure walks though. Eat light food the previous day and have a good night's sleep.

Lesson: working hard is not always the answer, sometimes you should take a rest and rejuvenate yourself for the next battle.

Nervousness and warming up

At the venue there are lots of people, Some are pro athletes, some are fitter than you. Maybe you are running this for the first time and some people are doing this every season. It's normal to be nervous for your first race. But remember you are not competing against anyone but yourself. Warm up your body by light stretching and let go of the anxiety and nervousness.

Lesson: don't underestimate yourself by comparing yourself with others. Your goal should be the better version of yourself every day.

First 3rd (0-7 km)

I have divided the race distance into three parts. Starting is always difficult. Don't mind the slow start. It's ok to be a little off the pace in the first 3rd of the race. Your only goal in this part is to not get tired. Try to find your rhythm. Look around yourself you'll see older and less fit people also running beside you. Take inspiration from them. If he/she can do it, I can do it too.

Lesson: Get inspired by people around you.

Middle 3rd (8 -14 km)

This part is the most enjoyable. You have found your rhythm, pace, and confidence. Try to be cheerful and enjoy the journey.

Lesson: sometimes the journey is more important than the destination.

Final 3rd (15-21 km)

It is the most difficult one. You may feel exhausted, breathless, and tired. You may feel fatigued and have pain in the ankle or in the calf. Sometimes the pain may extend up to the back because of the continuous rotation of the spine. Generally, you would give up at this point, this is your limit. This will happen because we have chosen the distance beyond our physical capacity. Now is the time to test your mental strength. Don't think whether you can do the remaining 7 or 5 km, just think of your next steps. Can you take the next step? Yes, you can. Can you take one more? Yes, you can. Focus on the next step every time and just keep moving forward. Remember, you are a marathoner - you don't quit.

Lesson: it's not about how hard you can hit, it's about how hard you get a hit and can keep going.

Joy of finishing

All the hard work has paid off and now you have crossed the finish line - a personal barrier, be grateful and graceful while you enjoy the freedom. Marathoner adjective does not describe one's physical attributes , but describes one's mental strength. That's why I say , Once a marathoner, always a marathoner.

Life is a never ending marathon , keep moving forward.