It’s a standard thing to have a ‘why’ or a motivating reason for your run. For some people, it’s a test of themselves or to show others it’s possible. Your ‘why’ used as your motivation when things get tough and during 42.195km, it will get tough. Some people write it on their arm in Sharpie as a reminder during the race.
So far I have run 527.23km and spent 86 hours and 44 minutes in specific marathon training. That’s runs and strength training at the gym. It’s not counting bike rides, mobility work or walks.
It’s a lot and I have hit burnout a few times. Even on Thursday I bumped my run to yesterday because I wasn’t feeling it.
And 15 weeks in and one week to go, I don’t have a ‘why’.
What’s my motivation for the Sydney Marathon?
I do a lot of things because, well, ‘why not?”. I moved to the US and became an American citizen because an opportunity came up. The same thing happened with the Sydney Marathon. An opportunity came up and I didn’t have a reason to say no.
Hoever, that’s not really going to help me run for 5 and a half hours.
Instead I’m using a technique monks use to manage pain. Early in the training plan I read Do Hard Things by Steve Magness. In the book, Steve talks about a study on pain reactions. Most people start tensing up and being alarmed when they know pain is going to happen. In the study, people who’d spent considerable time studying Buddhist-style meditations also knew the pain was coming but accepted it and worked their way through it. They described the pain as softer. They felt it, but it didn’t affect them to the same extent.
I can’t summarise it any better than that, so I suggest you read the book for the science. There are a few pages on the amygdala’s approach to threats to the prefrontal cortex that doesn’t fit into a neat paragraph.
The problem with my plan
Problems, maybe? Plural.
First, I don’t have hours and hours of time to study Buddhist-style meditation. I’m also slamming my feet, non-stop, on asphalt for 42.195km. That’s a lot of pain acceptance to do.
So, I’m accepting this will be hard. I’m wearing my perfect cushiony sneakers, eating all the energy goods, and have an audiobook (Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green), a heap of podcasts, and my running playlist to get me through.
There’s no link to buy the book because libraries and your favourite independent bookstore are great options.
Photo by Elisa Kennemer on Unsplash
The Running Marketer 
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