I’m taking a year off from the marathon, but I’m busy every week making my “next marathon goals”. I’ve been thinking about my secrets to success, hoping to uncover something that might take me to the next level. I’ll continue to update you as I think of more, but here are a few “secrets to success” that I came up with so far.
- Believe in yourself. I wrote about this in my recent ME Monday, and I can’t emphasize it enough. You HAVE to believe in yourself to get anywhere near your goals. It seems like the most simple concept, but it can be the hardest for most runners (people).
This is my confident/determined racing face.
- Trust and commit to your training. Find a coach or training plan you can trust and commit to that training. Don’t worry about other people’s training. There are so many blogs, twitter updates, training logs to check out, but too much obsessing over others’ training can make you lose focus on your own training. Everyone is different. What works for me isn’t going to work for you. Sure, we can learn from each other, but you need to find a training plan you believe in and totally commit to it.
- Do your training. Yes, are definitely times you need to skip a run, or rearrange your training schedule (I rearrange ALL THE TIME to fit my life and the way my body is feeling) but to be successful you have to do the training. It seems a little silly to mention this but it’s important. I remember arriving at college and my coach asked how much of the summer training plan I followed. When I looked at him puzzled and answered “all of it, what do you mean?” he was in shock. This is when I first realized that many people don’t follow their training plans. If you stick to a consistent schedule, you will be much closer to your goal.
Family run time. Getting the training done and having fun!
- Have a support system. A support system can be family members, friends, or babysitters who watch your kids while you run. It can be buddies who meet you early every Sunday morning to make sure you get your long run done. It can be online friends who support your training and help you through the rough weeks. They can help you physically by running with you or cheering on the race course, or they can help you emotionally. Whatever the support system is, find one and it will make your running improve.
Those are my 4 top secrets to success! Do you have any to share?
I appreciate your tips. I think the hardest one, for a lot of people I’ve met, is the support system issue. It sounds like you’re blessed with a great one and I am, too.
My family has to bend over backwards, sometimes, to accomodate my running schedule. I try to never take that for granted.
You may have covered this in an earlier post, but why are you taking a year off the marathon?
Yes, the support system is hard for most people and I appreciate mine and try to remember to tell them often! As far as taking time off from marathons, I ran 3 marathons in a year and I just wanted some forced time away to think and come back with a strong desire to do it. I also wanted to run lower mileage for awhile and do shorter faster races. The time away from the marathon is working because I’m already really itching to ramp up the mileage and race a marathon again!
This is an awesome post. So simple. Yet so easy to get caught up and forget these “secrets.” THANK YOU FOR WRITING THIS POST! I needed to be reminded of these things as I have been struggling with my training for the past couple of weeks. I feel like this weekend has been a turning point and your post is the icing on the cake!!! So thank you for this great, great post!
I’m so glad you liked it, Beth!
I’ve been trying to ‘catch’ a marathon for the last few years. Babies, military and everything else have led me to many DNS’ as well as some downgrades to half marathons, but I’m FINALLY ready to bite the bullet [done with kids and military-wise we’ll be here for at least a year!].
I think the hardest thing for me is sticking to a schedule, while the thing I can always count on is my support system. A lot of other moms here are runners, and my husband is always encouraging me out the door. Heck, my mom [non-runner] will always ask me what I’m training for and how its going. I just need to muster up the strength to GET OUT after a day full of kids/laundry/dishes/dinner/meltdowns, etc.
Well, I’m glad you have the support! Are you able to workout first thing in the morning? It’s much easier for me to get out first thing so the stresses of the day haven’t hit me yet.
I’ve been wondering what your marathon agenda is… I’m also excited to hear what your goals are, when you are ready to share, if you decide to!
I agree with all of your points, I have found all 4 of those to be true as well! I’ve also learned for me to be successful I must be patient, Rome wasn’t built in a day. And not to worry so much. Which also is not obsessing over every mile etc.
Yes, patience is a big one, Kristy! I’ll share my marathon plans one of these days.
I can tell you my ultimate goal is to make the next Olympic Trials in either the marathon or maybe even on the track. 
I’m really over the top excited for you! I hope to be able to cheer you on along the way at some point not over the internet but in real life! ha!
Me too! We need to run together next time I’m in your area!
I really appreciate you sharing your secrets to success! I think sometimes we all overthink things and it undermines our training. I can’t agree with you more on your 4 secrets and I feel you really hit the nail on the head. I always remember to make sure I take full advantage of rest on my rest days and give it my all on my hard days.
Taking advantage of rest days is huge. I think I can hit my workouts so hard because I take my rest/easy days so easy! Good one!
I agree with all of the above! Thanks for the reminders.
I would say to remember that if it is important to you, it is important, no matter what others may say!
This is a great post and reminders about the necessary pieces to a successful race.
I also found that I have to pay close attention to my nutrition. I need to make sure am properly fueling my body to be able to do all the training necessary to reach my goals. Then on race day, I need to make sure I am also taking in the proper fuel.
Yes, nutrition is a good one! I have struggled with race-day nutrition and it can ruin a race!
Running was a great way for me to find a social support system in my new town. So almost the reverse happened for me. I was committed to running but needed a social network, and bam — two for one. I love runners and their group running.
Isn’t that great how running introduces us to some of our favorite people?!
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