This isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve trained for races before. I’ve picked a goal, set out a plan and started training. And yet it always comes as a surprise when it starts to feel hard, and then the doubts set in.
Pre 10 miler – didn’t want to go
This week I was running on the treadmill doing 2x 2 miles at 7:24/mile pace. The first mile went ok, and then it started to get a bit harder. I stared down at the numbers ticking over on the display in front of me and I willed them to go faster so my legs could go slower.
It felt hard. And then the doubts came.
I can’t do this.
I can’t run a faster half.
I don’t want to run faster, I just want to sit down here and do nothing.
But it’s only week two of training. Last week’s miles won’t have kicked in just yet, it’s bound to feel hard and we’ve still got a long way to go.
When I was training for Edinburgh Marathon this year, 10 miles at marathon pace felt hard until one week before. And in those last 10 magical miles of training at race pace, my confidence soared and my doubts all but disappeared.
I know all this, but when I’m staring down two more miles at 7:24 pace, I forget it. But then something else happened. I watched that distance gauge click over to two miles for the second time, I reached out my hand to press the cool down button, but my hand hovered over it for a second (as well as a hand attached to an arm attached to a person running on a treadmill can hover). A few more seconds were all it took for me to realise that, actually, yes it was hard but I could keep going.
And then of course I hit stop and sweated all over the place.
Feeling very Olympic
Week 2 Running
Tuesday
2x1200m + 4x800m on the treadmill for a total of 5 miles
Thursday
6.6 miles with those pesky 2×2 miles
Saturday
10 miles, easy (slightly hungover) pace
Sunday
4 miles at my old marathon pace (that felt more like 10k pace)
Total: 28 miles (inc. a couple of miles with my beginners
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10
I/we have just walked Ferry Meadows, and you saw my pace last week in London, slow and painful. Today we walked it in 1 hour 15 mins, and I was over the moon as the last walk took 2 hours for the same distance, pain free and a week later I am back to normal, (WELL) so we will keep going just as you do “cos” we can.
Hi Laura,
I’ve been a long time reader of your blog and really like your weekly updates of your training at the moment. They motivate me to do more structured training and less “I’ll just go for a run and see what speed my legs want to run at today” sessions!
Thanks!
Thanks Clare. Best of luck with your training.
As a relatively new runner, I enjoy your blog. I am training for a marathon in December, and am relatively new to speedwork. Per my plan, I was supposed to warmup, run 4 x 800 m w/ 2 min rest between intervals, and then warmdown. I ran 2 and 1/2 of the 800 m intervals, but could only complete half of the third interval. Ultimtaely, I finished up with 3 x 400 m. Have you had something like this happen to you? Any takeaways that I should be thinking about? Thanks. –Richard C.
I think dealing with doubt and fear is one of the hardest parts of running and training for a big race… and also the most satisfying once you conquer a tough workout and prove yourself wrong!
Totally know that feeling about the doubts and that little person in your head telling you to stop. I ran a 100km ultramarathon over the weekend for my 23rd endurance event this year and I actually experienced no mental walls – that’s the second 100km ultra in 2 months where I didn’t really experience any mental walls. How’d I do this? I changed my philosophy of thinking when I run. I just made sure to enjoy the run and not worry about the how long the distance is.
Just enjoy the process instead of the goal and it will be less stressful. Hope this can be of some help!
My mate and I are running 37 endurance events this year to raise $20k for cancer research & awareness. Feel free to check out our site (thewoundedpelicans.com) and if lmk if you’d like to collaborate somehow… maybe we could interview each other or get a pic together.
Thanks so much for this post! It really connected, I have run a few half and full marathons before and I am training for to run a fast one this fall. I have never trained to run fast before, it is usually just to complete it.
As I started my training, some of the intervals felt impossible and painful. And that feeling of how am I going to maintain this for 26 miles set it. It is almost dread.
After a few more interval sessions things are starting to feel better, still tough but better.
It is good to know that others have the same feelings of doubt and they can be overcome.
I will be sure to check back for updates as I get ready for the Philadelphia Marathon.
Thanks! — Steven