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by Coach Patrick McCrann

Racing a marathon is more like making a five-course dinner than lacing up your race flats on a whim and ripping your local 5k.  There are so many different components to the day – your plan, your mission, your pacing, gear, nutrition, etc. – that it can easily get away from you.  Take a few minutes to review each segment, and you will be in a good place on race day. 

By the time race day arrives, most athletes have a “plan.” They know their target HR zones, when to eat, how to approach the start, etc.  While constructing this plan is an important part of building a successful race day, keep in mind that plans – like rules – were made to be broken.  Be ready to adapt when the environment forces your hand (in your rush to get to Hopkinton on race morning, your forgot your pre-race snack – what do you do?), and think instead to your overarching goals (you wanted a bagel, smile and start asking folks for some help) and then find a way to meet them where you are.  A good plan can help you on race day; an outdated plan can hurt you.

The keys to marathon racing are (a) avoid making mistakes and (b) do not slow down.  Thanks to your training, your body already knows what to do – don’t let your mind get in the way!  People, when fatigued, begin to slow down.  It’s when they lose focus, however, that they start to make mistakes.  Keep your focus by targeting a specific zone for each element of the race.  As I mentioned before, The Zone is defined by what you can control.

Run Zone

Your run zone should be forward-focused, containing the next 2-3 aid stations. How long will it take you to get there? What will you do when you do get there? What food do you need? In other words, don’t think about mile twenty when you are at mile eight!  It may also help to set a run benchmark (i.e., the 18- or 20-mile mark) where you know your personal battle will begin – focus on getting yourself there and then focus on winning the battle to get to the finish line.

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