Dear First name / friend
It's done! It feels quite surreal to say that I ran the London Marathon on Sunday and, if you follow me on socials, you'll know that I've been buzzing ever since! (Maybe the duration of the runner's high is proportional to the distance covered?)
I wanted to share with you a few things that I learnt from the experience:
1. It was truly an amazing exercise in mindfulness. Just before I started, I felt this rising surge of panic: how on earth was I going to be able to run for 26 miles? But once you start, you're in it. And each mile you run, you're really focussing on that mile and then the next mile, and the next. For those few hours, you have a laser-beam focus on the task at hand. Really, there is nowhere else to be and nothing else to do.
2. People are actually great. In this world of climate chaos and the carnage and cruelty of war, it's easy to think that humans are pretty awful. But, if you want to restore your faith in humanity, watch a race. People make signs and go out of their way to buy sweets; they're out on the street in their dressing gowns in the rain. They queue for tube stations and plan the timing of the route just to catch a few seconds of their loved one running. Everybody genuinely wants the best for every one of the 50,000 runners.
3. You're capable of far more than you thought. The majority of people running on Sunday had never run 26 miles. Most marathon training plans take you up to 20 miles only before they start to taper down. Our limitations are in our minds and our environments. How do they get through those extra six miles on the day? The crowds; the atmosphere; the encouragement; the day in its entirety. And I believe if the distance from Marathon to Athens had been 27 or 28 miles, they would have done that too. When I look back, I feel slightly saddened to think I doubted what my body and mind were capable of: I didn't know if I could run that distance, but actually, why couldn't I? I think I wasn't giving myself enough credit: my body for being in good health and my mind for being stronger than all my muscles combined - and I think that's the case for every single one of us.
4. We often say things we don't mean. From the beginning, my feet hurt (I'm definitely changing running shoes!). At 13 miles, I saw my sister and told her “I'm so tired". I felt tearful and afraid: how am I going to be able to manage another 13 miles if I'm already tired? But as I ran away from her (leaving her understandably worried about me!) I started to question what I said; something jarred. Was I tired? It wasn't until I'd voiced what had been going round and round in my head that I was able to see it and question it. Actually, no, I wasn't tired - my feet just hurt! I felt spurred on by this new realisation and it made me really reflect on the value of getting thoughts out. I think that's why writing down your feelings or talking to people is really helpful, because you see your thoughts reflected back at you. It creates a distance which you can then use to challenge the thought. When you have thoughts like “I'm bad at my job” or “I'm a bad friend” they become easier to challenge when you make them real. Actually, do you really believe that?
5. Rest is powerful. Throughout March, I had decided I wasn't going to run the marathon. I was ill and then off-sick from work and trying to get out for long training runs was too much additional pressure for me. So, I went into the marathon without the confidence of a completed training plan. I hadn't practised the different energy gels and training my stomach to handle them and I hadn't trained my muscles to cover the distance or developed the various physiological changes that take place as the result of long runs. But, somehow, I completed it without any significant injury or problem. Somewhat incredulous, I reflected: was this just good luck? But then I thought, actually, my body is probably just in a really good place. I am probably restored from doing less over the past month than I have in a long time: less work, less stress, less pressure. I went into Sunday with a fresh body, mind and muscles. Yes, the weekly yoga, spin and Parkrun likely helped, but mostly I think I felt good because I had rested. And I'm not sure there's any substitute for that.
Mindful moment: My Granny used to remind us to heed the 3Ps: Pace, Prioritise and Plan. I thought about this a few times during the marathon. I really paced it carefully and diligently and I thank her for helping me hone these skills. Pacing doesn't need to just be reserved for running, it's also incredibly valuable in our busy lives. A fast-paced life? Who said so? Slow it down when you can, so you can speed it up when you have to. Prioritise that which needs to be done (eat the frog) and that which aligns with your values, and then plan it out accordingly. With the right pacing, you will make it to the finish line.
