This section discusses a variety of mental training strategies for the marathon. These enable you to set realistic goals, complete the necessary physical training (in particular, the long runs), and be prepared mentally for the challenges ahead.

Before You Begin

There are certain mental characteristics that a runner must possess in order to undertake the necessary training that a marathon requires. These include motivation, self-discipline, and effective time-management, all of which are interrelated. Although a coach can evoke interest and enthusiasm in a training program, you must develop motivation and discipline primarily within yourself.

Set Your Goals

In order to run a marathon, you need two overarching goals to motivate and sustain you. These divide into process goals and outcome goals.

Process goals focus on mastering a task and increasing your skill level. Examples of process goals include following a training schedule as closely as possible; improving your nutrition; reading as much as you can about training principles; consulting with your coach regularly; getting increased sleep to be as rested as possible; maintaining your running journal; and making sure you replace your shoes before they become too worn.

Outcome goals relate to the finished product or, stated differently, goals you hope to accomplish in the marathon. Examples include breaking 4 hours; running the second half of the marathon faster than the first 13.1 miles; defeating a rival; and running a personal best.

There are factors to take into consideration in order to create meaningful goals for yourself in a marathon. These include:

• Timing (present life situation). Be sure that this is a good time in your life to pursue a marathon goal. For example, if you are relocating to take a job in another city, it might be best to wait until you settle in before training for a marathon.

• Training information. Take a look at two or three additional sources of credible training information to understand the commitment (of time and effort) needed to achieve your marathon goal. Books, magazine articles, and Internet sites feature a variety of marathon training programs.

• Enjoy the journey. First and foremost, make sure your marathon goal is something you enjoy working toward and accomplishing. If you are contemplating training for a marathon but don't enjoy running more than 30 minutes at a time, you won't enjoy training for 2–3 hours at a time over the course of many weekends.

• Enjoy the destination. Is the outcome of your marathon goal something you would enjoy? Is the payoff worth your time and effort? Running for a charitable cause, fulfilling a life dream and earning a medal, or traveling to a beautiful destination to run a marathon with friends can be powerful motivators to see your goal through to completion.

• Necessary weekly training time. Be sure that you have adequate time to train during the course of the week, taking into consideration your personal and professional obligations. Be aware of the training time commitment necessary to achieve your marathon goal.

• Necessary long-term training time. Prior to setting a marathon goal, be sure you have adequate time to build mileage safely and consistently based on the date of the race. Look at the miles or minutes you are currently running when considering the feasibility of running a marathon.

• Natural ability. Unfortunately, not everyone is born to develop into a world-class athlete. Improvement comes quickly and relatively easily in the beginning of training, but progress doesn't come nearly as rapidly after months and years of hard work. The natural ability you are born with plays a significant role in determining your marathon outcome.

• Be sure the goal is yours. Just because Joe down the street is training for a marathon and has urged you to join him doesn't mean you should send off your application, too. In other words, don't get swept up emotionally and commit to a marathon goal without thinking it through.

• Establish short-term goals leading to the big goal. If you wish to run a marathon six months from now, then set some short-term goals along the way such as entering a 10K or half-marathon to keep motivated. Although it's okay to think about where you want to be years from now, focus on realizing short-term goals within a period of six months. At the same time, you can't train hard for more than three or four months at a time. Allow breaks after attaining short-term goals or peak events during your training.

• Congruence of activities. To reduce your chances of incurring injury, be sure the cross-training activities you undertake are in service to your marathon goal rather than a drain. For marathon training, which requires building your long run and weekly mileage, it is wise to give up stop-and-go sports (basketball, soccer) and lateral sports such as tennis until you complete your marathon.

Alert

When setting goals, it is best to be as specific as possible. Be sure to write your goals down, not only in your running journal but, say, on an index card left in a visible place, like on your refrigerator. This practical strategy will help you to achieve both short- and long-term marathon goals.

• Congruence of goals. Understand that the training necessary to run a fast mile is quite different from that for running a marathon. If you want to include some short-distance races in your marathon training schedule, plan your long run sequences so as not to miss these important workouts.

Make sure your marathon goals are realistic and reflect varying levels of difficulty, with even the most challenging goal attainable for you.

Finding someone to guide and encourage your training can be a great help. If possible, find a coach with a reputation both for enthusiasm and a positive attitude. Such traits can inspire and motivate you. Or join a group whose members share your marathon goals and can provide needed emotional support. It is essential to find fellow runners who run at your approximate pace so that your long runs do not turn into races.