My name is Annmarie Tuxbury and I am a member of GRP Run. I have personal bests of 1:12:09 in the half marathon and 2:38:15 in the marathon. I am currently training for the California International Marathon along with a handful of my other GRP teammates. As I get into my marathon build, here are some tips and pointers I am carrying with me that can be applicable to anyone training for a marathon or any race this fall.  

1. Believe in your Training Plan

I am a bit of a queen of unconventional training, so from experience I can say there are many paths to the same result. Whether you are coaching yourself to the start line or have a coach, there is a lot of unsolicited advice (this blog included) of what you “should” or “need” to do to prepare for a marathon. It is important to remember, that while there certainly are wrong ways to prepare for a marathon such as not training or going from running 20 miles a week to 100, there is no one “right” way.

It is important to have belief that your thoughtfully selected and completed plan is going to get you to the fitness and mindset you need to accomplish your goals. It is easy to get caught up, especially with social media, with what others are doing such as how much they are running or how fast they are running and feel like your training is inadequate. Everyone is an individual and unique in their training and how they respond to workouts. Trust in the plan you selected and execute it because if you believe in it, it is the right one. 

2. Set Goals

Don’t be afraid of setting lofty goals. Goals are there to inspire, motivate and guide you in your training. What good is a goal if it doesn’t get you excited to lace up your shoes and go out for a run? Don’t be afraid to start off your marathon build with a lofty goal but also be open and flexible to assess an appropriate goal for your fitness in the weeks leading up to your race. Setting a lofty goal and having to readjust does not mean you failed it just means you worked yourself that much closer for next time. It is kind of like if you go into a test just wanting a B and just studying for a B you are in some ways counting yourself out of getting an A. In addition to having race goals it can also be fun to have training and process goals. These can range from a mileage to hit and certain paces you would like to hit in your favorite workout, to getting in better habits such as stretching and rolling out after a run. 

3. Be Consistent

Aim to be consistent. Adjusting for longevity is how I view consistency. Consistency does not mean not taking those two days off because you have nagging knee pain but can still run. It is actually the opposite! It is normal to be tired and sore throughout a marathon build… but if something is starting to feel like more than just soreness and tightness it is best to get on it early. Taking a day or two off can prevent a two-week layoff mid training or worse… not making it to the start line.

Another angle of consistency is prioritizing certain training days. For example, in a marathon build, regardless of ability level, the long run is a staple. Aim to do what you need to do throughout the week, making other runs as easy as they need to be, to be able to consistently show up for the long run workout week after week in your build. For a more advanced runner they might have three days they prioritize - two workouts and a long run - but the same principal applies…those other four days the goal and intention is to do whatever they need to do to recover to be able to show up for those three important workouts. 

4. Practice

If you plan to use on-course fluids and nutrition make sure to do your homework and know what is offered on the course ahead of time and to try it out in training before hand. Whether you are fairly new to the road racing scene or a seasoned pro, drinking from a cup while running is a skill. It is not a bad idea to try it out ahead of time. What that looks like could just mean signing up for a shorter race in your build-up and take fluids on the course whenever they are offered, or it could mean a friend or family member handing you water when you are out on a run. In addition, while racing shoes are expensive these days and you might be tempted to not want to wear them until race day to “save” them, be sure to try them out at least once prior to race day. There is nothing worse than running 26.2 miles in uncomfortable shoes that don’t fit well. 

5. Not Everything Has to Be Perfect to Come Together on Race Day

This ties into the first point. Not everything has to be perfect to come together on race day. Very rarely do you hear someone say that their buildup for their marathon was perfect. Such is life - odds are there will be bumps in the road. That is part of the process and comes with the territory of training for a marathon.

It is ok: stay the course and believe in yourself. Sickness, injury and just life can sometimes get in the way of training and stressing about it is not going to help. If something comes up prioritizing getting through that challenge and putting running secondary for a little while does not mean your race and goals are out the window. You might actually come out of it better! Sometimes getting back into training after a few days or a week or two of not prioritizing running can make you feel out of shape or flat, but you can come back from it better. If it is sickness, the rest could have been much needed. A small injury can give you time to work on getting stronger, and getting a handle on life stress always has a positive effect. The atmosphere of race day and the adrenaline it brings out is something that you cannot replicate in practice so don’t count yourself out if not everything goes your way. 

Bonus tip: Enjoy the Process

Running is supposed to be fun and the fall brings some of the best running weather! Enjoy the process. Have fun challenging yourself in your fall buildup and on race day. I will leave you with one last running tip: A fun trick is if you are finding yourself in a negative headspace on a run or in a race is to pretend someone is taking your picture. Often times that will make you smile which can give you a psychological boost and might turn your attention away from negative thinking and into focusing on your form etc. — because you want to look good for that picture!