26.2 questions to ask yourself before running a marathon

Happy New Year friends! For a lot of people, a new year means new resolutions. That’s cool and I’m all for creating and crushing goals. However, goals don’t mean much without thought, purpose and making sure they’re realistic. So lets talk about some questions to ask yourself before running your first marathon.

There are a lot of reasons to run a marathon. Whether it’s a lifelong goal or you’ve recently gotten inspired, running a marathon is an incredible physical feat. I’m 100% not trying to talk anyone out of running a marathon. I wouldn’t be here if that was my goal. I just want to make sure it’s a positive experience.

Ask yourself these questions. Some of them are hard, and some are scary. I’m laying it all on the table y’all and no one will ever accuse me of pulling the wool over your eyes.

Do you really want it? Because you really HAVE to want it. Training for, and completing a marathon is grueling. It’s physically and mentally taxing.

Are you a Badass? Just checking. I mean, you’re reading this so chances are high.

How much do you value your social life? Training for a marathon takes more time than most people think. It’s not just about the miles, it’s also about preparation, rest, and recovery. Before I surrounded myself with a community of runners I had a lot of conversations like this:

It’s not that you won’t have ANY free time, it’s just that once you really get into the higher mileage, you kind of start disappearing from the world a bit and opting for the couch.

Are you doing it to lose weight? I hate to be the one to tell you this, but most people don’t lose weight training for a marathon. In fact, it’s actually REALLY easy to gain it. You’ll be hungry ALL THE TIME. I’m not exaggerating when I say this, you’ll want to be eating constantly and unless you are really disciplined in your choices, weight loss ain’t happening. Read more of my thoughts on it here.

What are your running goals? Running a marathon requires a lot of focus and a pretty specific training plan. Many plans will have you run some interim races along the way, but I’ve seen a lot of people try and conquer too many things at once. If your goal is to race your fastest half, win your local 10k, and do a 5k every month, yadda yadda, you might want to think about whether now is the time to add in the marathon.

Do you love running? Honestly, do you? It’s ok if you don’t, but you’re going to be doing A LOT of it, for hours at a time. If you don’t love it, why are you doing it?

Can you afford it? Whoever said running was a cheap sport wasn’t doing a lot of it. Once you’ve paid the race entry fee (and depending on the race this can cost you a pretty penny), there are a lot of other things people don’t think about.

• Shoes – you’ll likely go through at least a pair (read about how long gear lasts here)
• Food – you’ll want to eat high quality food
• Supplements – Pre, during, and post workout fuels are all extra expenses
• Massages – Not required, but extremely helpful
• Recovery aids – Epsom salt soaks, muscle rubs, pain relievers, etc all add up
• Travel – If your race isn’t local, factor in hotels, transportation, meals out, etc.

Are you willing to make sacrifices? Everyone is different here, but training takes work and often sacrifice, whether it’s giving up alcohol, certain foods, time, or anything else in your normal routine.

Do you have support? Your friends and family play a key role in your marathon training. If they aren’t on board it can be hard to train consistently. I’ve seen things y’all. Remember the social life question? If you are in a group that pressures you to “party all the time” it can be hard to commit. I’ve also heard the most ridiculous things from people like “why are you doing this”, “it’s bad for you”, “you probably won’t even finish” (yes it’s been said), or any other non supportive things.

Can you handle pain? I promise I’m not just a Debbie Downer, but marathons hurt and there’s no way to sugar coat it. Pain doesn’t always mean injury, so don’t freak out, but you’re going to run 26.2 miles. Let that sink in. Things will chafe that have never chafed before. Muscles you didn’t know you had will hurt. Blisters can appear in strange places even if they never have before. You’ll walk like a baby giraffe for a hot minute afterwards.

Do you love the feeling of accomplishment? Ok more of the good stuff. Completing a marathon is AMAZING. There’s really nothing like it and you’ll be proud of yourself for years to come.

Do you like to brag? I hope so, because you’ll get to be all “yeah I’m a marathon runner” FOREVER.

Do you love bling? Do I need to explain this? You’ll get a medal, and not like your standard local 5k medal, a real solid, piece of bling!

How long have you been running consistently? When you build a house you don’t just plop it on the lot without a foundation. The same is true for race training. You can’t expect to train for a marathon if you are only running once in awhile, or haven’t consistently built up a base of 20 or so miles for at least 12 weeks, in my opinion. This will be different for everyone, so it really depends on your level and where you want to be at the end of the race.

Have you run a half marathon? Not required, in fact I know a couple of people who went right from running 10k’s to their first marathon. Again it’s the base that’s key. However if you’re at all doubting yourself, I recommend trying a half marathon first to get a feel for it.

Are you healthy? If you have any underlying health conditions or have a propensity for injury, I highly recommend talking with you doctor about whether a marathon is right for you. If you’re not well now, a marathon is definitely not going to make you better, in fact it could be detrimental to your health.

Can you handle disappointment? This can be an AMAZING experience for you. There’s also a chance that things won’t go the way you want. There’s a chance that even with the best training you won’t finish the race. It happens. Be prepared to to recover and try again.

Are you ready to talk about it non-stop? Be prepared for people to roll their eyes because you can’t shut up about how amazing it is.

How do you feel about porta potties? You’ll need to get used to them because if you don’t have to pee (or something else) at least once during this whole ordeal, whether at the starting line, finish line, or during…then I’m scared for your health.

Are you squeamish? Runners are gross. Marathons are gross. You’ll be so tired at some point that it won’t matter who’s sweat is all over you (a passerby or a sweaty hug), if you did a great job cleaning up after trying to pee at mile 15, or if you wiped snot all over your sleeve.

Are you a fair weather runner? You can’t predict the weather, no matter how hard you try. If you never run in the rain, or other adverse conditions you could be in for a rude awakening. I’ve raced in the rain, the snow, and in the extreme heat. Knowing what to expect drastically improves your experience.

Do you like crowds? Races are crowded, especially at the beginning. Things will thin out as you get going but be prepared to do some bobbing and weaving for a bit.

Do you want more friends? It may seem weird if the love and support of total strangers isn’t your thing, but I’ve actually made friends during races. One time someone asked me if they could run next to me for awhile because they weren’t going to make it alone, and we started chatting.

Are you ready for unsolicited advice? As soon as people hear you’ve signed up, everyone becomes an armchair expert in running. Learn to listen, forge ahead, and take your advice from trusted sources only.

Are you ready to sign up yet? If I’ve talked you out of it, I’m truly sorry…but maybe you’ll be that much more confident when you’re ready. And if that’s now, YAY! I’m so excited for you!

What are you waiting for? If you’re still with me what’s holding you back?!

I don’t know how to ask .2 of a question so…will you tell me if you sign up? 🙂