Clean. Simple. FIT!: T-2 days until race day!

This week has been one filled with tons of race prep questions. How did you train? What do you wear? Why are you willingly running 26.2 miles? Who are you running with? How do you prepare? What was your longest training run? What’s your goal time?

I am so glad people have been curious because it helps me to reflect on the insanely long journey it has been to get to this point, but I really have no idea how this is going to go! Everyone I have talked to says ditch the ideas you have about the race and just run. Don’t go into it with ideas about how you want to do, when you want to speed up/slow down, what miles you’re going to eat at, when you’re going to get water, ditch it all! It’s time to listen to your body and just run!

I’ve had some great inspirations while training. These three rock stars know the trials and tribulations of training for long distance runs and have graciously given us some of their advice for the big weekend!

Amy

I think anyone can do a marathon if they decide it is something they want to do. I tell people this, and they look at me like I am crazy. If you set out with the goal of simply finishing a marathon, I really think it is possible to complete. My first and only marathon, thus far, was not at a very fast pace. I took my time and now looking back wish I would have tried harder. However, I finished and that is a lot more than others can say.

The first thirteen miles was a breeze. Then, I hit eighteen. 18-26.2 was difficult, but not impossible. After months of training, I believed I was capable of finishing. Even though I was pain toward the end of the race, I believed it would have been a waste of all the hours I spent running preparing for this day. I cried at the finish, not realizing how much emotion I had while I was running. It was quite a feat, but I really believe that anyone can do it if they put their mind to it.

(Ok, maybe not if they are in serious pain, but otherwise--Yes!)

James

Running a marathon is tough. Towards the end it becomes a mental game and your physical state is irrelevant. I remember slowing down and the drop-outs looked increasingly tempting. Suddenly, I felt a hand pat my back accompanied by encouraging words. Looking up, I saw a fellow Johnnie (Affectionate term for a student from St. John's University, MN). His encouragement fueled a strong finish, as it reminded me I wasn't the only one who paid $170 to run 26.2 miles. For me, running a marathon is about appreciating human mental and physical capabilities and is a rite of passage into the running community. Finishing your first marathon will be one of your proudest moments--best of luck!

GOOD LUCK!

Hannah

If you are planning on running your first marathon, my advice is to do all the research you can. Training for a marathon requires just as much mental training as it does physical. Do your research, buy proper shoes, try out different strategies for long runs, try new fueling options, and push yourself to get through the several months of training.

When you get to the race, forget everything. Forget about all the strategies you've read up on, forget about the horror stories people have told you, and forget everything you've practiced. When you get to the race, focus on where you are and what's going on around you. Remember the faces and stories of the runners you're with. Remember giving high-fives to the group of kids on the corner. Remember how great you feel at some miles and how horrible you feel at others. Remember seeing your family and friends cheering for you on race day, and go give them a hug if you can. Remember the volunteers and the strangers cheering for you outside their homes.

And when you get to mile 25, remember how far you've come. Take out your headphones, tuck them into your shirt, and just take it all in. When you see the finish line, your legs will no longer hurt, and your lungs will no longer burn. Your eyes may water and your throat may tighten, but that's okay, keep going, you've been training for this. This is a moment you will never want to forget. Once you've crossed the finish line, you've earned the title "Marathoner." Congratulations, and welcome to the club!

I’ve said it before and I will say it again. I can’t wait to share this experience with my family and friends. It has been such an emotional roller coaster I can’t imagine how it’s going to feel to see this finish line.