Some Surprises of Marathon Training

Running a marathon is a last frontier, a great unknown. As the saying goes, it "owes you nothing." Rather, you are just along for the race. Although I have run for probably close to 15 years now, completing dozens of 5Ks, two half-marathons, and quite a few 10Ks, many things about the process of training for a marathon caught me by surprise:

My Diet:

Whole grains and produce have formed the foundation of my diet for some time. I have never had to change my diet for running, except during the carb load I did for my half-marathon. During this training cycle, though, I had to back off those "good for me" things, as they created GI distress more often than not. Switching to "white" breads (especially sourdough, which I sadly discovered very late in the training cycle) and refined pasta actually helped me. There was no way I was intra-run fueling with fruit pouches either. Give me the refined sugar all the way!

On that note, fueling and hydration made a big difference in my running. I used to get away with running fasted, or running on a few bites of something I snatched before I ran out the door. No longer. Extensive fueling before and during my workouts really helped my energy. Towards the end of training, I found myself getting up at 3 am to eat a bagel before going out the door at 6 am. I never expected that! I needed to eat more to run more, but that also meant I needed more time to digest, so 3 am to eat a bagel and skulk back to bed it was. The days I failed to fuel well, I felt awful for most of the rest of the day, and that is no way to live life!

Hunger:

I expected to be more hungry as I ran more, but that looked a little different than I expected. I seemed to effortlessly gain weight when I started this training cycle, despite not eating much differently. Despite eating what seemed like the whole house during peak week miles, I struggled to keep weight on (and this even as my Apple watch said that my resting metabolism dropped--I guess this is a sign of the body becoming more efficient as the miles crept up). I was as hungry, or more so, during the taper weeks than I was during peak week. One week post-marathon, the hunger still has yet to wear off. I tell myself that my body is rebuilding. I don't want to lose any of what I worked for, so let it take all the fuel it needs to keep it!

Pain:

My knees hurt after I ran my first half-marathon. I have experienced some hamstring pain on and off while training for shorter distances. This time, what I think is metatarsalgia came back in my left foot. (This first arose during my most recent half-marathon training cycle.) I experienced tendon pain in my left foot (extensor tendonitis?), followed by calf pain. After the race, not only did my quads hurt, but also my left hip flexor. I am thankful that I am not injured so much as to be unable to walk, but I did schedule an appointment at a sports physical therapy clinic, just to check things out. I know that most runners experience injuries, but I guess maybe I thought I was immune, until now. I want to keep running, so surprised or not, time to give my body some extra attention.

Psychology:

I had heard about post-marathon blues, but nothing about post long-run blues. The first few long runs I did, I woke up the next morning with a sense of dread, like there was a thick gray cloud hanging over my head. I eventually concluded that is was post-run blues, probably due to the drop in dopamine. It subsided the more I did long runs, but maybe I just expected it?

I didn't have taper crazies like some people say they have, but I got intensely anxious after my longest long run of 20 miles. That is when my right foot started hurting, and I was somewhat convinced I had a stress fracture. I spent hours and hours googling and could barely keep my mind off it. In the end, God helped it heal well enough, but was that intense anxiety pain-caused or maraonoia? I think the latter!

Training costs:

I knew that training would take time. I did not expect the steep financial costs, however. I did find what I bought worthwhile. I just need to account for that next time. When I broke down and bought partially carbon-plated shoes, I did find that they improved my speed. They also felt better under foot. I guess you get what you pay for....

The Race Itself:

I thought I would need motivation via podcasts, but I was able to run without any sound except what my own feet and the feet of those around me made. I expected to hit a wall in the race at mile 20, but the pain set in at 22 miles or so. While energy remained in my body, I just could not push past the pain to use it. Some people cannot eat or sleep after a race, but thankfully, I could do both. 

Post Race:

Running a marathon was a big deal to me, and the people who watched me train for it (close family and friends) saw that. It has been weird to me to tell others that I ran a marathon and not have them blink twice, however. Do they even know what a marathon is, I ask myself? I am guessing not. It was my "last frontier," to explore, not theirs.

I put my water packs, running shorts, and other gear away after I washed them. I left my running shoes out on the shoe rack, however. Seeing them there day after day caused me to feel sad, as I knew I could not use them for a while. I therefore ended up tucking them away down lower on the shoe rack. That way, at least, they are not the source of daily mourning.

I realize now how much of my life, our lives, I built around marathon training. While it is nice to have a break, it is also not that great. I need to take care of myself. I need to eat well, go to bed early, use care. I am more motivated to do that when training, and less when not training. There is a season for everything, and this is marathon training off-season, but man, I already crave the structure!

In conclusion:

There is probably much, much I could write about running a marathon, but it has been two weeks of posting, and that is probably enough. If you have questions, though, please post them and I will try to answer. For those of you readers (I know there are some of you!) who have run marathons, what surprised you about your first training cycle? Please share in the comment section below!

Thank you all for supporting me in this journey. Near and far, you know who you are. I did run the race, but you all have put a smile on my face over and over again as I have shared about the process it took to get here. Thank you! Thank you!

The Race of All Races (Half-Marathon #2)!

Where do I even begin? This is going to be a long post, so hold onto your hats!

I dreamed of completing this race after my first half-marathon five years ago. I put it off, saying the time in life was not right. Well, this time was not exactly right either, but after having a good 10K race last year at Mesa Marathon, and being given as a discount code as a result, I decided to go for it. 

The Training:

I started training Thanksgiving 2023. I used the First Half Marathon Training plan from Run to the Finish (2023), and I must say, I really enjoyed it! This plan contained more strength training than I have ever done in a training cycle before. I think it helped! I had some minor ball of foot pain in my left foot, and then my right foot [maybe metatarsalgia (Mayo Clinic, 2021), and towards the end, a little tightness in my right need and left ankle/Achilles, (plus a few days of upper right hamstring pain due to treadmill running six miles one day) but I made it! Praise the Lord!

The Day Before the Race:

I read different things about carb loading, but decided to try the full three-day carb load recommended by Meghann Featherstun (n.d). (I figured that I would rather do it than not do it and wonder if it could have helped.) I purposely took a day off work Thursday so that I could clean the house and do my cooking and "on my feet" stuff so that I could try to rest Friday. I ended up deciding to do a shakeout run and some errands Friday, but it was WORTH IT!

The Shake-Out Run:

My training schedule said one mile. This was three to four, but I wanted to go. Then I doubted myself. Then I wanted to go. I told myself I might regret not going if I didn't, so I went! I wasn't going to demo the new Cielo X1 racing shoes from Hoka, but then they offered me a free fanny pack so why not? When else am I going to run in $275 shoes? Probably not ever. The shakeout went great (a total of 3.32 miles) and I was a little faster running with people, and that encouraged me.

The Expo:

Mesa Marathon held the expo inside this year. Bib pickup was outside, but the timing check, photo walls, and some vendors were inside. This was a nice change given the weather. I did the passport program again, because I am a sucker for free stuff. If I am able to keep running this race and going to the expo, I might eventually earn enough points for a free entry. We will see.

Besides errands, I did set aside some time to paint my nails on Friday. I read that Shalene Flanagan used to do that on the day before a race, and so, I did, too (Sebor, 2020). I went with a color that matched what I wanted to wear and was closest to the orange color I saw on the medals. (Yes, I am that person!) 

I tried to move my meals up an hour, and with that, I was able to go to bed at 8:15 pm. Wow! I am never to bed that early unless I am sick. I did not sleep great, but I did not sleep awfully, either. In total, my watch said I got about 6 hours and 45 minutes of sleep. Pretty good given that I got up at 3:15 am!

Race morning:

I didn't have time to do much at home. I got up, washed my face and did my hair, made coffee for my husband, got dressed, did PT, and then grabbed a no bake peanut butter ball and an eight ounce bottle of water for the car and was out the door. My husband nicely drove me over to the busses, and dropped me off right in front of them, a huge blessing since it was raining!

Race day conditions: 

Not good! I checked the forecast all week and prayed for good conditions. It looked like it might rain all morning, just at the start, or before the start. In the end, conditions could have been worse, but it was mid-forties and raining and not so pleasant. I wore a tank top, hoodie, and rain jacket and stood under the heaters for as long as I could. Then, about 5:30 am, I made a bathroom stop, ate my banana and drank my water, and went for a five minute shakeout (0.47 miles). Then I started unlayering, adding arm sleeves, a garbage bag over my torso, and a hat. The race was supposed to start at 6:30 am, but got delayed until 7:00 am, and then brought back to 6:50 am. I ended up squeezing in an extra bathroom stop before the start, which I think was helpful.

Goals: 

A. Under 2 hours 9:09/mile

B. Under 1:55 8:46/mile

C. Run Hive (2024) race predictor time based on March 2023 15K and 36 years old: 1:51:04 or 1:52:45 and 8:28/mile

Course: 

Point A to Point B. (Thank you, Lord, for bag drop trucks that brought our belongings back to the finish line.) We ran through the streets of Mesa, past orange groves and homes and communities. People were out and about on the course with posters, cowbells, and shouts to encourage. One assisted living community's members were out on the sidewalks in their wheelchairs. Right towards the finish, there was a younger kid with a sign that said, "Tap here to power up." I definitely tapped for the kid! The course was well-marked and police presence was there to ensure safety. The race marked mileage well, and had a few extra signs with fun sayings to increase motivation.

Miles 1-3:

I tried to keep the pace steady and not go out too hard. Coach Elisabeth of Running Explained (2023) says to go out about 10 seconds faster than desired, so when I saw 8:40/mile and it felt good, I went with it. I decided not to run with podcasts, as I usually do, mostly because of the rain. I also wanted to soak up the scenery. I did that, as well as thinking and praying. It was truly a special time!

I grabbed water at mile two and took my berries and oats fruit puree pouch at about mile three/thirty minutes. I had to tug it out of the side pocket of my capri leggings, and when I uncapped it, some of it squirted all over my white gloves. I hoped that people would not think it was blood, especially after Fiona O'Keeffe's Olympic Trials marathon episode (Monti, 2024). I tried to hide my gloves for pictures because of this. 

Miles 4-6:

I tried to hold a steady pace and save anything I could for the end. I told myself to keep getting water at the water stations. I felt a slight tightness in my left calf and had a few side stitches, but breathed through them. [Hearing Emily Sisson talk about breathing through hers and taking second in the Olympic Trials Marathon gave me hope (Chavez, 2024).] I took a strawberry Clif gel at 60 minutes (a little after mile six), but that only to a good samaritan I asked to open it for me, as neither my cold hands nor my teeth would do it! I think I startled him a bit when I asked, as I saw him turn off his earbud and ask me what I said again. Thank you, sir, whoever you are. You saved my race!

Miles 7-10:

This was my neck of the woods, and I enjoyed running through it! I still felt good and was clocking about 8:40 miles and felt good. I told myself to pick up the pace for the last 5K, if I could. To distract myself from the pace, I tried to pick people off. Many brightly colored running outfits gave me things to work for.

Miles 10-13.1:

The end was in sight! I kept picking people off and thought of my husband and parents at the finish line. I just wanted to get to them! I let myself off my water at every stop and fuel every 30 minutes rules here and just ran! I did pickup the pace, dropping from the 8:30-8:40 minutes/mile range to 8:27, 8:24, 8:15, and 7:23 for the final kick. I was working hard at the end! Some of it was vanity, because I wanted my family to see me working hard. Some of it was wanting them to know that it was worth it for them to come out to see me, too. The finish line was a bit bunched up, but I got my medal and someone had opened the gate, so my family got into the runners area with me to get my finish certificate and drop bag.

After the Race:

I got my certificate and finished at 1:52:52, far exceeding my expectations! I wanted to see if I could get down to 8:35 minutes/mile there at the end, and I didn't quite make it officially, but my watch measured long (13.15 miles), probably because of my bobbing and weaving, and on it, I got the 8:35 minutes/mile, and I'll take it. 

Could I have run harder? Probably, but seeing that I have not run a marathon in five years, I wanted to finish, not go out hard and bonk. My calves also hurt pretty bad after I stopped, so they need some work.

As I went to have my husband take pictures of me, it started raining again, harder. (The rain had held off for most of my race). We got pretty wet going back to the car. It was a bit of a circle to get back home, but we did. I stretched, foam rolled those calves, and got dressed to go back out to brunch. Of course I got a hamburger, as is tradition. Then I came home and sat on the couch with a heating pad and blanket for most of the day. Oh, and the rain did eventually go away, letting the sun to come out. A beautiful addition to a beautiful day.

Final Thoughts:

Carb loading worked! I felt sustained energy the entire time. My heart rate was in Zone 5 the entire time, so I think I was pushing myself, but I was not breathing too hard and was even able to try to encourage a few 10K walkers as I passed them in the last few miles.

Family is everything! My husband sacrificed time, money, and so much more to support me in this. (He even ate my evening carb loading pasta meals with me without complaint!) My parents drove about two hours just to see me finish, while they had company. (Sorry cousins!) I was HEALTHY! After all the sickness I was exposed to, that was never a given. I prayed for no rain, and while the Lord did not grant that, he did grant no rain for most of my race. The marathoners had that burst of rain at their hard parts, and I imagine it was not fun.

I shivered for several hours after the race, and not because I was cold anymore. Was it the caffeine? Or as my mom suggested, the endorphins of running? I am not sure, but something to monitor for the future.

All in all, it was an amazing day! Better than I could have hoped or dreamed. Thank you, Lord! Thank you family! Thank you to my home city of Mesa, Arizona for putting on a great race!

References:

Brooks, A. (2023, March 9). Half marathon training schedule: Transition from the 10K to half. Run to the Finish. https://www.runtothefinish.com/half-marathon-training-schedule/

Chavez, C. (Host). (2024, February 7). Emily Sisson after finishing second at the 2024 US Olympic Marathon Trials (2:22:42). [Audio podcast episode]. In The CITIUS MAG podcast with Chris Chavez. https://citiusmag.com/podcast/citius-mag-podcast-emily-sisson-2024

Featherstun, M. (n.d.). Carb loading: What, why, and how-to. Featherstone Nutrition. https://www.featherstonenutrition.com/carb-loading/

Mayo Clinic. (2021, November 1). Metatarsalgia. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metatarsalgia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354790

Monti, D. (2024). Mantz, O'Keeffe win thrilling Olympic Trials marathon-RRW. Dye Stat. https://www.dyestat.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=667933

Run Hive. (2024). Race time predictor. https://runhive.com/tools/race-time-predictor

Scott, E. [@runningexplained]. (2023, August 2). One of the biggest pacing mistakes in racing is going out too fast. Often our goal in the half marathon [Post]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvcqr-GLcLw/

Sebor, J. (2020, January 6). What Olympian Shalene Flanagan does before every race. Women's Running. https://www.womensrunning.com/culture/shalane-flanagan-before-racing/

Run the Distance 5K

I jumped into a 5K this past weekend! I would not have known about the race except for a little card my doctor's office sent me about a run to benefit Parkinson's research. I get treated for my focal dystonia at Barrow Neurological Institute, the same location as the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center. While I thankfully do not have Parkinson's at this time, there is some overlap between my condition and Parkinson's, and the medication I take to alleviate some of my worst symptoms is actually a medicine for Parkinson's, so needless to say, the Parkinson's cause is near and dear to my heart, and I wanted to run for it.

But, what to do about half-marathon training? I had 10 miles on deck the date of the 5K. Well, time to get creative! I realized that the 5K was about 7 miles from my house, so if Husband dropped me off and I fueled right, I could run home. So with that, I trialed a one day carb load [Thanks Meghann Featherstun (n.d.) for the how-to and calculator] and went to town, literally.

Race day conditions: Upper 40's and windy

Course: Flat, around a lake, and a little short (3.05 miles according to my Apple watch)

Goals: 

A: 2 hour half-marathon pace of 9:09/minute

B: 27:00 (8:41/minute)

C: PR (8:11/mile or under)

(Yes, these are in reverse order of difficulty, because my main goal was to not exhaust myself so I could complete the miles on my training plan.)

Before the race:

Week nine of the First Half Marathon Training plan from Run to the Finish (2023)

Day 5 of Metcon from Nourish Move Love (2024) (a mistake!)

A one-day carb load with about 450 grams of carbohydrates

Race morning:

I got up at my normal hour of 5 am, did a little bit of moving around the house, and then completed Day 19 of Flow from Yoga with Adriene (2024). I drank 8 ounces of water and ate a peanut butter and honey energy ball. Then out the door!

It was a short walk from parking to the start line. We arrived about 50 minutes early. I felt warm enough, and then cold. About 7:20 am, I ate my banana. Then at 7:30 am, I jogged for five minutes. I took off my windbreaker and lined up for the race at 7:45 am, and off to the races at 8 am!

Mile 1:

I started off near the front (it was a small race), and we started off fast. I felt good, but when I looked down at my watch and it said 7:43/mile, I backed off my pace. I knew that was too fast! At about half a mile in, I got to chatting with some girls as I passed them, and realizing that I could pass the talk test, realized I could probably push a bit harder. I finished with an average pace of 8:24/mile.

Mile 2:

This mile seemed to pass by quickly. Not too much to say here, other than that I saw my time dipping and told myself I could work a little harder. I worked to pass a few people. This was my slowest mile at 8:33/mile.

Mile 3:

At about 2.5, I told myself to push. Then at 2.8, I told myself to really push. Thinking, "Push off the ground" seemed to help increase my pace. I also told myself to smile, because I like running! (In my vanity, I also did not want to look like a grouch puss when the fact that I like running is true.) I finished at 8:12/mile.

Finish:

I kicked it up to 6:57/mile to finish. My watch said 3.05 miles with a time of 25:34. The official results said 5K (3.1 miles) with a time of 25:28 and a pace of 8:11/mile. Whatever, I'll take it!

After the Race:

This was a small race, and I expected that I could place, but honestly, I was not sure I wanted to place, because I just wanted to run home! When I checked the results list, though, I saw that I had placed, first in my age group! So of course I wanted to stay to get the added bling for my medal. I chatted with some really nice master's runners, and they even stayed to see me go on the podium and take my picture. Runners really are the best people!

I departed after the medal ceremony and ran 7.42 miles home. I felt good, except for some mild hamstring soreness (which had been with me since that Nourish Move Love workout-which is why I said it was a bad idea). Thankfully 20 oz of water, some fuel, a podcast, some determination, and all that glycogen in my muscles got me home. I honestly felt okay, except for my hamstrings which were oh, so tight. I stretched and foam rolled immediately, but had to keep doing so throughout the weekend.

Concluding Thoughts:

I am learning more and more to trust the training process. I really did not want to do that carb load, and I believed I needed to try it. I kept telling myself not to quit, to get through it, and then if it did not work or I did not like it, I could quit the next time. I felt some anxiety race day morning (a newer thing for me), but just told myself this race was for a cause, and it was okay not to PR. I had peace while running, for which I thank the Lord and my husband. Running home afterward brought me such pride! While I did not want to refuel again when I got home, I told myself not to be stupid and to do it. (My husband thought I was telling him not to be stupid for a second, because I said it out loud. Oops! No, those were words for me!). I am oh so thankful to God for this experience and pray for wisdom and good health to continue training and running for as long as the good Lord allows.

References:

Brooks, A. (2023, March 9). Half marathon training schedule: Transition from the 10K to half. Run to the Finish. https://www.runtothefinish.com/half-marathon-training-schedule/

Featherstun, M. (n.d.). Carb loading: What, why, and how-to. Featherstone Nutrition. https://www.featherstonenutrition.com/carb-loading/

Nourish Move Love. (2024, January 5). New year challenge day 5: 30-minute full body Metcon (Kettlebell swings). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp14nPaJfkU

Yoga with Adriene. (2024, January 20). Flow - Day 19 - Ride. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Od_S1P0c40

 

Run to Eat? No! Eat to Run!

I put it off for a while. I did not do it for my 15K. To be fair, I had not really needed to carb load for my 10Ks, since they were under 90 minutes. But then it was time. Time to rip off the bandaid, go against all modern diet advice, discard my usual whole foods, whole grain, high protein, high produce way of eating, and eat all the carbs. I did it for a day, and it worked! Then I did it for three days, and it really worked! And I was off to the races on carb loading, literally.

I carb loaded for all of my recent longer races, including that first half marathon back. The rule is to carb load for any race over 90 minutes (Featherstun, n.d.). This allows the body to max out its glycogen stores (which should also be somewhat replenished by fueling during the race to avoid bonking). More glycogen means more speed! (Burning fat for fuel is possible, but provides much slower results.) Sports medicine science says to carb load with 10 – 12 grams per kilogram of bodyweight for two days, or 8 grams per kilogram for three days (Thomas et al., 2016). (I have aways gone with the latter.) Some say that only one day is needed for the half marathon (Rosner, n.d.). The Featherstone Nutrition Calculator always tells me to carb load for three days, however. I figure, "What could it hurt?"

Another benefit of carb loading for three days is that it simplifies digestion. Things like fiber take 36-48 hours to pass fully through the body, so carb loading with simpler carbs for three days ensures that any potentially irritating foods have already passed through (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2025). It is also easier to eat simpler carbs in larger amounts (T100 Triatholon, n.d.). I told myself while carb loading that it was not forever, and that an extra few days of eating carbs before the half marathon could only stand to help, not hurt my results. And I definitely carb loaded three days before my marathons.

The problem is that just carb loading was not enough. Endurance sports require enhanced overall nutrition. While I increased that somewhat over the past few years, I apparently did not increase it enough. That, the health professional think, is what caused my recent injury. And so, I set out to eat more.

No science is perfect, but the thought is that energy surplus is best for runners. The current number is 45 calories per kilogram of fat free mass per day (Melin, 2019). For the average American woman weighing 170 pounds and being at about 40% body fat, that is about 2,000 calories a day, and that is without exercise (Borrud et al., 2010; National Center for Health Statistics, n.d.)! With increased energy expenditure due to long-distance running, it is easy to see how a person could get behind. So I ate more.

While recovering from my injury, I ate as much or more than while training for my marathon. Yes, I gained weight. It wasn't fun. But I wanted to return to running, and I knew I had no chance of doing so and not getting hurt again, so I ate. While I was not running, I was eating to run, because that is the commitment that the sport requires.

In a society that says eat less, move more, runners have to eat more to move more—and not just junk, because then they feel like junk. They need lots of carbs, lots of fat, lots of protein--all the things. Sure, I eat simple carbs when carb loading, but that is just for three days. The rest of life is a lot of focus on a lot of nutrition, something I am learning even more about as I progress back to running again*. I am learning anew what it means to eat to run, not run to eat. Regardless of what society may say, eating to run is serious business!

*Note: I am not a dietitian, just sharing what I have studied and learned along my running journey, most recently with a lot of professional dietitian support!

References:

Borrud, L.G., Flegal, K.M., Looker A.C., Everhart, J.E., et al. (2010). Body composition data for individuals 8 years of age and older: U.S. population, 1999–2004. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital health stat 11(250). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_11/sr11_250.pdf.

Featherstun, M. (n.d.). Carb loading: What, why, and how-to. Featherstone Nutrition. https://www.featherstonenutrition.com/carb-loading/

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2025, June 6). Digestion: How long does it take? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/indigestion/expert-answers/digestive-system/faq-20058340

Melin, A. K., Heikura, I. A., Tenforde, A., & Mountjoy, M. (2019). Energy Availability in Athletics: Health, Performance, and Physique. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 29(2), 152-164. Retrieved Jun 27, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0201

National Center for Health Statistics. (n.d.). Body measurements. Center for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/body-measurements.htm

Rosner, J. (n.d.). Carb loading by race distance: Half-marathon and marathon. Science in Sport. https://www.scienceinsport.com/sports-nutrition/carb-loading-by-race-distance/

Thomas, D. T., Erdman, K. A., & Burke, L. M. (2016). American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 48(3), 543–568. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000852

T100 Triatholon. (n.d.). Fuel up right: Best foods for carb loading before a triatholon. https://t100triathlon.com/articles/nutrition/best-foods-for-carb-loading/

My Second Marathon

My second marathon, and I might be done, not because it didn't go well, but because it did. And it hurt, bad. I'm just not sure I'm made for this distance.

The Backstory

I signed up for this marathon shortly after last year's 10K. Debating between the half- and full-marathon distances, I asked my husband for his input. He told me that I should run the one I most wanted to run. Having heard horror stories of the traffic backups getting to the half marathon last year, I went with the full distance. 

I took a little time off after that 10K, then trained for Pat's Run and ran my first half-marathon for fun. Following that, I trained for Columbus half-marathon, sliding right into full-marathon training.

The Training

I went with the Boston Level Two plan this year (Boston Marathon, n.d., "Training plans". I started off thinking I would go for the 3:45 time, but then I decided to go all in for 3:30. That time would Boston qualify me, though probably not get me into the race, as the current buffer is seven minutes plus (Boston Marathon, n.d., "Qualify for the Boston Marathon"). Let's just say training was rough. I got ill a few times. I experienced quite a bit of gastrointestinal distress. Work has been super intense and stressful since January. I lost my voice the week of the race (more on that later). I really considered deferring or canceling several times.

Race Week

I came into race week with what I refer to as the "chest squeezy" feeling. I wasn't sick, but I didn't feel quite right, either. I started taking Vitamin C and Zinc on Saturday, and allergy medicine on Sunday. By Tuesday, I had mostly lost my voice. As I lay in bed Tuesday night considering what to do about work, I felt like God was prompting me to take time off. After all, I pretty much talk for a living, and it would be a push to try to force my voice through all the meetings I had planned. I did the meetings I had to do and took the rest of the day off. I took a nap and by Thursday, I thought I was mostly better. I finally hit race pace in my last five mile workout and I thought I had a chance.

I went to the shakeout run on Friday at what I thought was an early time, but there were already a lot of people there, and no shoes left in my size to test. Oh well. I ran the run, dashed to Home Depot to pick up supplies for my husband for our home renovation process, and went back to the expo. 

Big pickup was easy. I even got a mug for participating in this even for five year. (I didn't even realize it was that long!). There was a long line for bib testing, though. The people running the bib testing said that the server was slow, and we could move on if we trusted the system. I did, going through the whole expo to fill out my expo passport. (I now have enough points to register for at least the 10K for free!) This was probably the best expo yet, with lots of giveaways and swag. At the pacer's table, I picked up pace bands for 3:30 all the way to 3:45. I really wasn't sure how I should go out. While I believed I was capable of running a 3:30, calculators put me at 3:33 at the fastest, with a more realistic time of 3:49. Should I bet on myself or not?

The Night Before

I hit my carb goals early, and was able to get in bed by 8 PM. I wondered how I would sleep, given that I also napped that day. Praise Jesus, I slept pretty well!

Race Morning

I woke up at 3 AM. That was barely early enough, but I made it! I listened to my audio Bible reading (One Year Bible, n.d.), worked on my pull-ups, did my push-ups, PT exercises, stretching and foam rolling. Then I got dressed, made my cup of coffee with RNWY collagen, toasted my bagel, climbed up and down the stairs, and was out of the house around 4 am (RNWY, n.d.; Farmhouse on Boone, 2024).

My kind husband has been my chauffeur every year for the race, and thank goodness! I still don't know my way around town, and with lots of roads shut down, it was interesting to get to the bus line. While driving, I ate my banana and bagel and drank my coffee.

Transportation instructions this year had different parking and drop off locations. My husband said he didn't like the drop off, but I thought it worked well. He dropped me off around 4:20 AM. I was on a bus by around 4:30 AM, and we departed at 4:40 AM.

It was a bit of a drive to the start line, through Tempe and up the mountain. We arrived about 5:30 AM, which I thought was a good time, as it only left an hour until start time. Well, the porta-potty lines were already long, and even though I jumped right in, it took about 40 minutes to get through. That left me just enough time to throw my bag on the truck for retrieval at race end, and get in the corrals.

In the corrals, I decided to line up with the 3:35 group. We heard there was no 3:30 pacer, and the 3:35 pacer Ken seemed nice (Skrien, n.d.). Two other ladies and I were right with him.

The weather was pretty cool at the start (around 49 degrees and cool). I gave my first mylar blanket to two ladies shivering in the cold. I honestly did not want to, but I thought it was the right thing to do. God was gracious, and I found a discarded mylar blanket in a trash can when I went to drop my bag. Maybe it is gross, but I took it and kept it right until the start line.

The Race

Miles 1-10 I pretty much ran with the pacer the whole way. He seemed he like he knew what he was doing, and I trusted him. Sometimes he was a little ahead of me. Sometimes I got a little ahead of the pack. There was a hill around miles 4-6, but it was not too bad. It was lovely not to look at my watch, and I just chugged along, taking gels every three miles.

Miles 10-20 I started feeling my legs probably around mile 9 or so, and by 13, I was hurting some. I thought to myself, "And this is why I am a half-marathon girl." At some point, I actually got ahead of the pace group, and I thought I just might be on track for a 3:30. Then things started slowing down. I took a Carbs fuel gel with 100 mg of caffeine at mile 15, and at about mile 18, I felt it kick in (Carbs Fuel, n.d.). By this point, though, I had dropped behind the pace group. [Marathon Mama RD also passed me (Scott, n.d.)] I was off pace for a 3:30 slightly by mile 17, and at 18, I was hurting. I told myself I had just about an hour left, and that around 22, I would see my husband.

Miles 20-26.2 My pace kept slowing as the flat ground and hot sun loomed before me. I texted my husband around mile 20 that I planned to throw my pack at him. I had drank most of the RAW electrolyte water and just wanted to shed weight (RAW, n.d.). I stuffed my pockets with my remaining fuel, and still slowed down. I went from 8:04 to 8:07 to 8:10/mile. I didn't really look at my watch. Honestly, I didn't care about my time anymore. I just wanted to finish. I knew I had friends at the finish line, and I didn't want to disappoint them.

One of my "friends" (the ladies with whom I started) was off and on my shoulder as we got closer to the finish line. I saw at least two people either doubled over or sitting. I told myself to hold on. I was belching gels at this point, so I let myself get away with skipping the one at mile 24. I took a few sips of water and grabbed a Crank E-gel and Skratch energy chews (because I am a sucker for freebies) and just kept going (Crank Sports, n.d.; Skratch, n.d.).

I tried to be encouraging as I went. I saw one lady walking and crying. I saw Waddell Running Lady with her son's name on her bib and cheered her on (Schroff, n.d.). I tried to run a little faster, telling myself that if I sped up, I would finish faster. I gave it all I had in the last 0.2 miles, and I thought I was fast. Splits say I was just the same: 8:10/mile. 

The Finish

I did see my friends and husband out of the corner of my eye as I finished. I threw up my hands and stopped my watch. The 3:35 group was pretty far in front of me, but the clock said 3:35 when I passed, so I thought I might be close. My watch said 26.47 in 3:34:20, but I stopped it after the finish, so I wondered what my time was. The app didn't say.

I grabbed my medal and filled up a bag with food: Spylt chocolate milk, Siete Foods, That's It fruit bars, water, and more (Spylt, n.d.; Siete Foods, n.d., That't It, n.d.). I skipped the banana, thinking we had a lot at home. That was a mistake.

The Finish Line Festival

I thought the Finish Line Festival was for runners only, but my husband and friends got to me. My friends had made me a sign, which was super fun. I immediately went to the results tent, but after waiting in line for quite some time, was told to come back in 30 minutes, as my results had not registered. We went and took photos and got some more goodies. I went back. They told me to come back again. I hobbled over to take pictures with the 26.2 sign, and then my friends had to leave. At some point, I went and got my drop bag (a little bit of an Easter egg hunt, but I found it.). The Honor Health tent let me have a banana, and that helped with refueling.

I am not sure if I went back to the results tent one or two more times. All I know is that it was getting hot. I felt like I was getting sunburned, and both my husband and I felt thirsty. Running friends encouraged me to go to the Honor Health tent to stretch out, and that helped my pain some. Eventually, after trying to hydrate with more caffeine (I could only get half down) and eating another protein bar, results were still not it (1st Phorm, n.d. Phorm energy; 1st Phorm, n.d. Level-1 Bar. The nice man (who was losing his voice) explained that the beacons on the course pinged about 50 times per person per beacon, and with 11,000 runners, the server had crashed due to the backlog. It was back up, but not more backlogged than ever. He said it could take until evening or the next day to register time. Convinced that I would get a time, we went to the car and drove home.

The Drive Home

While driving home, I listened to the kind shoutouts my sister-in-law (plus niece and nephew), Mom and Dad, and prayer partner of my mom's sent. I had forgotten my AirPods, but that was just as well, as it it made the drive home more special. Mom had asked me to send her a picture of what I was wearing on the run, and I figured she had some plan, but what I didn't know was that she would have a friend on the course to cheer me on. What a blessing!

My finish time finally posted while driving home: 3:34:14--not a Boston qualifier, but over 17 minutes faster than my first. And there was so much to give thanks for: nice weather, friends, good nutrition (thanks to my running dietitian, which will be another post), the pacer, food at the expo to get me through an extra long stay, the Asics Magic Speed shoes Sole Sports got me hooked on, no blisters thanks to Bombas socks from my husband, etc. (Moore, n.d.; Asics, n.d.; Sole Sports, n.d.; Scheels, n.d.).

It took me a bit to unpack and unwind when I got home. I had coffee, plus 100 mg of caffeine on the course, plus 200 more in the protein drink, plus 100-150 mg more. Needless to say, I was buzzed.

I didn't think I was hungry after I showered, but I thought I should eat more. My friends gave both my husband I goodie boxes, and praise Jesus, there was a savory Quiche Lorraine in there (Paris Baguette, n.d.). After all the sweetness of the gels, that hit the spot. I attempted to nap, but nah, that was not happening. Caffeine and adrenaline do not for a good nap make. But that's okay. It was still a good day.

Final Thoughts

The pacer told us early on in the race to find our, "Why." I had it written on my wrists: "loved" on my left wrist, and "beloved" on my right wrist. Loved was to remind me to pray for the kids with whom I work. "Beloved" was from the new Francis Chan book (2025), and encouragement to me to focus on absorbing God's love. As I ran, I thought about what it meant to "be loved." I committed to myself that I would not take anything for granted, thank God for whatever results came, and actually try to accept and absorb the love of all the people supporting me on this day. I did pray a lot. I am super grateful for the results. I am not sure I have fully absorbed all the love of the people around me or of God, but you know what? I have that very kind race sign to look at and remind me of love for as long as I want to keep it around. That's probably going to be for a very long time!

References:

Asics. (n.d). Magic Speed. https://www.asics.com/us/en-us/magic-speed/c/aa50124900/?CAWELAID=120223060000996421&CATRK=SPFID-1&CATARGETID=120223060000867441&CAPCID=587613936406&CATCI=dsa-19959388920&CAAGID=130950374040&CADevice=c&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=10390976860&gbraid=0AAAAADl69Mha6JyZbmEthRvK5MOWT72vI&gclid=Cj0KCQiA18DMBhDeARIsABtYwT2fJ3oKsxUvl044pCFuHqs00MVb8zS4Cm5hzF71mHdhe3ficQKwNEsaAnWvEALw_wcB

Boston Marathon. (n.d.). Qualify for the Boston Marathon. https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/qualify/

Boston Marathon. (n.d.). Training plans. https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/info-for-athletes/boston-marathon-training/

Carbs Fuel. (n.d.). Carbs Fuel original caffeinated 50g energy gel. https://carbsfuel.com/products/carbs-fuel-caffeinated-original-50g-energy-gel

Chan, F., & Gordon, M. (2025). Beloved. David C. Cook.

Crank Sports. (n.d.). Radical raspberry e-gel. https://www.cranksports.com/product/radical-raspberry-e-gel-box-of-24/

Farmhouse on Boone. (2024, April 27). Easy sourdough discard bagels. https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/easy-sourdough-discard-bagels/#wprm-recipe-container-41224

1st Phorm. (n.d.). Level-1 bar. https://1stphorm.com/products/level-1-bar-15ct?variant=40173113737302

1st Phorm. (n.d). Phorm energy. https://1stphorm.com/products/phorm-energy

Moore, E. (n.d.). The Dietitian Runner. https://thedietitianrunner.com/

Paris Baguette. (n.d.). Quiche Lorraine. https://parisbaguette.com/product/quiche-lorraine/

RAW. (n.d.). RAW replenish. https://getrawnutrition.com/products/raw-replenish?srsltid=AfmBOoqjVrcdX1lM0_ZQ5yCKWzG0a2rGrwIqGRAigxSbKn_bbJBNbr1O&variant=51657774334270

RNWY. (n.d.). RNWY foundation. https://rnwy.life/products/foundation?srsltid=AfmBOoqU6wWmXDD7Gyzy-F1kRCyx8OdoJoBe896SQxm77xyjbYPI6pKM

Scheels. (n.d.). Bombas performance ankle running socks. https://www.scheels.com/p/84362919468?queryID=c9989f49f8db5376728a82c6bcff6378

Schroff, M. [@WaddellRunningLady]. (n.d.). Waddell Running Lady. [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved February 14, 2026 from https://www.instagram.com/waddellrunninglady/.

Scott, J. [@MarathonMama_RD]. (n.d.). Marathon Mama RD. [Instagram profile. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/marathonmama_rd/

Siete Foods. https://sietefoods.com/shop/

Skratch Labs. (n.d.). Energy chews sport fuel. https://www.cranksports.com/product/radical-raspberry-e-gel-box-of-24/

Skrien, K. [@Im_That_Ken]. (n.d.). I'm That Ken. [Instagram profile]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/im_that_ken/

Sole Sports. (n.d.). https://solesports.runfreeproject.com/

Spylt. (n.d.). Spylt chocolate milk. https://www.spylt.com/product/chocolate-milk

That's It. (n.d.). Fruit bars. https://www.thatsitfruit.com/collections/shop-fruit-bars?srsltid=AfmBOorcRr0Oq8XJ7lB7PDp-HpFK0AeK9xTu4pbV9dephGOVX1EArZRJ

26.2 Reasons NOT to Run a Marathon

Are you tired of the marathon content? Well, maybe you want to read this, or at least the first part. I often hear, "I wish I was a runner," or "I wish I could do that" when I share about my running exploits. 

"Running is not for everyone," I respond. If you really want to run, and especially run a marathon, consider the costs. In no particular order, these are reasons NOT to run 26.2:

1. Blisters
2. Chafing
3. Cost of gels
4. Cost of the race
5. Cost of shoes
6. Dehydration
7. Early mornings
8. Early nights to bed
9. Limited time to socialize
10. Fat storage
11. Foot swelling
12. Less time to lift weights
13. Missing live Nourish Move Love workouts (my favorite form of strength training)
14. Muscle loss
15. Not being able to eat foods I like (eg broccoli)
16. Needing to avoid healthy foods a lot of the time (eg whole grains)
17. Skin aging
18. High sugar consumption 
19. Sun exposure (If training outside, like I did.
20. It's a time suck.
21. Travel limitations (If you want to complete all your runs)
22. GI distress.
23. Taper crazies/maranoia (Virtual Runner UK, n.d.).
24. Not being able to run hard for a while after the marathon (Brooks, 2023)
25. Having to take a break from strength training for two weeks before the race
26. Having to rest from strength training for at least two weeks after the race
.2 More lost muscle mass as a result...

Basically, training for and running a marathon is not the healthiest thing to do. For me, though, training for this marathon was right for me because: 

1. My husband supported my efforts.
2. I already had a half-marathon base.
3. I live in a city with relatively safe spaces to run.
4. I had (and continued to) educated myself on fueling and nutrition via various free online resources.
5. The Boston Marathon Level One Training Plan gave me pretty specific training instructions.
6. My work schedule was a little bit flexible.
7. My husband had completed the intensity of his school work, leaving a little margin for me to up the intensity of my life.
8. I did not have much travel planned.
9. I live in a mostly temperate climate.
10. I had three pairs of Brooks Ghost shoes to support my feet.
11. The lateness of this marathon allowed me to start training later (eg as late as I could into the summer).
12. The timing of the marathon lined up with me not wanting to train through Christmas.
13. The dopamine gained from running elevated my mood during fall, the season when my mood 14. typically declines.
15. Training made me focus more on getting in good nutrition.
16. Training helped me prioritize myself (eating on time, going to bed on time, etc.).
17. Training forced me to set (and hold) boundaries.
18. Training helped me prioritize what is really important.
19. Training made me more aware of things that don’t really matter in terms of the big picture 
20. Training gave me opportunities to accept more help, something that is hard for me, but that I need to do.
21. Spending a lot of time training made me more appreciative of help (instead of critical of how it was given).
22. Training gave me lots of time to listen to podcasts, learn, think, and process life.
23. I had a newer IPhone with battery to last for long runs.
24. AirPods in one ear kept me occupied and safe.
Marathon training enabled me to engage more with the running community (eg through group runs).

25. My husband is very steady and could talk me down from my maranoia.

26. God enabled me to prioritize my training and let other stuff go.

.2 I just really wanted to do it!

References:

Brooks, A. (2023, March 9). Post-marathon training: Running and strength training plan. Run to the Finish. I https://runtothefinish.com/post-marathon-fitness/

Virtual Runner UK. (n.d). Are you suffering from maranoia? -- Marathon anxiety and how to beat it. https://www.virtualrunneruk.com/are-you-suffering-from-maranoia-marathon-anxiety-and-how-to-beat-it/