Marathon 2016

Marathon lessons.

Conditions:

Rainy, windy, 17 deg.


1. Get some goretex running shoes if you're going to run in the rain.

I was a bit cheap here. I didn't get those ~HKD1300 goretex running shoes. The result was wet and cold feet.

I think even with goretex the feet would get wet from the water than runs down the leg.

2. Do extensive warmup.

Doing 20-30min of walking and running around the block is necessary.

3. There is no need to stay warm.

The running kept me warm and happy inside.

4. Wear a raincoat if it's raining.

Rain gets soaked and weights down my clothes, adding to my load and dragging me down. I think this is a significant factor.

5. Go sleeveless.

Sleeves get in the way. I try to roll them up every so often.

6. It's easy to be envious of people who run so fast.

Until you realize they have put more time, budget into it, or they are more interested in it.

7. Run at your own pace.

People have a tendency to start way too fast. This is not effective. One almost invariably pays for this later.

On the psychological level, marathons can easily be representational of social competition. While I was running I had a lot of time to think about this. While it appears to exist, the only thing a good and happy individual can do is run at one's comfortable pace. The moment you attempt to compete, one is not being true to oneself. One relinquishes control to exterior "social" forces.

On the upside, envy/jealousy is indicative of something you may want but do not have.

8. (Since SIS) Run at a constant steady pace.

Every change of pace takes energy, which is not used for movement.

9. You are only as strong as your weakest muscle.

For some it's the calf, others it's hamstrings, still other's it's the core and back.

Running is a synchronized movement between many muscles. The moment any one of them becomes tired and weak, the running technique has changed. Athletes are capable of performing well because almost everything works well together.

10. Only the happy memories remain.

When all is good and done, one tends to only remember the good part and not the soreness or the hours spent training.

11. The time does not matter.

The time is a natural consequence of many things - weather, health, psychology, muscles, genes. It is an indicator but I have never worried about it on its own. What it does tell me is what factors may have had an effect.

12. So happy I didn't do a full marathon.

The rain was ok for 2 hours, but 4-6 hours is a bit much. Very happy I was out of the rain before too long.

After Action Extras...

13. Stretching is a necessary evil.

I find stretching totally unproductive and painful, but it's far less painful than the DOMS that I tend to get when I refuse to stretch.