Finding Strength and Inspiration in Marathon Challenges

Have you ever spoken to a person who regularly takes part in marathons? Yes, they may discuss things such as how to avoid hitting the wall, the best electrolyte balancing drinks, and the best stretches to do beforehand. More often than not, though, they will discuss what inspired them to keep going. Their own personal journey of how to be the best they could be at running marathons.

Finding Strength and Inspiration in Marathon Challenges

If you are new to the world of running marathons, there are two things to take from this article. The first is that by running marathons, you are doing something amazing for the charity of your cause (assuming you are running marathons for charity), and the second is that this journey will open your eyes to what inspires you.

To help get you on that path, here are some top ways you can draw strength and motivation in your training and marathon running.

Overcome Challenges

It goes without saying that whether you are running the London or Edinburgh marathon, there are going to be a few challenges in the training.

You may pull a muscle, you may feel overwhelmed, and you may feel anxious. All of these experiences are entirely normal and make up the start of most marathon runner's journeys. What is important is to aim to overcome them. Setbacks are there to seemingly test your grit and determination, and when you overcome them, you will likely find a newfound strength in yourself.

Adopt a Positive Mindset

Have you ever met someone who runs marathons who has a negative outlook? It's unlikely, and that is for one reason: to run marathons successfully, you need to adopt a positive mindset. For instance, even if you don't beat your personal best in your first, second, or fifteenth marathon, you can find inspiration in the fact that you took part. For people with mental health issues, adopting a more positive outlook has been found to help them cope with psychological challenges, too.

Reflection

Reflection can be a huge help when adopting a positive mindset. Take a few minutes on your training days to reflect back and see how far you have come on your journey. Try to celebrate achievements that you have made, even if they seem small, as this will help you to feel more inspired when it comes to running a race.

Set Milestones

OK, so this can feel intimidating at first, but it does wonders if you don't come down too hard on yourself if you don't meet your milestones straight away. Aim to set milestones during your training sessions, and when it comes to running a marathon, try to do it here, too. Even if it is shaving 10 seconds off your personal best, this can help you see that you are going in the right direction and make you feel positive about the experience.

Talk to Other Runners

Marathon running is extremely social, and the chances are that you will make some friends by engaging in these runs. Try to talk to other runners about their sources of inspiration. Even if you don't share them, it can give a sense of togetherness during a run, which can help you to keep going, even if the path is slippery, muddy, or up a steep hill!

Author Bio
Lizzie Reynell-O'Brien graduated with an MSc in clinical psychology from Goldsmiths University and started her small writing company, Just Write, in 2018, writing solely about mental health diagnostics in the NHS. She is passionate about writing as an art form, and when she's not typing, you will find her walking her two rescue Jack Russells or in her garden planting wildflowers.