When you’re training for a long distance race such as a half or full marathon, you may have to deal with some pain or discomfort during the training or the race itself. You actually should expect to feel discomfort so that you have strategies in place when it happens.
If you feel some pain during long runs and races or you’re just struggling mentally, here are some tips for getting through it:
Change your stride.
Making a slight adjustment to your stride can make a huge difference in your level of discomfort. Try to lengthen or shorten your stride a little, or kick up your heels a little bit.
You don’t need to do it for a long stretch – just enough to switch up the muscles you’re using and possibly relieve some pain you’re feeling in certain areas.
Think outside the body.
Let your mind take over from your body and try to focus on the outside and everything going on around you — the spectators, the signs, the other runners, the scenery. Look around at other runners – chances are there’s someone else who looks a lot worse than you feel!
Distract yourself.
Do whatever it takes to keep your mind occupied: Sing songs, play mental games, count people, talk to other runners, practice mindfulness.
Talk to yourself.
Whether you think to yourself or actually speak out loud, give yourself a pep talk. Keep repeating your running mantras. Some runners like to choose a different mantra for each mile they run.
Remind yourself what you’ve sacrificed to get to this point. Remember how you’ve run on sore and fatigued legs before and you know that you can do it again.
Try disassociation.
Disassociation is focusing on something external to keep your mind from thinking about physical pain. Think about what you want to do once you’re finished with your run or race. Mentally checking out can also help you push through boredom during long runs.
Take a walking break.
Walking during a long run or race gives your running muscles and joints a chance to rest and recover, and can really break up the monotony. Some runners will strategically plot out their walk breaks and time them. Others plan to walk through a water stop during a race or up a hill during a long run.
However or whenever you do it, think of walking as a good mental and physical strategy. Just make sure that you’re walking with a purpose – keep up your good form, swinging your arms and taking short, quick strides.
Stay mentally tough.
Your mental toughness really gets tested during long runs and races. Don’t give into periods of self-doubt and discomfort. Remember all the training that you have done and have faith in it. Think about how hard you have worked and how rewarding it will be to complete your marathon.
Be Careful About Pain During Long Runs and Races
While it’s generally safe to push through discomfort, fatigue and mild pain during long runs and marathons, you shouldn’t push through pain that keeps getting worse as you continue running.
If your pain is getting worse as you run or it’s forcing you to limp or change your gait, those are red flags of a running injury, not typical distance running discomfort.
Noticing some injury warning signs in the middle of a long run? Then cut your run short and take a few days off from running. If you’re running a marathon and you still have a long way to do, stop in a medical tent and get evaluated to see if you should continue running.
More Mental Tips for Long Runs and Races:
- The Power of Positive Thinking
- 5 Ways to Boost Your Mood During a Run
- 5 Mental Tricks to Keep You Running
- Mental Tips for Half and Full Marathons
Running coach, avid runner, and fitness writer Christine Luff is an RRCA-certified running coach and ACE-certified personal trainer. Founder of the website Run for Good and author of the book Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, she coaches runners, from beginners to advanced, who are training for races, from 5Ks to marathons.
