Crossing the Finish Line
Crossing the Finish Line
Whether or not running a marathon is on your bucket list, the process of training and completing one is a tremendous lesson and valuable guide to accomplish any type of big goal we set for ourselves. Did you know only 1% of the population will complete a marathon in their lifetime?? ONE percent is an extremely small percentage, and the very reason it is the leading motivating factor for runners to become marathoners as a dream goal. It’s one thing to want to master such a giant goal, and another thing to do it.
Meet Stacey Kessinger who is currently in training to run her SIXTH marathon later this year in Chicago. A marathon is not something you can easily just get up and do. It takes preparation, planning, commitment, and a serious amount of hard work. Before you’re too quick to give out excuses as to all the reasons why running a marathon is unobtainable for you, this uplifting read about an inspirational woman, gives little excuse for several of us reading this post. If you want it bad enough, there are no excuses.
Stacey, a mother of 2 with an extremely demanding job as VP of Marketing for a large real estate development firm, ran her first marathon at the age of 35. Through her story, you can discover and learn what it takes to put a serious goal into production and how it feels to achieve a monumental milestone so few of the population have been able to do. The lessons learned from this process can apply to real life everyday ambitions, even if running isn’t your thing.
“You don’t train so it doesn’t hurt, you train to stand the pain”
Decide:
The first time Stacey seriously considered running a marathon, came after a conversation with her husband (then boyfriend), Shawn, before she set out for a 6-mile run on a drizzly warm morning. He made mention of that crazy little statistic (referenced above) about 1% of our population complete a marathon. Stacey then decided on that very 6-mile run, she was going to be in the 1%. That became her deciding factor, inspiration and drive to pursue whatever necessary to get to the finish line of a marathon…26.2 miles.
Plan:
An extremely integral piece of the puzzle in marathon training is to lay out a concise schedule. Stacey puts a 4-month training plan into an Excel spreadsheet mapping out a daily mileage goal. Space is allotted for what she plans to do and space for what she does, allowing adjustments as necessary. A training program should never be rigid to the point it is inflexible to changes. Things come up & situations arise that are unexpected. Be prepared to adjust your plan to assure the bottom line miles will be completed but allow it to flow with other daily commitments and unplanned events.
Commit:
Once the decision has been made and the plan is in place, the next step is to be committed. Stacey admits there are some rough days and plenty of times where she’d rather not get up early to do the training scheduled for that day. Or times she just physically or mentally couldn’t complete the entire distance she set out to do. The trick is to do what you can, and don’t beat yourself up if you fall a little short here or there. Of course, the intent is to make it every time, but life happens and sometimes you just can’t. The advice Stacey says works for her is to just brush it off and don’t beat yourself up about it. Instead, accept it, forgive yourself and move on. If you feel let down, you’ll want to quit. Just remind your inner voice, you always have tomorrow and approach the goal planned for that day with a fresh outlook. If you are ever in a deeper rut, refer to your why and that will keep you going.
Find support:
Let it be known to those around you the goal you’ve set out for yourself. Getting support from your friends and family is a major key for success. Stacey says her entire family is supportive, but her husband is the biggest source of support. Not only does he encourage the day-to-day training, he is also present supporting her at every race.
Stacey recommends finding a race where there is community involvement. Her personal favorite is the Chicago marathon and one of the main reasons is the immense support of the crowd. She affirms that goes a long way, especially if you are mentally struggling at any point on race day (which will happen).
Be prepared – Make mental or literal notes of your training:
Stacey expresses it is crucial to listen to your body throughout training to get a good sense of what you will need for the big day. Especially on the longer running days, track what foods you eat before a run to identify what gives you energy, as well as foods to avoid that make you drag. You obviously want to fill your body with what it needs to keep you fueled, but not weigh you down.
It is essential to keep your training outdoors, even if pouring down rain. Give your body the training it needs to adapt in all different weather conditions.
Make note of other critical components during your training – What shoes are the most comfortable for you? What music motivates you? What types of clothes make you the most comfortable? Will you need a lubrication in areas you may tend to chafe in? (yes, this happens! 😊)
Taper down and begin to let go:
It can be hard to scale back after working up long distance mileage in preparation to run a lengthy race. You may ask yourself, why quit the longer distance runs in the few days prior to race day? Because your body needs time to relax & recover. Let go of worry, you won’t miss out on anything by giving your body what it needs to get you to the starting line at your healthiest. Allowing for lighter workout days prior to the big event is advisable.
On the night prior to race day, Stacey will eat something hearty but bland. Maybe a chicken or turkey sandwich and fries…no diet food before a race. Your body will need the fuel & carbs to get you to the end.
Keep control and take it all in:
The time has come where months of strict preparation have led up to race day. There will be nerves and excitement. Stacey advises to just enjoy it all, from that moment you take your very first step, savor everything. Don’t shoot out of the gate and expend all your energy, keep control from the start with a steady pace. Pay attention to obstacles, like pot holes, trash, debris, and of course other runners. Trust in what your training has prepared you for. You can do it, remain focused.
Stacey suggests breaking down miles into little sections/mini goals. Her husband (whom did I already mention is an unbelievable source of support), meets her at pre-determined mile markers to see how she is doing, give her Gu, Advil, and boost her spirits. Stacey will look forward to those miles… rather than the mindset of being at mile 1, with 25 miles to go, she thinks to herself, Shawn is at mile 6, I have 5 miles until then. Stacey mentioned fellow running friends of hers have different mini goals, such as a friend who brings along 26 jelly beans and eats one at each mile. Do what works for you and what gives you an incentive at shorter accomplishments to look forward to.
Believe in yourself:
You will inevitably have something occur that will leave you to question if you can continue, the answer is you can. Stacey said during one race, she literally fell and was hurt to the point she didn’t think she would finish, but remembered her determination, all those months of training, and had to envision what was waiting for her at that finish line. Obviously not elated, she forced herself to dig deep and kept going. Over time she noted feeling better & believes was due to not allowing her focus to continue overthinking it.
When in the process of accomplishing a huge goal requiring you to work your ass off, like a marathon, you realize at one, or several points throughout, you have no other choice but to believe in yourself.
Finishing:
Stacey admits she has never had a dry eye crossing over a finish line in all 5 of her marathon races. She says there is nothing like making it to the end. It is more than just finishing a race…it is accomplishing something only 1% of our population will ever experience. Why? Because it is CHALLENGING, both physically and mentally. Maintaining commitment, dedication, and hard work for months! Finishing is an emotional thrill which cannot be described in words. Look back in above photos and notice genuine smiles in ALL of them. Don’t get me wrong, Stacey is also quickly ready to Celebrate! Bring her a Drink! And, a shower! Oh, and a Cheeseburger too! I will say it’s well deserved, don’t you?
In closing, I just have to say during our interview for this article, I especially loved when Stacey told me, her super supportive boyfriend (now husband) Shawn 💍 proposed 💍 after finishing her first marathon. I mean…how sweet is that??? I admit I cried when she told me because it is just so loving. 😊 Good job, Shawn! 😊
As I mentioned, Stacey is training for her SIXTH marathon, but she also is about to rock her first Century bike ride (100 MILES) on Saturday May 11, which demands a challenging training program as well. Join me in wishing her luck and positive vibes as she continues to inspire and motivate all those who know her! ♡