You can run a marathon too!

In one of the prior articles, I mentioned about finishing a marathon despite the low MCV and MCH of my blood, making me a poor endurance runner. Some of you were asking me “Why?” and others were curious as to “How?”

Over a cup of coffee, I will share with you the “Why?” For today, I will share the “How?” and perhaps that might inspire you to run a marathon too!

“Life is a marathon, not a sprint” This phase has been quoted and used so often, it is impossible to confirm its original source. Nevertheless, we all agree that life is indeed a marathon. For that matter, many aspects of life and work are marathons. In the IT world, projects can be marathons too. I know of friends who have been in the same ERP project for eight years and counting. The new AGILE project management fad which comprises of multiple SPRINTS, can also be seen as a marathon in disguised.

So, how does running an actual physical 42.195km marathon have lessons for us in our life’s journey?  Ah, this is where “Inspired by everyday life” comes in …

The first thing that many people says when it comes to a marathon is “I can’t do it", "it is not for me." “running a marathon is impossible.” For many decades, this was my sincere belief and mental frame of mind whenever a marathon was mentioned. Even when I was already doing half marathons, the thought of running a full 42.2km was a stretch too far. I just don’t have the stamina for 42.2km.

Then, something changed my mind, or rather someone did.

No, I was not inspired by an elite athlete; I wasn’t motivated by an executive coach helping me to navigate some mid-life crisis; I wasn’t spurred on by someone’s competitive challenge. No, I was inspired by another ordinary peer runner.

One day, this friend of mine announced that he had just completed the Singapore Marathon. Wow, what an achievement!  Later, I got to know that he completed the run in seven hours. When I heard this, it was a paradigm shift for me!

Up till that moment, I have always thought that runners finish the marathon in about 4:30 and mostly under five hours. I could never run at this pace (of a constant 9.3km/h or 6:45min/km for 42 km) for a such a long time.

When I knew that it is possible to complete a marathon within seven hours, this broke my mental barrier. Seven hours means a running speed of 6km/h or 10mins/km, this is slightly faster than a walk (which is about 3.5km to 5km/hr). Suddenly, completing a marathon becomes a possibility! The marathon has now been reframed in my mind, into a long brisk walk.

• Lesson #1: Reframing the challenge, changes the mindset to make the impossible, possible.

• Catalyst #1: Another ‘ordinary’ runner, of about the same capacity/competence.

Having been thus inspired, I signed up for the full marathon.

There are many experts, many good coaches and many websites able to provide the correct training programs and guidance to help you prepare to run your first marathon. I am not a reliable source for this aspect. I will leave you to better hands.

For my personal preparations, besides clocking in the bare minimum mileage, I immerse myself into the mental mindset of running the marathon. Picked up running magazines, read runner’s blogs, join in a couple more runs throughout the year, and telling others that I am going to run the marathon, so that I can't back out without embarrassing myself. Essentially filling my socio-eco sphere with things associated with running the marathon. This certainly help keep the personal interest, motivation, and inspiration high.

• Lesson #2: Physical preparation builds endurance, mental preparation builds fortitude. Both are necessary and both takes time.

• Catalyst #2: Immersion in the echo-chamber of the marathon fraternity.

Now we skip forward many years and a few marathons later, to 2024’s Tokyo marathon early this March. By this time, with numerous ankle and knee injuries, onset of osteoarthritis, a torn ACL and MCL, running a marathon is a real physical and mental challenge. I don’t have confidence to finish the marathon within the cut off time of seven hours. It is seven hours from the flag off time, I am a slow runner, queued into the last race pen, it would take about 40mins to get to the starting line. Finishing within the remaining 6:20 hours will be a challenge.

The Tokyo Marathon, had several cut off timings along the route. There were run stewards at these locations, ready and trained to ‘advice’ the slow runners to ‘try again next year.’ There was even a sweeper bus trailing behind the pack, to pick up the stragglers, I am not sure if there were any trauma counsellors onboard to console runners whose aspirations and dreams were crushed, and I certainly didn’t want to find out first hand either.

The initial frustration of having to deal with multiple cut offs, turns out to be a blessing.  Instead of viewing these cut-off timings as more barriers to overcome, I pivoted the thought of these as milestones to help track and pace progress. Yet again, lesson #1 in action.

As with any project manager, the 42.2km run was decomposed into 10 milestones, based on the 10 official cut-off timings. Since I run with my phone, this allowed me to set up 10 alarms, 15 mins before the cut off timings in the early stages of the run, and shortening down to 10mins in the later segments. These alarms will alert me to increase my pace, when necessary; providing a periodic timing and reality check, with enough headroom to make a tangible difference.

Why 10 to 15mins? Setting it longer will alert me too early, giving a false sense of confidence, and to set it too short will not give enough time to recover the situation. On paper, I am ready as can be.

•  Lesson #3: Big complex projects or marathons, can be broken down into smaller achievable milestones for better line-of-sight inspiration.

• Catalyst #3: Know what you’re personally capable of and work within that zone.

All these thus far are theoretical and paper planning. The key will be the actual day’s run. Can I execute the plan which has been extensively architected on paper? Will my body be ready? Will I get runner’s diarrhea? Will my knees hold up? Will it be raining and cold (Tokyo in March can be freezing)?

Leading up to the run, there were typical ‘rituals’ to be followed. How much walking or running the day prior; when to eat dinner; what to eat; amino supplements; calf massages; timing when to wake up; what to avoid for breakfast; when to eat; when to drink; when to clear the bowels; when to put on the pain gels; when to pop the pain pills for my knees and ankles. Finally, of course, the mental pep talk that I have to give myself to motivate and energize myself for the torture that is to come.

The day of the run turns out to be a fabulously beautiful day, bright, clear blue skies, sunny with a very pleasant 7 degrees temperature. The organizers were efficient as always, the runners were all energetic and hyped up, the logistics and route to the running pen were smooth, everything was as good as it can be. I was anticipating burning up 40mins to get to the start line, but managed to clear it within 30mins, hurray an additional 10mins for my run! Off to a great start!

This year’s running route was better than my prior experience in 2014. There were more supporters, more fun, less ‘highway’, more streets, and that means very few stretches without cheering supporters by the side.

I took each individual segment as an achievement goal in itself. I focused on finishing each specific segment (be it 5k, 2k, or 3k) within the milestone timings. I challenge myself to keep and hold on to the additional 10mins buffer that was earned from the efficient flag off.

Reaching each milestone, I celebrated with a selfie at the marker or the race clock, followed by a triumphant shout of “Yes!” and a victorious punch in the air. Happily counting down one less milestone, I push off into the next segment, focusing again, solely on reaching the next checkpoint. In my mind, it wasn’t a long 30km to go, to me, it was just 5km more, and I know, I can finish 5k, I have done it before, and I can do it again.

These short cycles of “focus – achieve – celebrate” was so energizing, that for a moment, I was almost convinced the run could be complete within 6 hours, … that is, until cramps, and chronic aches and pain caught up with me. For the last 12km, it was mind over matter.

In the end, I did complete the marathon in time to receive a finisher’s medal.

• Lesson #4: Accomplish simple milestones and celebrate often. There is a boost and energy when we celebrate, so celebrate often.

• Catalyst #4: Setting sensible milestones and sensible targets help to motivate progress.

Finally, 42.2km done. Finished with a timing of 6:17:14.

This works out to be a 9mins per kilometre pace, a moderately brisk walking speed of 6.7km/h. Nothing to shout about, there were 34,556 people that finished in front of me, putting me at the bottom 2%. But if I can finish the marathon, so can you.

Be it a marathon, a complex project, or a long term business challenge, it all begins with

• Lesson #1: Reframing the challenge. Changing the mindset, makes the impossible, possible.

• Lesson #2: Physical preparation builds endurance, mental preparation builds fortitude. Both are necessary, and both takes time.

• Lesson #3: Big complex projects or marathons, can be broken down into smaller achievable milestones for better line-of-sight inspiration.

• Lesson #4: Celebrate often. There is a boost and energy when we celebrate, so celebrate often.

One final thought to emphasize is Catalyst #1.

The inspiration for me really came from someone of peer running competence. It wasn’t Kipchoge, and his amazing 1:59:40 marathon run. That kind of result does nothing to inspire, but is more likely to glue me firmer on to my sedentary lifestyle. The inspiration is from someone closer to earth, closer to my humble corner of the earth. If he can run a marathon in seven hours, I believe, so can I.

We can look to someone at the pinnacle of their achievement, be it Kipchoge for marathon; Warren Buffett or even Elon Musk for business; Taylor Swift or Michael Jordan, Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein and so many others.  To me, these are all aspirational models for us. Staring at them, reading about them, idolizing them, does not move me forward.

But, what is truly inspirational, what can truly motivate, move me into action, and make a difference in me, is my ordinary friend next to me, of similar vintage, of similar capabilities, someone that I know personally, … because, if he can do it, so can I.

If I can do it, so can you!

Inspiration before aspiration!

Footnote: I will be interested to know if you’ve signed up to run a 10k, or a half marathon or a full marathon, drop me a comment below.