5 Post-Marathon Lessons for Running + Life

It’s been a few weeks now since I ran the New York City Marathon, and I am happy to report that I can, once again, walk down stairs properly.

In all seriousness, many people have asked how I felt along the run. Was the humidity as unbearable as it seemed? Did I consider stopping along the way? Was I in pain? Etc. etc. 

I would say yes to it all — but thinking back to my earlier blog on how training to run the marathon is similar to exploring your career, the experience itself was also reflective of what it takes to stick to your aspiration and milestones along the way. Here are my five big takeaways:

Break It Down

Focus on the first thing you need to do, and then focus on one milestone at a time. When I couldn’t see/feel the end in sight, I started tricking myself by saying things like: This next segment is you running your weekly 5K. This mile is you on your walk to the subway. Now you’re almost home — just one more turn around the block! Each moment became a mini story en route to the final destination.

Miles of Smiles

I had originally planned to run like the wind past my friends and wave from a distance — instead, I stopped each time I saw a friend and stayed for the hug and the cheers. For the purposes of my personal goal, prioritizing morale over competition made all the difference. Allow others to carry you through when the going gets tough. And, on the flip side, sometimes you might need to go solo — there were certainly moments during the race when I just needed to tune out the cheers and focus on hitting the pavement. That’s okay too.

Run Your Race

The marathon was both looong and wide — there were 50k+ runners this year! Run your own race at your own pace. Don’t be envious of someone flying past you when you’re taking it slow; there is room for everyone. At some point, you will fly — or at the very least, jog — past someone else. Remain in awe of people who are chasing the same goals you are; you’re ultimately in this together. 

Prioritize Pit Stops

When you’re pursuing something big, you will need to take breathers. I gulped water (and Gatorade — which, quite frankly, tastes appalling) at every pit stop before the finish line. Even though I didn’t fully stop moving, I still found ways to give my body mini breaks and fuel. What personal pit stops can you build in as you work toward a goal? Rest and recovery are key.

Distract Yourself

Be open to any and all positive distractions en route. When in doubt, look up and breathe. Watch others and learn. Let yourself get inspired.

This marathon was an experience like no other and though the course took me well over my estimated arrival time, I did get to my destination — bruised and blissfully happy. Most importantly, every step was worth it for the larger goal: running in honour of my friend Mia and fundraising for ALS. We raised over 11k. Thank you so much for your donations and support; it may have been a solo run, but it was certainly a team effort.

With joy,

Dr. Helen