Marathon races require motivation...ok, and fluids. ©Karen Schermbrucker/sportzpics.net
Marathon events don’t race themselves. They take preparation, a dose of good fortune and motivation. The latter is definitely the most personal. Now whilst it would be pure conjecture for me to predict the reason any of my marathon contemporaries take to the startline, I certainly know what I draw on to make sure I’m more racey than pacey when the flag drops.
Training plays a major role in marathon racing. But that’s not a problem – if you’re happy to race a marathon you’re happy to spend time on a bike. A mountain vista, roller-coaster descent, sinewy singletrack or just a good bunch of training mates can be enough to get you rolling, but not always. There are plenty of times that I need to find something else – without reaching into the Euro-profi tacklebag.
I’m not one to race or train with headphones in very often. It happens, but only on some long solo rides. But even without the iPod music still gets me through. And maybe I’m alone in this but sometimes you need to get down to get up. I find music that errs on side of melancholy (the appropriate tracks from The Cure, Radiohead, Portishead and Chris Isaak come to mind) can boost my motivation. Why? Who knows. Perhaps it is because when you find yourself in a low mood at the base of Bobbin Head in Sydney, Ranmore in Surry, or perhaps even slightly hypothermic part-way up the Col du Turini – you know what you need to do.
You have to push hard.
You have to use everything you have, and maybe a bit more. Be it because you have some point to prove to yourself in the middle of nowhere, or a desire forthe body heat that the boost in watts will give you. But in these situations I forget about form over function. Dig deep, hurt, and suffer. You just have to make it happen. Its moments like these where the mental toughness for a hard marathon gets developed.
And when you’re through? It’s like a squeezy gel of exercise endorphins has been popped through an adult-onset fontanelle – and you’re good to go again. Grinning and spinning.
But come race day you need a goal. It could be incremental chips at the overall distance, a certain time, or finishing ahead of a particular competitor. This is where music comes back to the fore, be it headphones blasting or just in your head, a reminder that you can push that little bit harder when the moment comes.
Personally, I’m happy just beating Euro’s at their own game. Just a few, mind you, as there are plenty who trump me. I recall Belgian strongman called Kris exclaiming at a feed that all he needed was “a high five!” I heard the slap and, duly sustained, he carried on tearing the legs off our small group. It’s funny, because I remember thinking at the time ‘all I need is a drink and a good ogle at the attractive Polish girls at the feed station.’
But like I said, it’s personal. And to be honest that’s part of the fun of it. Finding what it is that makes you tick, what makes you hurt yourself, and hopefully helps you put the hurt into others too. Motivation is key!