There’s a lot I could be writing about since my last post, which was months ago. Life can get so hectic. Today, though, I want to talk about what I’ve been focusing on for the last few months: how it feels to train for my first marathon, in Cyprus’ scorching summer, and what I’ve learned so far.
Karim and I decided to sign up for a marathon together, as we love a running challenge, and it would make it even more special if we did it abroad. After some research on dates and possible destinations, we landed on the Budapest Marathon, on the 12th of October. It will be my first full marathon and Karim’s second after Athens (he’s run two ultramarathons since then). His aim is to do a personal best, and mine is to finish in good health. So, after a cardio test and getting a coach (everyone’s favourite, George Loukaides), I’ve embarked on this 4-month journey, and 2.5 months in, here’s what I’ve learned so far.
- Vaseline is my new best friend! If you have been running for a while and you’ve trained for a half or a full marathon, you know what I’m talking about. The ever-so-painful chafing that comes with long runs, especially in the summer heat. For weeks on end, after my long runs, new red ‘soft spots’ appear: under the armpits, under my boobs, my nipples, random spots on my back, between my thighs, and the list goes on. I’ve tried an anti-chafing stick, but it didn’t work out, so I resorted to the most common remedy that most runners turn to: Vaseline. I spend a good 5–10 minutes before every long run methodically applying Vaseline to all the ‘soft spots’ I’ve discovered so far. I suppose, as my husband suggested, my skin will probably become thicker, and not get chafed as much. Not sure when that will happen, but until then, I’m used to people staring, wondering what happened to me when they come across the scars I cannot hide in the summer.
- Cruel, early mornings. When long runs reach above 21k (which, based on my average pace, is about 2 hours long), in order to avoid the heat, I have to leave the house by 5 a.m. at the latest. Last week, due to another extreme heatwave where the temperature reached 45 °C, I went running at 4:30 a.m., which meant waking up at 3:45 a.m. Having to wake up this early messes up my sleep, my stomach, everything, but it has to be done. The feeling of achievement in the end more than makes up for it.
- Early nights. Getting up at 4 a.m. means going to bed by 9 p.m. at the latest, which doesn’t leave much time for socialising or anything else. Preparing for a marathon takes its toll on your social life, that’s for sure.
- Track days are now a thing. Some of the training involves speed workouts (intervals and tempo runs), and on those days, I have to get up early to go to the nearest track. I find it a bit boring running around a track, but there’s no other alternative, and you do meet other runners who suffer as much as you because they happen to like running and all the good and the bad that come with it. It’s quite comforting and gives a sense of community to be running together with strangers at 5 in the morning.
- Humidity, oh, the humidity. There are some rare mornings when the air is crispy fresh at 5:30–6 a.m., but most of the time, you can barely breathe because of the intense humidity in the summer months. On those days, you just have to accept your fate. You will have to push harder, you’ll be slower, and it will be more tiring, but what can you do?
- Electrolytes and gels are my second-best friends. I can’t survive without electrolytes and gels, especially during long runs. Though carrying everything on me is not the most convenient, it helps me stay hydrated and avoid severe headaches.
- Kefir and chocolate milk are now my favourite treats. Both drinks help in recovery after a long run, and they are delicious!
- Long run days are a write-off. After running for 3 hours or longer, both the body and the brain are so incredibly tired that, physically and mentally, all I want to do for the rest of the day is sleep and rest. Sometimes it can take 2 days to fully recover.
- It’s all in the mind. When the going gets tough and legs want to give up, either during speed workouts or particularly during long runs, what keeps me (and most people) going is self-talk, motivating myself to keep going (and some music!). It has worked every time so far. Oh, the irony, how running can be a mental health remedy, but also a challenge at times.
- Training with my hubby makes a world of difference. Despite all the soreness, sleep deprivation and pain that come with preparing for my first marathon, doing this with my best friend has made it really special, since we go through all of this together, supporting each other. I can’t wait to see him at the finish line on the 12th of October!
Lessons I learned after I turned 30 