Lesson 3: Learn from the Experience
During the final four miles of the Chicago Marathon, both of my quads grew weak and began to cramp. I struggled to maintain my fast rhythm and lost a crucial finishing place in the final mile.
There's nothing I can do now to change the outcome of race day, but I can learn from the experience. I plan to run another marathon during the spring and before that time I'm implementing a quad-strengthening routine into my training program so that next time, my quads won't let me down at the end of the race.
The Solution
After your race, take the time to write down the things that went wrong and then follow through with what you can do to fix them. If your stomach didn't handle your food well, find out what other kinds of fuel are available and try those. If your calves cramped during the final mile, work with your coach or a trainer to develop a calf-strengthening routine before your next big race.
One of the best things about the marathon race is the experience you get from completing it. Few marathons are smooth from start to finish. Instead, the marathon has both good patches and bad patches that can teach us lessons. Be proud of your accomplishments and get smarter, not just faster, with each race.
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