Marathon Training for Life: Bar Talk with Eric Bartosz

If you’re a runner, you likely already know that fall is marathon season, with September through December a busy stretch of the year for races. If you’ve already crossed a finish line in the past couple of months, congratulations, and you’re probably still enjoying that hard-earned recovery. If your race is still on the calendar, then you’ve likely spent the past several months training for it, with early alarms, long weekend runs and a calendar built around your mileage.

As I write this, runners are making their final preparations for the New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 1, and the forecast calls for a warmer-than-ideal day, with temperatures starting around 50 degrees and climbing into the low 60s by midday. It brings back memories, because 20 years ago I was on that same starting line by the Verrazzano Bridge, and we were lucky enough to get a near-perfect 46 degrees. This year’s field won’t be so fortunate. Their conditions are nowhere near the race’s hottest day on record, when the thermometer hit 80 degrees back in 1979, but they’re well above the low-to-mid 40s that research generally points to as optimal for distance running. Thousands of people who trained for a crisp morning will have to adjust their pace, their hydration and their expectations. Here’s our first lesson: things rarely go exactly as planned, in races or in life, and the people who do well are the ones who adapt.

As someone who has been running for over 25 years, I’ve had plenty of time and miles to reflect on how much running has taught me about daily life. Whether you’re a runner or not, here is my top 10 list of common running habits that can directly benefit your everyday life.

1. Give yourself a finish line. A marathon has a date on the calendar and a clear distance, and that is what makes the training real. Define what success looks like for your prioritized objectives and set a target date. Vague intentions become actionable once you know where you’re heading, which is why I’m a big believer in SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

2. Build a plan that works backward. Nobody trains for a marathon by running 26.2 miles on the first day. Start with the outcome you want, then identify the smaller milestones and weekly actions that will get you there. Working backward turns an overwhelming goal into a series of steps you can take this week. This ‘chunking’ strategy can help mentally convert goals from daunting to doable.

3. Consistency beats intensity. Small, repeatable actions such as saving money, learning a skill or making time for family usually accomplish more than sporadic bursts of effort. The same is true on race day. Thinking about mile 26 when you’re at mile 2 isn’t very helpful, but looking forward to the water stop at the 10K mark is motivating, and reaching it gives you a small mental win to build on.

4. Build capacity gradually. Runners increase their mileage a little at a time because doing too much too soon leads to injury. Take on challenges that stretch you without overwhelming you. Confidence and capability grow through progressively greater responsibility, whether that’s at work, at home or in your community.

5. Create accountability before you need it. Some mornings you won’t want to get out of bed, and that is exactly when it helps to have a running partner waiting for you. Establish check-ins, track your progress or tell someone what you’ve committed to, so your goals have support beyond your own willpower.

6. Find your people. Running clubs exist for a reason. Build relationships with people who encourage you, challenge you and share useful experiences, and be that person for others, too. I encourage my students to create a personal “board of directors,” a network of trusted advisors who bring different skill sets but share the common thread of caring about you and wanting you to succeed.

7. Run your own race. Few things will derail a marathon faster than chasing someone else’s pace in the first few miles. Measure your progress against your own priorities and starting point. Someone else’s achievements shouldn’t define your success, and as the saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy. In other words, be yourself; everyone else is taken!

8. Treat recovery as productive. Every good training plan includes rest days, because that is when the body gets stronger. Make room for rest, reflection and relationships, since sustainable achievement requires replenishing the energy and attention you spend. One downside of being hyper-focused on productivity is that we can forget to enjoy the garden if we never stop planting.

9. Adapt without giving up. Like the runners facing a warm morning in New York, you may find that a setback calls for a different approach or a new timeline. Perseverance means staying engaged while being willing to change the plan. Grit is a superpower, and the more we practice a “burn the boats” mentality of committing fully with no retreat, the more resilient we become when obstacles show up.

10. Let progress build your confidence. First-time marathoners often doubt whether they can run 26.2 miles, but they build that belief one long run at a time. Notice and celebrate the small commitments you keep and the daily successes you achieve, because those experiences become evidence that you can handle the next unexpected difficulty that comes your way. Remember, you have an undefeated record of surviving all of life’s challenges so far!

You don’t need to lace up a pair of running shoes to put any of these into practice. Whatever your finish line looks like for your various priorities, whether it’s a career move, a healthier routine, a financial goal or simply more time with the people who matter most, the approach is the same. Know where you’re going, train consistently, lean on your people and adjust when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

And to everyone who has put in the miles this fall, congratulations on getting to the starting line. That is often the hardest part of the whole race, literally or metaphorically.