Marathon Madness, Articles and Resources

The marathon.

It's unexplainable.  It grips our interest and sucks us into a mysterious underworld where we swing back and forth between excitement and anxiety, between calculated training and recklessness, between certainty and doubt.  It's inspiring, abusive, addictive and unforgiving.  It offers us mountain top experiences one moment and then drags us through hell and back a few moments later.

Still somehow, we forgive the marathon as it erases our grim memories and seduces many of us to try it again.  And so many of us come back running season after running season to face the challenge and lure of the marathon.

As we look at the marathon this week, you don't need to have run the 26.2, and you don't need to be training for one now or ever.  It's just that the marathon deserves every shred of attention we give it.  And we hope that someday, someone will uncork a lasting explanation of what it's about, unlock the formula of how to train for and race it well, and explain why it is we're obsessed by it.

While you're here, if you're looking for some great marathon resources, we're gathering and sharing them for everyone.  Here are a few in the Marathon topic of the Know How section in the Lounge:

• "As you start your marathon training, don't forget...."   A collection of great posts from 2008 Take It and Run Thursday about key things to remember as you start marathon training.

• Advice on the marathon.  Another collection of posts of tips and advice on the marathon.

• "How to conquer the marathon." A collection of advice from marathoners where they share their secrets of the marathon in 26 words or less.

• Common Race Day Mistakes.

• Rethinking the 20 mile run.

• Post Marathon Tips

• Taper Madness Symptoms.

No matter what your experience--a first timer or a relentless veteran, or a runner smart enough to never attempt the 26.2 distance--we invite everyone to share all your advice, memories, and explanation of marathon madness at the Lounge.

Comments

[justrun]

And I need all of these tips and then some right now, because I'm sort of wondering what the ____ I was thinking when I registered. Again.