I have run 20 marathons in 12 years. Yet I forget two things every single time. The first is just how far 26.2 miles actually is. Ridiculously, mind-bogglingly, painfully far. The other thing I forget about without fail are the Marathon Demons. They pounce on me when I’m least expecting them. This is how it tends to go in my mind...
I’m 13, 14, 15 miles in – and still feeling good, pacing well, perhaps a bit too fast? Rein it in a little. Is a PB on the cards? Think of this as the victory lap. Feed off the crowd, the faces willing me on. Listen to the sound of thousands of feet hitting the tarmac, almost in sync. My heart rate is good. I can keep going at this pace. Bam! I can’t do this. I’m too old. Why do I keep putting myself through this pain? I want to pull up, push through the crowd, put my head in my hands and cry. My watch is beeping... Oh, look! Another mile ticked off. Hey, this is okay! Keep on it. I can still do this. My legs actually don’t feel that tired. Ten more miles to go. Bam! Another hour of this? I’m so tired. I want to stop. My heart rate is rising. I can’t hold this pace. A water station. Don’t walk it. Do not walk it. Do not stop. I’m walking. Why am I walking? 20 seconds walking...
And so it goes on and on and on in my head. The mental battle I fight every time is almost as exhausting as the physical one I pound out on my legs. Seeing as London Marathon is next, I’m turning to the experts to help sort out my Marathon Demons. First up, I try Rose Harvey, one of the UK’s fastest female marathoners. How does she keep her mind calm while trying to finish in under 2:23? ‘I have a mental plan for my race,’ she says. ‘The first half is just about enjoying it. Soak up the atmosphere, look around, engage with the crowd. It probably won’t feel that hard. From mile 13 to 20 is when I focus on the people in front, on my arms, my breathing, just to keep it as easy as I can. Mile 20 is when the race starts, when the negative thoug
