This post is targeted at runners who are newer to marathoning. Veterans can feel free to skip it.

A favorite running quote:
"It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is the little voice in your head that wants you to quit." George Sheehan

For those who haven’t seen it already, here’s the elevation profile for the 2009 Marine Corps Marathon:

http://www.marinemarathon.com/Assets/Elevation+Chart+2009.pdf

The Hills of Arlington

The first thing many people notice about this chart are the hills peaking at miles 3 and 8. Ok, maybe it's the only thing.

• From mile 1 to mile 2 the race goes the wrong way up Lee Hwy and through Arlington, relatively steep in places, and can be hard on the quads
• From mile 2.75 to mile 3.5 the race is down Spout Run from Arlington to the George Washington Parkway. It’s a steep downhill that is hard on the knees and calves
• Mile 5 through mile 8 is up to the Georgetown Reservoir and back down. As I recall, this was new in 2008 and replaced several miles on the Rock Creek Parkway. Again, hard on the quads (up) and knees and calves (down)
• After mile 10 it is smooth sailing to the finish line

There is a key to mastering those Arlington Hills. First, start with some realities:

• A runner has the fitness level they have – isn’t going to change between now and race day – so plan accordingly
• On race day, each runner has a certain amount of energy they can expend before having to walk/jog or just walk - again, plan for it
• It takes a lot more energy to run up a hill than it does to run on flat ground
• It’s not realistically possible to make up any significant amount of time (> 10 minutes) if someone falls behind their run plan

Given those realities, a runner has to decide how much of their limited energy they want to spend on those hills (which will reduce their energy available for the rest of the race) and adjust their pace accordingly.

Running Plan

The mantra of my employer's IT delivery projects is “Plan the work, work the plan.” And so it is with marathons – “Plan the run, run the plan.” If a runner is new to marathons, they may find it very helpful to create a running plan before the race. A well-thought-out plan can help ease a runner’s mind through challenging parts of the race. A run plan should include the pace and the elapsed time at various points along the race based on the runner’s training and fitness level so the runner knows what to expect when they reach that point in the race. For example on the MCM:

• An unprepared runner might be alarmed to see how much time he has actually spent on the initial hills, maybe panic a little, and try to make up some time. Mental distress, wasted energy, and going faster than pace will keep him from a strong finish.
• A runner with a realistic run plan will have planned on a slower ascent and descent on the initial hills and will have prepared her mind to expect a commensurate time. When she sees that time at mile 5 or mile 9, she thinks “right on plan” and continues to run a relaxed and confident race with a strong finish.

For me, I use Excel to create a mile-by-mile run plan and set my pace according to the elevation and the race duration.

Plan thoughtfully, and see you all before the race.