Marine Corps Marathon countdown: visualize the miles

October 16, 10:50 AMDC Running Fitness ExaminerAmy Reinink

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the DC Running Fitness Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Only eight days to go until the Marine Corps Marathon!

With eight days to go until the Marine Corps Marathon, runners are well into their tapers, when mileage decreases and pre-race anxiety increases.

This Examiner finds a trick from an old edition of Runner’s World’s “Guide to Running,” helpful: Use every training run leading up to the marathon to visualize a chunk of miles of the actual marathon.

Today’s exercise: Visualize yourself running the first five miles of the race. You’re feeling strong, letting other runners whiz past you — you’ll pass them later. You’re feeling good, even able to chat with runners around you.

For Marine Corps Marathon runners, this means the first mile through Rosslyn, the second and third miles on a slow uphill climb on Lee Highway/Spout Run, and the fourth and fifth miles in Georgetown. Runners can picture themselves stopping for water at mile 4, running evenly paced miles as the first section of the marathon rolls by.

Study the course map for more information.

Other installments in this feature:

Marine Corps Marathon Countdown: visualizing miles five through 10

Marine Corps Marathon Countdown: visualizing miles 10 through 15

Marine Corps Marathon countdown: visualizing miles 15 through 20

Marine Corps Marathon countdown: visualizing miles 20 through the finish