First Time Half/Full Marathoners - What Are You Nervous About?

[Ronda93]

Great. My fear of not finishing/getting swept just gained some ground. I was running on the treadmill at the gym. Started to feel funny after a mile (struggling with that mile, but no more than usual). Took a break, then went back to try for another mile. Thought it was just a motivation problem. I had to stop after a quarter of a mile because I had a coughing fit. Last night I was laughing and then had a coughing fit and threw up. This coughing fit was like that. I noticed when I was taking that break that I couldn't take a deep breath without rasping/wheezing in the lower back of my throat. How on earth am I going to finish this race if I can't run 2 miles!?!? Is it nerves? Lack of motivation? Am I getting sick?

I, too, was getting a cough after runs, sometimes during. I found it was the start of dehydration. If I am well hydrated it doesn't happen. That means I make a point to drink water the night before (I run before work/breakfast). I usually need to get up and pee during the night. I also drink while I'm up then. Drink some more upon waking up. I'm not downing quarts here, but paying attention and drinking.

Everything goes better when I'm sloshed

I don't know about the laughing induced cough.

Ronda

 

[Sarah_Rose]

When I did my first half marathon, I was really afraid that I wouldn't finish. In fact, I almost couldn't "visualize" a reality in which I would finish. My fears ended up being entirely unfounded; I finished easily, and 30 seconds faster than my "best case scenario" time goal.

This time around, I'm doing my first full marathon (as part of The Goofy) and for some reason I can't even imagine not finishing. I have been training since August, and have put in the miles, and am feeling strong and no where near an injury. However, I will also be 11 weeks pregnant on Marathon Weekend, which scares the crap out of me. It's just such a big unknown, and the difference in my fitness level between my 18 mile run that I did before I was pregnant and my 20 mile run that I did a week after I found out is just night and day. My resting heart rate is now 30 bpm higher than it was before I was pregnant (normal, according to my doctor!) which means that I am out of breath at a 12:00 mile, which was previously a very easy pace that I could keep up for hours. I am going to finish (because I'm too stubborn not to!) but my biggest fear is that the entire race is going to be an awful crawl to keep ahead of the sweepers. My new mile goal is a 14:00 mile with walking intervals (and have done that for up to 12 miles, with no problems), but I don't know if I can keep that up for 26 miles.

Also, I am now going to be running alone, as I'd feel so bad holding my DH back when I know he can easily do 10:00 miles for the full race. I do most of my training runs by myself so that doesn't bother me, but I'm not enthused at doing my first marathon all by my lonesome. I guess my biggest fear is that I'll just sit down on the curb at mile 21 and have no one to make me get back up!

 

[syko]

Sarah and anyone else thinking that they will get left.....you won't, shout when you see a WISH shirt and I know that your team mates will come and help you.

i just wish Disney would let me come back onto the course to help you all back, but I asked at the Princess and was told NO.

 

[georgiasmom]

Sarah

I am walking the whole thing by myself (dh is running) I will probably be walking a 14:30 pace or so. Look for me if you end up being that slow I'd be happy for some company. Probably wearing a Blue Mickey baseball cap

Amy

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

I never let myself think that I won't finish, I believe that if i let me doubt myself then it can come true but if I say it's not an option to not finish I can complete the race! It's just a theory but I think 80 percent of it is mind games.

I am a little worried about being in lots of pain after since my first day of college is the day after my first goofy!

I know everyone has the capability to complete whatever they put there minds to so good luck to you all

Sarah if I see you sitting down at mile 21 I will pick you up and tell you to get your butt across the finish line since I believe I was one of the people who coaxed you into doing goofy, I feel obligated to push you over the finish line! Just kidding I am sure you will be just fine and you will finish way ahead of me. Just take care of yourself and your little person

oh and I am also worried about not waking up, or missing the bus, or wearing the wrong d tag on the wrong day :$ so many things to worry about so little time!

Kirsty

 

[treehugnmama]

I am also walking and worried about being swept.

I am walkingin the snow right now and worried about the temp change
staying at akv without a car and am worried about a cap showing up ontime to get me there.

also worried I will forget to pick up my package and I won't be able to race

 

[lolafrances]

I am worried most about leaving my poor husband to watch our three kids! Our baby is six months old and a frequent nurser. He doesn't take a bottle and DH is not super confident about being able to soothe him when he wants his mommy or wants to nurse. I will have to get him on a bottle and I will leave milk for him obviously by March but I just worry about the kids and the baby stressing my husband out. My two "big boys" are four and three and one minute they are playing nicely and the next they are wrestling on the floor. I am very rarely completely childless so I am used to the insanity, but my sweet husband is a rookie!

Other than that I am worried about starting too fast and also feeling sick to my tummy before the race.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Sarah and anyone else thinking that they will get left.....you won't, shout when you see a WISH shirt and I know that your team mates will come and help you.

i just wish Disney would let me come back onto the course to help you all back, but I asked at the Princess and was told NO.

Oh, believe me, I'm going to be yelling at everyone in a lime green shirt on the course! Just look for the crazy lady with the well practiced lungs!

Sarah

I am walking the whole thing by myself (dh is running) I will probably be walking a 14:30 pace or so. Look for me if you end up being that slow I'd be happy for some company. Probably wearing a Blue Mickey baseball cap

Amy

Are you coming to the WISH meet, Amy? I'll keep my eyes open for you; I'll be one of the many in the minnie mouse print running skirt (well, provided that it isn't 30 degrees when the race starts!) and an Eeyore visor with my name on it!

Sarah if I see you sitting down at mile 21 I will pick you up and tell you to get your butt across the finish line since I believe I was one of the people who coaxed you into doing goofy, I feel obligated to push you over the finish line! Just kidding I am sure you will be just fine and you will finish way ahead of me. Just take care of yourself and your little person

I'm glad that you remember that this is your fault, Kirsty! I haven't forgotten.... It's going to be mile 21, too. One of the girls that I coach with ran her first marathon 6 months ago and she told me that she sat down at mile 21 and cried for a good 10 minutes before dragging herself up to finish. I haven't been able to get that out of my head since she told me that!

 

[georgiasmom]

Sarah

I can't attend the wish meet. Aside from the Marathon and Expo the trip is to celebrate dd's 7th bday so it'll be focused on things she wants to do.

I have curly brown hair probably will be in a bun though in the hole of my hat

A

 

[MapleGirl]

What you are describing sounds like when my son had pertussis (whooping cough). His coughing fits usually ended with vomiting, and were often induced by exercise or laughing. Sometimes, though, they would start out of the blue when he was at rest.

I'm in no way suggesting that I know what you have, just that the symptoms sound like what I'm familiar with. On the one in a million chance that you would have it, if you get certain antibiotics early in the course of the illness, it can lessen the severity and duration.

Just to be on the safe side, with a respiratory illness of any kind, I'd take a trip to the doctor.

Good luck and good wishes!

I, too, was getting a cough after runs, sometimes during. I found it was the start of dehydration. If I am well hydrated it doesn't happen. That means I make a point to drink water the night before (I run before work/breakfast). I usually need to get up and pee during the night. I also drink while I'm up then. Drink some more upon waking up. I'm not downing quarts here, but paying attention and drinking.

Everything goes better when I'm sloshed

I don't know about the laughing induced cough.

Ronda

Coughing follow-up: I went the doctor last night (in case I was getting sick and needed antibiotics or something). I am NOT sick!! My exercise induced asthma has gotten worse and I've also developed cold induced asthma. Because of all the recent mild asthma attacks my airways are all inflamed and my lungs irritated and not functioning at their peak. I was prescribed 2 inhalers: albuterol to use before each run and before I go outside in the Boston chill. I'll also keep it with me at all times in case I start to wheeze. I also got another inhaler to take twice a day for 3 months to heal the damage already done.

I'll be fine to run next week!! I'll probably run a little better (and certainly feel much better) because I'll be able to breath more easily. Hurray!

Thanks for your support everyone. See you next week.

 

[syko]

I'm so glad that you will be able to run.

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

Sarah - nope I haven't forgot that I coaxed you into doing goofy but you will have me to thank when you have all those medals! Not allthat hard work and training but me mile 21 will be easy because we can keep telling ourselves that we only have 5 more miles to go till we are marathon runners! I am worried about mile 1 - 21 oh and the 13.1 before that! But the last 5 miles easy!

just as a side note, did you read in the program that we have to finish the race underour own power? Does this mean I can't be dragged across the finish line and still get a medal? Uh oh


kirsty

 

[BrianD]

My number #1 fear was not finishing, but after 21 miles this past weekend and feeling pretty good, cardiovascularly at least, I think I will be able too. My body is feeling pretty good now too, so I'm not too worried about injury - I'm taking it nice and easy the rest of the way.

Now my number #1 fear is getting sick between now and the race. There is sickness all over the area right now (as it probably is all over the country) and I feel like getting to WDW with the entire family healthy will be quite the trick.

One thing's for sure...unless I'm lying in a hospital bed with an IV in my arm, I will be on Epcot Center Drive early next Sunday morning!!

 

[timmac]

staying at akv without a car and am worried about a cap showing up ontime to get me there.

If you're staying at AKV, just take the bus, no need to worry about a cab.

 

[timmac]

One thing's for sure...unless I'm lying in a hospital bed with an IV in my arm, I will be on Epcot Center Drive early next Sunday morning!!

IVs are usually portable, aren't they? Don't let anything stop you now!

 

[jmasgat]

What am I worried about?......IT band.....IT band......IT band..........

Maura

 

[marathonmommy]

1. Having to poop during the race . . .
2. Going too slow for the person I'm running with
3. Finishing last
4. Getting picked up by the sweeper van
5. My knee (which I've had three surgeries on) hurting like the dickens

 

[cewait]

1. Having to poop during the race . . .

There's a reason this old man gets up at 2 am!

 

[disney_mommy]

Okay, you brave marathoners! Hopefully you survived the weather and have fully recovered from the race. Now, tell me how you faced your fears and how you overcame them.

 

[jmasgat]

Well, the things I worried about didn't happen---but other things occurred to take their place! I guess that's how it goes with races-you never know what will happen.

I was worried about my IT bands. I did what I could leading up to the race to deal with them, including a massage and having them taped at the expo. I cut way back on my running--like almost none. I made it through the race and they didn't bother me at all.

I neurosed, along with everyone else, about the weather. In the ned, I ran with what I always run in when the weather gets cold--L/S tee and tights-- and I was fine.

But new things happened. I just didn't feel "energetic" on race day. And I developed calf tightness at mile 17 or so, along with some nasty blisters which I actually felt. I adjusted my pace, fueling and expectations mid-race and made it through to the end. I finished, I was running, and my time--while not stellar--was okay.

All in all, I'm mostly satisfied.

Maura