10 Things My Marathon Taught Me

1. Now is the time to eat those cupcakes.

March 26th 012

I’m an avid believer in carboloading for anything. Got a big test? Carboload. It’s a Tuesday night? Carboload. 11am? Carboload. But for racing it’s actually encouraged and socially acceptable, so grab a few friends and dig into dessert together.

2. Don’t plan anything for the rest of the day. Or week.

I was most sore immediately following my race(actually, I was really sore miles 20-26 but I don’t think that counts). I walked like I was in a Western and looked bad enough for people to give me their seat on the train. Looking back, planning a lunch and dinner after the race was a little overambitious. I’d recommend planning a day in bed with a Law and Order: SVU marathon(that’s my kind of marathon).

3. A kickass playlist really does matter.

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I don’t know how people run a whole marathon without headphones. I’d get bored and probably quit at mile 4. Music really helps me zone out and push forward. A lot of time I had this conversation in my head: “Another hill? I don’t think I can do it. I don’t think…*Britney Spear’s new single begins to play* I’ve got it in me. I can do this.”

4. Porta Potties are hot commodities.

At my marathon there were about 15,000, and that many people needed to use the bathroom. I should have waited in one of the lines at the start line because even with porta potties every other mile they were filled up. Eventually I stopped and just waited in one of the lines because when you have to go you have to go. I learned you need to practice and plan your bathroom breaks as much as you do for the running.

5. Vanilla bean GU is freaking delicious.

April 1st 004

I was always under the impression GU was a nasty, vile mix of chemicals with a taste to match. It’s still a mix of chemicals, but I was shocked at mile 18 when I had my first taste of it and thought it was better than anything I’ve baked lately. It actually tastes like vanilla beans! I grabbed extra and have been hoarding them since the race for a night I want them as dessert… I hope I’m not the only one.

6. A good cheering crowd makes all the difference.

The loneliest miles were the ones without people shouting and cheering on the side lines. Even the people who don’t know you support you through the endeavor and that’s worth more than anything. I can’t thank enough the people who stood in the cold holding signs that said “You have a nice ass” and “That’s What She Said” shouting “This is as hard as it gets”. I do and it was.

7. The last thing you need after running a marathon is someone to surprise you with a camera to capture how miserable you look.

3008 Course

Race pictures are a cruel joke. Nobody looks good in them because you don’t expect it and don’t have time to prepare. Instead, get a friend to wait by the finish line to take your picture as you pose for free. Bonus points if they bring wet wipes to wash your face and make you look halfway decent.

8. A marathon medal goes with anything.

Whether you’re wearing a sweatshirt, jacket, denim(don’t wear denim) the marathon medal is going to match it for that weekend so wear it proudly. Just remember to take it off at airport security; they get touchy about things like that.

9. You’re going to be hungry for the next week.

March 27th 140

Just go with it.

10. You’re going to want to do another one.

I’ve already forgotten how much it all hurt, how I’m actually still injured, how it sucked to stay in Friday nights to dedicate Saturday morning to long runs, and how much it all costs. 5 days after running my first marathon I went ahead and signed up for my second. What was I thinking?

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46 Responses to 10 Things My Marathon Taught Me
  1. The Teenage Taste
    April 3, 2011 | 9:10 am

    Love this post, Evan! Congrats on signing up for another marathon! I hope to run a half marathon one day!

    • Wannabe Chef
      April 3, 2011 | 1:29 pm

      I didn’t run my first half until I was 18. You have PLENTY of time 🙂

  2. VeggieGirl
    April 3, 2011 | 9:10 am

    No worries, your race picture isn’t bad! Enjoy those cupcakes 😀

  3. Lee
    April 3, 2011 | 9:29 am

    Have you tried the Chocolate Outrage Gu? That’s my favorite flavor. It tastes like frosting.

  4. melissa @ the delicate place
    April 3, 2011 | 10:00 am

    i cannot imagine running more than a half! i thought i would die if i went 1 more mile. so how sore are you lol?

    • Wannabe Chef
      April 3, 2011 | 12:00 pm

      I’m actually not sore at all anymore! The first 3 days were rough but after that I felt fine.

  5. Lynn (The Cream Filling)
    April 3, 2011 | 10:04 am

    Congrats on the marathon! Those cupcakes look delicious. I want one haha

    Good luck with the second marathon! I can’t wait to read all about it 🙂

  6. Karen
    April 3, 2011 | 11:21 am

    Great post and very very true! Congrats on signing up for a 2nd marathon, they definitely are addicting! And post marathon hunger is no joke, it’s like a full time job! Keep up the awesome posts:)

  7. Clare @ Fitting It All In
    April 3, 2011 | 11:22 am

    Vanilla Bean Gus are why I run. They are best served slightly chilled.

  8. Jen (The Best Kitchen)
    April 3, 2011 | 11:35 am

    You don’t look bad in your race pic! and good luck with the second marathon! 😀

  9. Abby
    April 3, 2011 | 11:39 am

    This is such a great post! Hope your injury heals quickly so you can get back out there! 🙂

  10. Sara
    April 3, 2011 | 11:44 am

    Heck yea, SVU! 😀 Hilaaarious post 🙂

  11. christina
    April 3, 2011 | 11:49 am

    i LOVE this post!! awesome job. congrats! you should be so proud 🙂

  12. Jenny @ Fitness Health and Food
    April 3, 2011 | 12:09 pm

    Love your list, particularly eating the cupcakes and the fact that you’re useless after the race! For me, I’m useless after any long run 😛

    So glad the race went well. I need to give GU a try I’ve always gone with the Cliff Bar brand.

  13. Melissa @ TryingToHeal
    April 3, 2011 | 12:13 pm

    i knew you’d run another!!! i’m sure this one is gonna be freak’n awesome too!!! 🙂

  14. Jenny (VintageSugarcube)
    April 3, 2011 | 12:56 pm

    Just came across your site! Awesomeness to affinity. I love the cooking is just one of the many fabulous things in your life. 🙂

  15. Karyn
    April 3, 2011 | 1:01 pm

    congrats! i want to do philly too. i haven’t sign up yet but it’s tugging at me.

    and i tried to eat everything that wasn’t nailed down during the week after my last marathon. crazy appetites after working so hard.

    • Wannabe Chef
      April 3, 2011 | 1:31 pm

      Do it! I was hesitant to sign up this early(33 weeks) considering I signed up for my last one before I got injured. But then I saw that the entry fee is $40 cheaper now than a late register so the bargain bought me out.

  16. Ellen
    April 3, 2011 | 1:12 pm

    Congrats on the marathon finish! The first marathon is always the most memorable.
    Have you tried the chocolate gu? If you like vanilla, you will LOVE LOVE LOVE chocolate… nom.

    • Wannabe Chef
      April 3, 2011 | 1:31 pm

      This is the 2nd recommendation for chocolate GU today. I guess I have to see what all the fuss is about.

  17. Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg
    April 3, 2011 | 1:26 pm

    Oh, I think that race picture is great!! Congrats on signing up for your second race…I think you need to write a marathon haiku. A short poem for a lonnnnnnnng race 🙂

  18. PB Addict
    April 3, 2011 | 1:36 pm

    Did you take an ice bath and/or get a massage afterwards? 🙂

    • Wannabe Chef
      April 3, 2011 | 1:40 pm

      No! Though that probably would have been smart. Instead I did minimal stretching, hopped on the metro back to my hotel so I could take a sink bath(my hotel shower was not working) and meet people at lunch by 1. That’s mostly why I would not recommend plans for the rest of the day.

  19. Freya
    April 3, 2011 | 2:27 pm

    I agree with the Gu thing so much – I could eat them for snacks 🙂

  20. Sarah @ goingongoals
    April 3, 2011 | 3:08 pm

    Great post! Now, I really can’t wait to run my marathon this fall.

  21. Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga)
    April 3, 2011 | 3:40 pm

    “I was always under the impression GU was a nasty, vile mix of chemicals with a taste to match. It’s still a mix of chemicals, but I was shocked at mile 18 when I had my first taste of it and thought it was better than anything I’ve baked lately”–

    Ok I thought the same, and it’s not the chemicals i care about..it’s the TASTE! Good to know, very good info

    Yes, race pics ARE a cruel joke but you look great in yours!

    And cheering sections DO truly help when the chips are a little bit down.

  22. Corey @ the runner's cookie
    April 3, 2011 | 4:21 pm

    I had a feeling you might sign up for another one! Marathons are a sick addiction. The other day I told Ben Boston would definitely be my last marathon until I am done with grad school, and he just laughed at me.
    Also, I find it so interesting how most people say they “couldn’t” run a marathon without music – I do all my long runs with music but never races, and I actually think it gives me some kind of mental edge. Well, I guess also at Boston you would be making a huge mistake by running with music – the crowd is so unbelievable, you wouldn’t want to miss any of it!

  23. Elizabeth
    April 3, 2011 | 4:24 pm

    Way to go! I just finished my spring marathon. Very, very hilly. I hurt… hurt a lot, but I already have another one planned for June. LOL! And I’m totally one of those people that runs without headphones. Luckily, I had someone to talk to for the first 20 miles! 🙂 I will admit that I’m terrified of seeing my race pictures. My mom took a couple where I look like I’m dancing. I guarantee the photographers will make me look worse. What else do they get paid for? Bahahaha… And you, my friend, don’t look so bad in your photo. Congrats again on your marathon!

    • Wannabe Chef
      April 3, 2011 | 4:28 pm

      Congrats!
      Haha, I definitely made sure to pick the best one and the one where the camera was as far from myself as possible.

  24. Kristina at spabettie
    April 3, 2011 | 4:39 pm

    I love your playlist, and that there are songs older than you on there… 🙂 congrats again on the race, and your photo doesn’t look bad!!

  25. Ian
    April 3, 2011 | 5:04 pm

    YAY PHILLY!!!! I may be doing it if I don’t get into NYC, BUT I will totally be cheering on the sides! I personally can’t run with music, but a song usually gets stuck in my head (Ke$ha obvz)…. The people cheering really do make everything okay.

  26. MarathonVal
    April 3, 2011 | 6:42 pm

    Haha I KNEW you would want to do another one… congrats on signing up for Philly!

    PS, I always thought I was the only one that occasionally took a Chocolate Outrage Gu as “dessert”…

  27. Stephen
    April 3, 2011 | 6:46 pm

    GU Vanillas are delicious! I hoard them in my desk drawer is well.

    The Philadelphia Marathon is great with lots of awesome places to carbo load and refuel. Make sure you check out Sweet Freedom Bakery while you’re in Philly.

  28. Emma (Namaste Everyday)
    April 3, 2011 | 7:32 pm

    some day I will run a marathon and learn all these things 😉 you ROCK!

  29. Hannah
    April 3, 2011 | 8:04 pm

    As a complete non-runner, I absolutely loved this post and it even made me want to start exercising more. Except, well, I’m pretty good at justifying cupcakes anyway 😉

  30. Bronwyn Coyne
    April 4, 2011 | 11:29 am

    Congratulations! (Found your website through your post on HTP)
    My favourite piece of advice: carboload before a test. So true. Your brain needs the glucose!

  31. Christine @ Merf In Progress
    April 4, 2011 | 4:17 pm

    You have Cowboy Cassanova on your playlist? I like you a little bit more now.

  32. Jo @ Jo In the Kitchen
    April 4, 2011 | 4:52 pm

    Hahaha! This sounds exactly like having a baby 😀
    Congrats!

  33. Nicole @ Geek Turned Athlete
    April 4, 2011 | 5:06 pm

    Oh trust me, I’ve had WAY worse race pics than you! That is why I have my husband waiting for me, and he takes a bunch of pictures that way only the top 5% make it on the blog.

    It is addicting, huh?

  34. Nikki
    April 4, 2011 | 5:21 pm

    I live about an hour from Philly. My boyfriend was going to sign up or that one but decided on the Lehigh Valley one in September instead.

  35. Lauren
    April 5, 2011 | 12:47 pm

    haha, I LOVE these. I am in constant carbo-loading mode. You never know when those extra carbs may come in handy! And I can’t believe you hadn’t tried GU until race day. What were you taking during long runs/the race instead? I’m glad you’ve finally seen the light. My current favorite is the espresso one. Amazing taste + 2x the caffeine = a winner in my book! 🙂

    Congrats again on finishing your first marathon!! And for signing up for the next one. I’ve heard great things about Philly!

    • Wannabe Chef
      April 5, 2011 | 2:40 pm

      Typically I wouldn’t eat anything during a run, or maybe a fruit and nut bar like a larabar. It was never really a problem training because I only had time for 2 real “long runs” and the second one just had disaster written all over it so I figured I’d just do my own thing during the marathon.

  36. amy@healtyhungryhappy.com
    April 6, 2011 | 11:38 am

    haha i totally agree with all of those! i thought it would be hilarious/awesome to wear my medal around like a necklace. definitely a big crowd is so great! its hard enough as it is to keep yourself motivated…so helpful when there are people cheering you on! congrats on the race!

  37. Adam
    April 8, 2011 | 2:15 am

    I loved each and everyone of these, and am in total agreement except for the GU thing… yuck! I would much rather down a banana than anything GU… Although I may have had a bad experience as the only flavor I have ever tried was espresso (I think)… Which marathon are you conquering next?

  38. surfrunner
    September 14, 2011 | 3:23 pm

    im really young compared to all of you guys but hey, i lalalalaloveee running…traing for my first marathong:)

  39. surfrunner
    September 14, 2011 | 3:24 pm

    omg oops! marathon!