Am I Ready? Choosing Your Race Distance

As registration day approaches, the question many Grandma’s Marathon weekend participants are asking themselves is “which distance will I be ready for?”  Along with that question, another part of the conversation should also be “which distance can I enjoy training for, given everything going on in my life?”  With race-day 8.5 months away when registration opens up on October 1st, you have time to prepare for any of the distances, and build the confidence in yourself that you not only can but will complete it.  Thinking through your options in advance of registration day gives you the time to explore training plans, see what fits your lifestyle, ease into your training, and lessen your chance of injury.

Grandma’s Marathon has three distance options, but 5 registration options to choose from. As you think through things, remember that there is no pace, distance, miles per week, or body type that magically makes you a runner! Everyone is welcome at Grandma’s Marathon Weekend, and we are excited to host you in beautiful Duluth. Each jump in distance will come with additional demands on your time so you can adequately prepare for that distance. Here are some other things to think about to determine which distance might be the right fit for you:

• William A. Irvin 5k: There are many “couch to 5k” (also known as C25K) programs online, so if your current miles per week are absolutely zero and/or you are not sure you will have time to complete a training plan that places a higher demand on your free time, the 5k can be a great place to start.  The 5K is a fantastic distance for people looking to build speed at that distance, as they chance a PR (personal record) in other race distances.  Most importantly, this is the right fit if you WANT to complete a 5K, and it sounds like a fun challenge or experience to you.
• Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon: Most half marathon training plans are 12-18 weeks, with ideally a long run that builds to 10+ miles.  Many training plans recommend that you are able to run 3-6 miles before starting, but on registration day, you will have enough time to build to this distance gradually.  There is a 3 hour time limit for the Garry Bjorklund Half, which translates to approximately 14 minutes per mile. There are pacers for the half, and plenty of folks whose main goal is to finish before the time cutoff. Something extra special about being a “back of the pack runner” at Grandma’s Marathon is that you are never alone, and you get to see the lead marathoners pass by as they vie for the win. Most importantly, you choose this distance because you WANT to complete it! (Sense a pattern here?)
• Grandma’s Marathon: Marathons are hard, but you can do hard things! Most plans are 12-18 weeks long, with multiple long runs of 16+ miles. Not all training plans include 20 milers (such as Hansons programs), and not all training plans include dedicated speed work.  There are many plans online that you can peruse to see if this distance is motivating to you. There is a 7 hour time limit, which translates to approximately 16 minutes per mile, and there are pacers provided. Once again, the most important thing is that you WANT to complete this distance.
• Half Great Grandma’s Challenge:  This means you are signed up for the 5k on Friday AND the half marathon the following day!  Of note is that most half marathon and full marathon training plans have a “shake-out run” the day before.   By having the 5k in the afternoon the day before, Grandma’s Marathon balances the need for runners to rest up before their longer distance AND have time to get into town so they can participate.   By signing up for one of the “Challenges,” you can treat the 5k as your shakeout run, or go for a PR if you plan to take it a little easier during your Saturday race. There is additional “swag” for completing one of the challenges, and it varies year to year but has always included an extra medal after your Saturday race.  
• Full Great Grandma’s Challenge: This means you will be signed up for the 5k AND the full marathon!  As mentioned previously, this can serve as your shakeout run. Challenge runners of either distance – be sure that it is something that gets you excited!

As you choose your goal race, keep in mind that during your training, life happens! There may be some missed or shuffled runs along the way.  Not every workout will feel great, but then you may have one the very next day where you feel stronger than you ever have before. 

Lastly, any runner can tell you that there are countless life lessons and questions built into running- am I ready? Do I “look” the part? Will everyone at the group run immediately know that this is my first time here? How do I even pick out running shoes? Am I too slow? Will I be able to finish within the time limit? Are my goals too ambitious? Am I about to embarrass myself? To all of that I say – you are ready, and being concerned about how race day will go just goes to show how invested you are in yourself.

Wondering whether you are ready feels a lot like the very human question of “Am I good enough?”  I am here to tell you as many times as you need to hear it that you are good enough, and that third weekend in June will be a powerful reminder to yourself that you can chase the big goals you set out for yourself.  Jumping into a race for the first time, trying a new distance, setting a pace goal for yourself – all of these can feel big and scary whether it is the first or fiftieth time you do it.  Setting goals for ourselves is a huge deal and something to be incredibly proud of. It takes belief in yourself to be daring enough to try. Be brave, tell yourself you’ve got this, and know there will be a lot of people there to cheer you on if doubt creeps in. You got this!