The Mental Side of Marathon Training (How to Get Beyond Bad Runs)

This week Michael, Katelyn, and Alex tackle a stacked mailbag of listener questions covering the toughest parts of marathon training: the ones that aren't about splits and mileage. From surviving a brutal race-day side stitch to managing pre-race anxiety to figuring out whether to trust your heart rate or your gut, this episode digs into the mental side of the sport as much as the physical.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
9:09 How to Handle Bad Training Days
32:24 The Truth About Side Stitches
55:46 Getting Faster in Your 40s
1:06:28 Taming Pre-Race Nerves & Anxiety
1:18:24 Heart Rate vs. Pace vs. RPE
1:32:26 Naming Alex's "Final Cyr" Workout
1:35:26 Wrap-Up & Chicago Marathon Weekend

RPE Chart:
marathonhandbook.com/rate-of-perceived-exertion

Side Stitch Article:
marathonhandbook.com/side-stitch-wont-go-away

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