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The Seven Stages Of Running A Marathon

Published 10:38 3 Sept 2015 BST

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Training for the upcoming SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon? Look no further. We’re on hand to give you an overview of what to expect on the day of the big event. Here are the seven emotional stages of running a marathon... 1. Excitement You’re standing on that starting line feeling ready to take over the world. The cheers of the onlookers are ringing in your ears, you spot a friend giving you a smile of encouragement from the crowd. This is going to be a beautiful day. 2. Confidence You’ve got three miles under your belt. Your playlist is hopping, and you’re starting to realise all of that hard work and training is about to pay off. This is going to be much easier than you thought. Sure, you could run all day if you really wanted to. 3. Denial OK, you’ve reached mile eight, and you’re starting to lag behind your usual pace. It’s all good. You’re fine. You’re moving along nicely. Starting to get a bit nervous about those hills, but not to worry. This is not a crisis. 4. Disbelief “What do you mean I’m not even halfway there?” Mile twelve is a toughie. A real toughie. This is a lot more difficult than you thought. 5. Despair “Why did I ever think this was a good idea?” By mile 18 you start questioning every decision in your life that has led you to this state of misery. The struggle is so real. You’re perilously close to hitting the wall… 6. Determination “WHERE's THE WATER?” You grab the nearest drink you can find and successfully avoid the wall. It’s time to dig deep and get the job done. Mile 20 feels like the biggest test of your life to date, but you’re not going to collapse now after so many months of hard training. 7. Elation “I DID IT!” That’s right, you’ve crossed the finish line and you’ve never felt better about yourself. This is the biggest achievement of your life. You are ready to conquer the world, and bask in the praise and adulation of your friends and family. *Five minutes later* You ask the person standing closest to you to carry you home. And order you a very large pizza. Keep your eyes peeled to see our next update with news on the SSE Airtricity Team Dublin Marathon training programmes. Or head on over to SSE Airtricity for more information.