Five Lessons Learned From Training for a Marathon

I don’t know if I have lost my mind, or whether I temporarily had a weak moment when I recently agreed to join one of my friends as a participant in the 2010 Honolulu Marathon in December. When I mentioned the idea to family members and friends, they all asked “Have you lost your mind? Why do you want to put yourself through this?” Their questions were valid — why in the world would I agree to put myself through the “agony” of walking 26.3 miles in a marathon. It was CRAZY!!

Then I remembered that I had previously turned down my friend’s offer at least three times before finally agreeing to support her in the marathon by walking six miles, rather than the 26.3 miles required to finish the marathon. To this, my friend asked “Why would you travel all the way to Hawaii to walk six miles when you already walk six miles several times a week? …. another good question. The more I thought about the idea of participating in the marathon and began to research the possibility, I found that several valuable lessons could be applied to my internet marketing business by participating in a marathon.

In my study about marathons, I found that an overwhelming number of people who participate in marathons do so because of an unequaled positive boost in attitude, stress release, and increase in vitality, focus and creativity. With the average age of marathoners being 40+, the marathon stands out as one of the most esteemed of life’s achievements which can only be won by pulling from deep within – physical, mental and spiritual resources over a period of time. It can be one of the most fulfilling experiences in one’s life with proper training. With this said, I believe I was “bitten” by the over-40 bug when I agreed to take on such a challenging assignment. I saw the marathon as a way to break through any barriers I perceive about the marathon, as well as other areas of my life.

Participating in a marathon provides five lessons that are beneficial in helping network and internet marketers meet their goals:

1. Be Committed: Both marathoners and network/ internet marketers must be committed to doing “whatever it takes “ to be successful or cross the finish line. For example, a marathoner must commit to complete a rigorous 20-week training program prior to the marathon; attend team practices/activities, monitor weekly progress, communicate regularly with coaches, and follow marathon training and preparation guidelines. A network or internet marketer must also be committed to follow the recommendations of mentors and leaders, take massive action, attend training and events, and be willing to change unproductive habits.
2. Be Persistent: This is a key component for both marathoners and network/internet marketers. Marathons are primarily endurance events that require participants to dig deep to find the strength and stamina to complete the training program and finish the race. Network and internet marketers must be persistent in overcoming the many setbacks, disappointments, and failures that are inherent in starting a business, and not give up.
3. Be Coachable: Both marathoners and network/internet marketers need to follow the advise of a coach or mentor who has successfully achieved the goal they want to reach. Persons who have already been through the experience are in the best position to help guide an inexperienced individual to success. There are many guidelines a marathoner must follow physically, nutritionally, and during training preparation that require the advice and guidance of a coach. Being aware of and following the guidelines can drive whether or not the marathoner cross the finish line. Likewise, in network/internet marketing, a good coach is invaluable in providing good advice to individuals and helping to guide them to success.
4. Start Slowly: Both marathoners and network/internet marketers should start slowly and then pick up the pace rather than rushing out of the gate at the beginning. This is important for marathon participants because starting out at a fast pace will quickly exhaust their energy and they will “hit the wall” and quit before reaching the finish line. Network/internet marketers (particularly newbies) that start out too quickly often experience information overload which cause them to quickly become confused and overwhelmed and end up quitting, as well. To avoid this, network/internet marketers should focus on mastering one (or two) things at a time and become proficient them before taking on additional responsibilities. This helps them to slowly and consistently add additional responsibilities without becoming overloaded and confused.
5. Attend Events: Events are very important for both marathoners and network/internet marketers. For marathoners, events such as half marathons and other running events can help prepare the participant for the race by giving them an idea of what to expect, as well as provide a forum for them to meet others with the same interest, thus boosting the morale and confidence of the participant. For network and internet marketers, the same is true. Events and meetings inspire and build confidence through the strength of others. These events provide a forum for individuals to meet top earners and get important information that can help to move their businesses to the next level.

I am currently in Week # 7 of a nineteen week training program and up to sixteen miles on my bi-weekly long walking day. We alternate between a long walking day (started at eight and add 2 miles bi-weekly) and short day (eight miles). My most challenging walk so far was the sixteen mile walk –- had a couple of long hills to negotiate, and I discovered that my tennis shoes are not appropriate for  long walks because the balls of my feet were so sore I could barely walk when I returned home. Yet, these challenges have not caused me to want to give up. I am determined to fix the problems and finish the race.

I will share my experiences periodically and I continue to press toward Marathon Day! I am extremely excited to be able to participate in this race. I invite you to share this experience with me as I continue my training during the next few weeks.

I hope you enjoyed and found some value in reading this blog post. Let me know what you think? Was this helpful? Do you have any comments or marathon stories to share? I would love to hear from you! And please share this post with your Facebook friends and retweet it to your Twitter friends. Thanks so much!

To your massive success!