Home Diabetes Care Marathon Training: 6 Tricks to Support Your Mental Health

Marathon Training: 6 Tricks to Support Your Mental Health

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Marathon Training: 6 Tricks to Support Your Mental Health

 

Editor’s Note: Though the runners from previous marathon teams have type 1 diabetes, this story is applicable to individuals with type 2 diabetes who’re also training for the NYC TCS Marathon. 

Stephanie is a member of the Beyond Type Run 2022 team—a team of nearly 50 people living with type 1 diabetes who ran the 2022 NYC Marathon on November 6. They’re on a mission to lift awareness and funds for type 1 diabetes, with fundraising open through the top of 2022. Congratulate Stephanie by making a present on her fundraising page!


Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes eight years ago, I’m now a 21-year-old college senior on the University of Florida. I’m a full-time student, have an internship on the state attorney’s office, am the president of the UF Diabetes Institute Student Ambassadors, am studying for and taking the LSAT while applying to law school and am attempting to enjoy my last 12 months in college with all my friends—all while training for the NYC Marathon where I’ll be running with the Beyond Type Run team!

I do know my situation isn’t unique. We’re all balancing a lot! But that balancing act is mentally and emotionally stressful.

To be certain I can train for the marathon amidst quite a lot of other activities, I’ve learned some key ways to assist with the balancing act. Hopefully, these enable you to too!

Reach out to family and friends for support

Something about me: I’m stubborn! I often prefer to handle stressful things by myself. But with the whole lot on my plate, I’ve needed all of the support I can get.

Search for individuals who can possibly relate with you, whether it’s about running or work or other responsibilities. As a part of the Beyond Type Run team, I’ve been blessed with a bunch that I even have been capable of reach out to with any questions or concerns I could have as a first-time marathoner.

My family and friends have also been so helpful. My parents got here up to go to me on the weekend of my 20-mile run and my mom drove around while I ran to present me water and Gatorade after I needed it.

Maintain your mental health

Preparing for, taking the LSAT and applying to law school have been among the most mentally difficult things I even have needed to tackle. I took the LSAT the day before my 22-mile run. I used to be mentally exhausted after my LSAT, and I couldn’t even bear desirous about running for 22 miles (my longest run before the marathon).

So I took the remaining of that day without work. I had homework and studying I could have done, but I put myself and my mental health first because I needed it. I knew that if I kept pushing myself that I’d not have the opportunity to get myself to run 22 miles the subsequent morning, and taking good care of our mental health is essential. 

Concentrate on one thing at a time

As much as I wish I could do a million things without delay, I can’t. There are occasions that my heart feels so overwhelmed because I start pondering of all my upcoming deadlines.

I even have found it very helpful to schedule my shorter runs throughout the week within the afternoon in order that I even have a superb break in between going to class throughout the day and studying on the library at night.

After my long runs on Saturday I’m exhausted, so I be certain to either have a transparent schedule for the remaining of Saturday or avoid wasting lighter assignments to be accomplished after my run.

Proceed doing the things that make you completely happy

Marathon training is tiring and may bring loads more stress into your life. One thing I even have learned is that I can’t let those stressors take away what makes me completely happy.

Whether this implies going out for a bite with friends, cooking a pleasant meal at home, just snuggling up and watching a movie, and even travelling on the weekends, it is crucial to maintain living your life as you often do.

Find that balance

From reaching out to family and friends to taking good care of your mental health to continuing to do the things that make you completely happy, overcoming the challenges that include training for a marathon is hard. And kind 1 diabetics should do all this while managing our blood sugars.

Find that balance between life, work, diabetes, and training—it takes quite a lot of patience, but training for this marathon has been so rewarding. Each time I finish an extended run, I tell myself, “YOU did that!” I cannot wait to cross that finish line in Latest York City together with my team of type 1 diabetics!

Remember your why

Finally, use your dreams as motivation. In October 2021, I had an task in considered one of my classes to create a resume for my future self in 5 years.

A number of days ago, I used to be updating my very own resume and l got here across that task. Under volunteer experiences it said that in 2025, I had run the NYC Marathon with a diabetes team. And take a look at me now!

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