How to Stay Motivated during Marathon Training
                     HOW TO STAY MOTIVATED 
DURING MARATHON TRAINING
Let’s face it, putting in the 
time to train for 26.2 miles 
can be a little tedious, 
sometimes, the last thing 
you want to do on the 
weekend is log another 18-
miler. Those long runs are 
important, however, they 
not only condition your 
body to tackle a marathon 
but also help prepare you 
for the mental aspects of 
running a long race as well. 
Here’s some ideas on 
marathon training 
motivation to go on those 
hours-long weekend runs so 
you  and stay on track with 
your marathon goals.
HAVE A MANTRA
Establish your own personal 
phrase that keeps you 
going. It could be some 
marathon motivational 
quotes, a list of who you’re 
running for, an inspirational 
quote, or a fun phrase that 
lightens your mood and 
helps keep your mind away 
from negative thoughts that 
can pop up when you hit a 
wall. Taking the time to 
remember your personal 
mantra or intentions before 
you set out on a long run 
will help push you through 
as well as help establish 
tactics that will help during 
difficult portions of your 
actual race.
RECORD YOUR RUNS
Jotting down all the runs 
you’ve completed during 
your training plan can help 
provide more motivation to 
go running. It’s encouraging 
to see in one list how far 
you’ve come and how many 
miles you’ve logged, 
especially if you’re dreading 
your next long running 
session.
FOCUS ON THE MILE 
YOU’RE IN
Knowing you have dozens 
of miles left when you’re 
not in a good zone mentally 
or physically can discourage 
you even more. Instead of 
thinking about all you have 
left to complete, focus on 
doing the best you can for 
the mile you’re in. Breaking 
up your run into smaller 
goals will help the end of 
your run seem much more 
attainable.
STOP CHECKING YOUR 
TIME
You don’t always have to 
keep pace during a long 
training run; other training 
tactics like intervals and 
tempo runs will help you 
increase your speed. 
Allowing yourself to let go 
of aggressive time goals 
during long runs can help 
alleviate stress and allow 
you to enjoy the journey. If 
you’re wearing a GPS 
watch, tell yourself you’ll 
only look at your pace for 
fewer increments or not at 
all, allow yourself time to 
walk and regroup if you 
need to, and stop 
pressuring yourself to meet 
inflexible goals.
MAKE A POWER 
PLAYLIST
If you can’t imagine running 
for a few hours without your 
own soundtrack, make a 
playlist that will take you 
through the hardest parts of 
your long run. During the 
week, you can even set 
aside time to make a 
playlist of separate power 
songs for the especially 
difficult last miles. Selecting 
the perfect songs can help 
you get excited for your 
long run ahead.
GO WITH A 
FRIEND
Long courses can be 
tedious without a running 
buddy, try finding a friend 
with a similar pace to help 
distract you during hard 
miles. Even if you’re not 
marathon training with 
anyone, having someone 
come out with you for just a 
few miles can help break up 
your long run and make the 
time go by faster. You can 
also try checking with a 
local running club to see if 
anyone is also training for a 
marathon so you can help 
motivate each other during 
the week and hold each 
other accountable.
A new pair of running shoes can also help you stay 
motivated on those long runs! Shop ASICS full collection of 
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Original Source: 
https://www.asics.com/in/en-in/blog/article/marathon-training-motivation-
tips