A Marathoner's Inner Monologue, From the Starting Line to the Finish

You run a marathon with your legs, of course, but also, and above all, with your mind. Behind every stride lies a thought, an emotion, a question, a doubt or an inner shout. From bag drop to the finish line, the marathon is a mental adventure filled with emotional highs and lows, euphoria, pain, occasional laughter and little voices that either spur us on or sabotage us.

✓ So many thoughts run through a marathoner's mind during a race. In this article, we take you through everything that may be going on in a runner's head, from the starting corral to the finish arch. A real adventure, and one long inner monologue.

‘1 –– “This is it. You can't turn back now”

Dropping off your bag and belongings, catching sight of the starting arch, watching the runners mill around, feeling the atmosphere build as the announcer speaks into the microphone… This is when it sinks in: the marathon is today, it's happening now, and there really is no turning back.

‘2 –– “We're off. I've got this”

The starting corral is ready, runners are packed in, the starting gun goes off and the arch is right there. The race is under way. The first strides of a long 42.295-kilometre journey… I've got this.

‘3 –– “Come on, I'll force myself to drink a little to get the gel down”

Five kilometres down. The first aid station is here. Don't forget to fuel and hydrate.

‘4 –– “The first half is done. I'm halfway there”

That's right, 21 kilometres are behind you. Just as far to go before this marathon is over. Stay on course. Keep going. Everything will be fine.

‘5 –– “No, no, no, I am not going to hit the wall”

You shouldn't think about it, but you can't help it. You hear so much about that dreaded marathon wall at 30 kilometres that it becomes frightening. As kilometre 30 approaches, an intrusive thought creeps in… Let it pass. Don't give it your attention. The goal? Stay focused and picture the finish.

‘6 –– “I think something hurts here”

Once you've covered three-quarters of the course, fatigue and pain start to make themselves known… Ouch, my ankle. Ouch, my back… Before long, everything can start to hurt. The finish is getting closer. Keep going.

‘7 –– “This is hard”

This won't come as breaking news: yes, a marathon is hard. But keep going, you'll be fine.

‘8 –– “Seriously, I paid for this?”

Yes, you did. This was your idea. You wanted to run this marathon, so even if it's tough and there are still four kilometres to go, you have to keep moving. Think about the finish, the emotion and the satisfaction of seeing this iconic challenge through.

‘9 –– “It's nearly over. I can see it”

The arch is coming into view, your watch says there are only about a hundred metres left and the crowd is going wild… The finish is very close now, no doubt about it. Time to savour it.

‘10 –– “It's over. I'm a finisher and a marathoner”

And yes, it was worth seeing it through. Congratulations. You can be proud of yourself.

‘11 –– “Everything hurts”

The finish was only a few minutes ago, and the first aches and soreness are already setting in. Hang in there. It's only a matter of time, around 48 hours.

‘12 –– “I hope there's a lift or an escalator”

Once the race is over, you still have to think about getting back to the hotel, navigating the metro or boarding the plane home… Marathoners love escalators and lifts. :laughs:

At the end of the line, there's far more than the kilometres you've covered.

A marathon is much more than a race: it's an intimate conversation with yourself. Every thought, every doubt, every moment of euphoria or despair punctuates this human adventure just as much as the sporting challenge. Whether you're telling yourself “I've got this”, grumbling inwardly because there isn't an escalator at the finish, or, worse, because the only escalator at the nearest metro station is out of order, all these thoughts are part of the experience. And that's precisely what makes the marathon so unforgettable: the richness within, the mental roller coaster. Yes, there will be pain, low points and moments when you want to quit… but there will also be immense pride, that unique shiver as you cross the line, and a little voice that will always tell you, deep down: “You did it”.

And that's reason enough to understand why you paid to suffer… and why you'll do it all over again. Congratulations. Despite all those thoughts, positive and otherwise, you're now a finisher of a new race, and not just any race: a marathon. Bravo!

➜ The marathon calendar