What to Do When Your Marathon Is Cancelled! Mellissa Oliver
Due to COVID-19, the majority of marathons have been cancelled or postponed. Of course, the race
cancellations are essential for the health of the public – but this does not mean that your emotions
are invalid.
It’s okay to be disappointed. It’s okay to feel angry. It’s okay to feel anxious.
Training for a marathon is a huge mental and physical undertaking. It’s okay to feel however you
want to feel.
So, what should you do if your marathon has been cancelled due to COVID-19?
Run safely
Apologies for stating the obvious – however, running safely outside during coronavirus is extremely
important.
I am lucky enough to live near a lot of parks and green spaces (yes, there are green spaces in
London! Fun fact – 40% of the city is dedicated to parks and green spaces). The majority of my runs
are in non-crowded areas, and all of my runs are solo.
Of course, not everyone has the luxury of green space and non-crowded routes.
I think the best thing you can do is to simply be alert of your surroundings. For me, this means
turning my music down, and staying alert about who is near me and what I’m touching when I’m out
running.
Adjust your plan
At some point, racing will return. Currently, I’m working off the assumption that the re-scheduled
London Marathon will be going ahead in October.
For those of us who are focusing on autumn marathons, now is the perfect time to build a base. I’ve
been really enjoying all the easy runs, the shorter speed work sessions, and temporarily cutting out
the Sunday long run!
I’m seeing this as an opportunity to train differently – and that’s exciting! When things change,
adjust your plan. In the future, you will look back at this time as a period of personal growth; you will
have developed resilience, flexibility and perspective.
Have fun!
Running serves a different purpose for each person; some run for the mental health benefits, some
like to push themselves, some like to test their limits, some run for escapism, some run to relieve
stress.
With all the uncertainty in the world, it’s important to take a step back and remember why you
started running in the first place.
I’m so grateful that I am physically healthy enough to get out there and run almost every day. I have
a renewed appreciation for the outdoors, the sunshine and the green space on my doorstep.
You don’t have to run a marathon to prove that you’re a runner. If you run, you're a runner.