26 Marathons

1. Reality, Not Fantasy, Grounds Marathon Success

You need to base what you do on race day in reality, not fantasy.

PhD in Marathoning. Meb's first marathon was a harsh lesson in the importance of realism. Despite great preparation, he hit the wall hard, realizing that the marathon demands grounding in reality, not wishful thinking. This experience taught him the critical need to understand and respect the distance, avoiding the trap of overzealous pacing based on early, misleading feelings of ease.

Early miles trap. The initial miles of a marathon can feel deceptively easy, tempting runners to push too hard. This is especially true in races like the New York City Marathon, where the excitement and energy of the crowds can lead to unsustainable early speeds. The key is to resist the urge to surge and maintain a controlled, sustainable pace.

Consequences of ignoring reality. Ignoring the realities of the marathon, such as the need for pacing and proper fueling, can lead to disastrous consequences. Meb's first marathon taught him that expending energy too early has a far greater cost than in shorter races, leading to physical and mental duress that can derail the entire race.

2. Patience and Control Yield Unexpected Gains

Cruise control can be an effective, low-stress way not only to run your fastest but to reach your full potential in many areas of life.

Chicago's unusual approach. In his second marathon, Meb adopted an unusual strategy: running solely for time, not place. He let the leaders go and focused on maintaining a consistent, controlled pace, aiming for an Olympic "A" standard. This approach was a departure from his usual "run to win" mentality.

Benefits of restraint. By holding back and running on "cruise control," Meb achieved a significant personal best, proving that patience is a virtue in marathoning and in life. He learned that it's possible to achieve great things by staying controlled instead of always swinging for the fences. This approach also reduced stress and allowed him to enjoy the race more.

Transferable skill. The lesson of patience extends beyond running. In many areas of life, a steady, consistent approach is more effective than impulsive, high-risk actions. Building assets over time, rather than chasing extraordinary returns, is a more sustainable path to success.

3. Underpromise and Overdeliver for Maximum Impact

What matters is what you do, not what you say you’re going to do.

Eritrean culture. Meb's Eritrean upbringing instilled in him the value of humility and delivering results, rather than making boastful promises. This cultural influence shaped his approach to racing and life, emphasizing the importance of actions over words.

Modesty breeds surprise. By speaking modestly about his goals, Meb often exceeded expectations, creating a greater impact with his achievements. This approach also reduced pressure and allowed him to focus on the task at hand, rather than worrying about living up to external hype.

Strategic advantage. Underpromising and overdelivering can be a strategic advantage in running and other fields. It allows you to surprise your competitors, build credibility, and create a positive reputation for reliability and consistency.

4. Belief and Preparation Trump Experience

Experience isn’t everything. Have belief in your abilities and confidence in your preparation.

Early marathon success. History shows that some top runners excel early in their marathon careers, demonstrating that experience isn't always the deciding factor. Paula Radcliffe, Alberto Salazar, and Emil Zatopek all achieved significant success in their first few marathons.

Athens underdog. Despite having limited marathon experience, Meb entered the 2004 Olympic Marathon with a strong belief in his abilities and the effectiveness of his training. He didn't let his relative inexperience limit his expectations or dampen his confidence.

Preparation breeds confidence. Meb's seamless training for Athens, combined with his newly inspired motivation, gave him the confidence to compete against more experienced marathoners. He ran amazing times in training, despite his policy of not racing workouts, and felt ready for what lay ahead.

5. Momentum: From Success to Success

Celebrate your accomplishments but don’t rest on your laurels. Use the momentum from one success to work toward others.

Athens to NYC. Fresh off his Olympic silver medal, Meb immediately set his sights on the New York City Marathon, just ten weeks later. This quick turnaround demonstrated his commitment to continuous improvement and his ability to build on previous successes.

Avoiding the post-Olympic slump. Having another challenge waiting for you helps to avoid that down feeling. For Meb, the silver medal in Athens was a spark of energy, not a fire extinguished. When you feel that drive, you can build from one great achievement to another.

Recover as hard as you work. After one big accomplishment, be as dedicated to recovering from it as you were to meeting it. Plan to step away from that mode of working right after. A few days of doing fun things you weren’t able to while busy should rejuvenate you more than a few weeks of sort of working, sort of relaxing.

6. Patience: The Marathon's Ultimate Reward

The marathon is a metaphor for life in how it rewards patience.

Boston's allure. Even before running it, Meb was captivated by the Boston Marathon, drawn to its challenging course and rich history. This fascination fueled his desire to conquer the race and add his name to its list of champions.

Boston's unique challenge. The Boston Marathon course is notoriously difficult, with its rolling hills and unpredictable weather. Mastering the course requires patience, discipline, and a willingness to conserve energy for the final miles.

Long-term rewards. The patience needed to master the marathon is a transferable skill. Taking the long view, putting in the unglamorous daily work, finding joy in the process, saving something for the inevitable challenges—these traits have helped Meb be a better husband, father, brother, and friend.

7. Minimize Risks, Accept the Uncontrollable

Do what you can to minimize exposure to risks, but also accept that some things are out of your control.

Murphy's Law. Meb's experience at the 2006 New York City Marathon, marked by lost luggage and food poisoning, taught him the importance of anticipating potential problems and taking steps to mitigate them. This approach, inspired by Murphy's Law, involves proactively addressing foreseeable risks.

Controlling the controllable. While some things are beyond our control, such as weather or transportation delays, we can focus on managing the factors we can influence, such as nutrition, hydration, and gear preparation. This approach provides guidance on how to proceed and peace of mind that you’ve done what you can to succeed.

Serenity Prayer. This mind-set combines the lessons of Murphy’s Law and the serenity prayer, which is about accepting what you can’t change, working on what you can change, and having the wisdom to know the difference.

8. Cut Losses, Preserve Long-Term Goals

Sometimes it’s better to cut your losses than stick it out.

London DNF. Meb's decision to drop out of the 2007 London Marathon, despite being on pace for a personal best, was a difficult but ultimately wise choice. He recognized that continuing to run with a worsening Achilles tendon injury could jeopardize his long-term goals, including making the Olympic team.

Sunk-cost fallacy. The decision to cut your losses can be difficult because of the sunk-cost fallacy, which is basing your decision about the future in part on costs you’ve incurred and can’t get back.

Rational choice. Knowing when to cut your losses isn’t wimping out. It’s making the rational choice if you’ve properly calculated the costs and benefits.

9. Perspective: Trials Reveal True Priorities

You’re not always going to get what you think you deserve. These trials can help you realize what’s really important.

Broken body, broken dream. The 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials were a disaster for Meb, as he suffered a severe hip injury that dashed his Olympic hopes. This physical setback was compounded by the tragic death of his friend and training partner, Ryan Shay, on the same day.

Shifting priorities. In the wake of these events, Meb was forced to reevaluate his priorities and consider retiring from running. He realized that his relationships with family and friends were more important than any athletic achievement.

Faith and acceptance. Meb and his wife, Yordanos, turned to their faith for guidance, praying for acceptance of whatever path lay ahead. This spiritual grounding helped them navigate the difficult period and ultimately led to Meb's decision to continue running.

10. Personal Bests: Links to a Better Future

Small personal victories can show you that even greater things are possible in the future.

NYC 2005 inspiration. Despite not winning the 2005 New York City Marathon, Meb's third-place finish, achieved while undertrained, gave him great confidence for the future. He learned that giving your best even when you’re not at your best can provide insight into what’s possible when you’re on top of your game.

Momentum from success. Let seeing yourself succeed in tough circumstances give you hope that even greater things are possible in the future.

2012 Olympics. The same thing happened after the 2012 Olympic Marathon. Meb finished fourth there despite so-so training and a very tough day at the office in the first half of the race.

11. Long-Term Dreams Fuel Enduring Success

Set long-term goals and never let go of those dreams.

Dream of NYC. Meb woke up on September 20, 2009, with vivid recall of a dream—he had won the New York City Marathon. He was so excited about the dream that he quickly told Yordanos about it.

Power of visualization. There’s magic in visualization. Picturing yourself accomplishing something imprints that image in your brain. The more vivid the image you create—sights, sounds, smells, sensations—the more real it will seem.

American dream. One reason that winning New York was so important to Meb is that he saw it as a fruit of his father’s dream. For a child of Eritrea to win the world’s largest marathon wearing a USA jersey signified so much.

12. Adaptability: The Key to Overcoming Obstacles

It’s better to be 90 percent ready and make it to the start line than to panic and become either overtrained or unable to start the race.

Knee injury. Meb was hampered by a knee problem during his buildup for the 2010 edition of Boston. Although the knee was fine by race day, he lost too much training time to be able to vie for the win.

Adjusting goals. In these situations, it’s important to adjust your goals and focus on what you can control. Rather than trying to force the issue and risk further injury, Meb focused on getting to the start line healthy and doing the best he could under the circumstances.

Mental strength. Even on your best days you probably have to weather tough patches. With experience, you learn how to refute or ignore the negative thoughts that plague you in those moments.

Last updated: March 7, 2025