Shit You Don't Learn in School 84. Mastering the Marathon
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Mar 1, 2026 They dig into marathon lore and why 26.2 miles feels epic. They compare marathon versus half and highlight surprising new variables. Steph recounts a rough first marathon and how she diagnosed nutrition and nausea. They talk adaptive training with an app, pacing strategies, tapering and pre-race week choices. There are playful pre-race bets, race-day checkpoints, victory reflections and creative mile-marker jingles.
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First Marathon Turned Into A Vomit Marathon
- Calvin ran his first marathon in LA and suffered severe stomach issues, vomiting on and off from mile 17 to mile 24.
- He still finished despite puking for over an hour and a >30-minute slowdown between halves (111 to 143 minutes).
Marathon Difficulty Explodes Beyond Double Distance
- A marathon multiplies complexity beyond distance: factors like nutrition, pacing, and sleep interact to make it far harder than a half.
- Calvin's friend said a marathon felt five to six times harder than a half, and Calvin found that true.
Do Not Introduce New Stuff Before A Marathon
- Do nothing new on race day and lock in nutrition, gear, shoes and sleep during marathon prep.
- Calvin ignored this first time: he flew to Asia, slept two hours, ate McDonald's, tried new gels, and paid the price with stomach issues.