Maranoia

And if I’m not stewing over a less-than-perfect training cycle then I’m mentally counting down the hours until I need to get up and prepare because, of course, I didn’t sort out my raceday essentials until the very last minute. No matter how many times I sign up, the state of ‘maranoia’ I work myself into is real.

The maranoia, on the other hand - that strange, hypochondriacal pre-race madness that affects marathon runners (and drives their friends and family potty) that’s largely gone, I’m pleased to say.

It's very common to experience some strange symptoms during the marathon taper. So common, in fact, that the term ‘maranoia’ has been invented to describe it. Heavy legs, aches and pains, symptoms of illness, feelings of anxiety and an unusually high RPE on runs are all frequently reported.