How to Build Marathon Readiness and Avoid Burnout: Insights from a Running Coach and Athlete

Written By Stevie Lyn Smith

We’re back with a great chat that’s equal parts inspiration and practical know-how. I’m Stevie Lyn, and in this episode of the Real Fuel with SLS podcast, I’m talking with Sarah Manderscheid, founder and head coach at Elevate Your Running. She’s dialing in from Boulder, Colorado, and she’s all about helping runners get stronger, faster, and more confident on race day—and in life.

Sarah shares how she swapped a finance/marketing career for coaching, what a pandemic-era pivot looked like, and why training decisions should fit your life as much as your goals. If you’ve ever wondered how to balance big race ambitions with the rest of your world, this episode is for you.

Elevate Your Running—the vibe, the origin, and the coaching philosophy

What you’ll hear:

  • Sarah’s shift from the corporate world to coaching after a life-changing running retreat in North Carolina.

  • How launching and building a coaching business in the Boulder–Denver community shaped Elevate Your Running.

  • The core belief: your mindset in training shows up on race day and in everyday life—seasonal life changes should guide your training, not the other way around.

Sarah believes that leading with community can build consistency and more fun in running. This is why group runs and workouts are key piece of her her coaching business. A value she holds as a coach and athlete is to let life seasons guide training blocks—pace, volume, and goals should flex with what's happening outside the sport. Focus on sustainable progress, not just peak moments. Sarah says, “how we show up in training is how we show up on race day—and in life.”

Marathon readiness: pace, recovery, and listening to your body

What you’ll hear:

  • The reality check of returning to open marathons after time away—26.2 miles is a lot of stress on the body, no matter how well-seasoned of an athlete you are.

  • The importance of honest readiness checks, especially with big goals heading into race day.

  • Sarah’s struggle with plantar fasciitis and how runners can use other ‘niggles’ as signals to slow down and adjust training accordingly.

  • Practical steps to take as a runner:

    • Put injury prevention first: build in rest weeks and slightly lower volume when coming back.

    • Keep race plans flexible: adjust goals based on how your body is actually feeling.

    • Balance life stress with training load: view non-running stress as part of the overall load.

“Even with a solid base, 26.2 miles is a big stress; recovery and listening to signals matter more than chasing a time.”

Real-world training: volume, injuries, and learning from experience

What you’ll hear:

  • The truth about racing a lot in your 20s–30s and how more races isn’t automatically better.

  • The value of tailoring plans to protect health while chasing big goals.

  • Examples of adjustments: spacing out marathons, moderating weekly load, and prioritizing sustainable progress.

Sarah shares some practical tips, one of the biggest is focusing on building a personalized progression. This is where having a coach can incredibly helpful. Focus on an increase weekly mileage gradually and schedule “deload” or rest weeks when needed.

From her own experience, treat injury signals seriously: back off early and consult a PT or coach if pain persists. And the most important: keep life balanced. Add cross-training, hiking, or low-impact workouts to support running without overload. What this looks like will be unique to each individual but sometimes, less is more.

Mindset and race-day smarts for marathons

What you’ll hear:

  • Shifting from “go hard” to “go smart” to avoid burnout and injuries.

  • Getting race-day expectations in line with what your training actually delivered.

  • The power of consistency and patience for long-term growth.

We chat about how to build a stronger mindset and ways to become a smarter runner beyond just having a solid training plan. Start by building a race-day plan that covers fueling, pacing, and how you plan to handle tough sections of the course. Use your training as tool to be more prepared! Practice your race-day routine during long workouts to build familiarity and find what works best for you. Lastly, follow recovery rituals after big efforts to keep momentum going.

Top Takeaways

  • You don’t have to push through every niggle or stack races to reach marathon goals.

  • A balanced plan, injury-aware coaching, and a focus on sustainable progress can boost your strength, speed, and confidence—and make the journey more enjoyable.

  • Training should fit your current ‘season’ of life, not the other way around.

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Stevie Lyn Smith
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