Here’s The Best Advice For Conquering A Fitness Goal

Almost 50,000 runners crossed the finish line at the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday. Most posed for a photograph, collected a gold medal and then walked, limped and winced their way toward friends and family. Because that’s the truth of it ? for most, even the professionals, running 26.2 miles hurts.

Which leads to the question: What does it take to accomplish such a tremendous and taxing fitness goal?

The Huffington Post caught up with runners who just crossed the finish line to get their advice. Between sips of post-race water and handfuls of pretzels, they shared tips on how to stay focused and where to find encouragement. The best part? None of the tips have anything to do with athletic ability.

“The nice thing about marathons and running in general is that you don’t have to be an athlete to do it,” said Christopher Moutos, a 25-year-old marathoner from Arkansas. “As long as you’ve got a pair of shoes and you can put one foot in front of the other, you’re able to run.”

Take a look at marathoners’ best advice for reaching any goal below: 

1. Find someone to hold you accountable

Mark Kim, 38, and Karen Jablonski, 32, met in medical school. Now physicians and married, they ran the marathon together.

“I think you have to build outside commitment,” Kim said. “Family and friends are watching us and we want to run hard for them. We don’t want to disappoint them.”