5 Race-Day Lessons to Help Teachers Finish the School Year Strong

When I was 25 years old, I ran the Twin Cities Marathon. After crossing the finish line, I said, “Well, I’m never doing that again!” Fast forward 20 years, and somehow, I’m training for 26.2 miles once more. As a “Master’s” (40+) runner, I am noticing a few more aches, pains, and recovery needs this time around! 

Those extra years and miles also gave me time to reflect. This June, as I prepare to run the 50th annual Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, I’ve been thinking about the parallels between finishing a marathon and wrapping up a school year. Both require preparation, endurance, support, and a willingness to adjust when conditions change. 

Of course, no running metaphor can fully capture the complexity of teaching, especially during the busy final stretch of the school year. But sometimes a fresh comparison can offer a helpful way to pause and reflect. With that in mind, here are five things I’ve learned from racing that may help you close out the school year with strength, support, and a little more care for yourself along the way. 

Know the Course

Before a race, I like to know what to expect: I pore over the course map, obsessively check the weather, note where the hills are, and find out where the aid stations will be. Of course, that doesn’t mean everything will go according to plan, but it does help me feel a little more prepared for what is ahead.

The final weeks of school have their own map, too: grading deadlines, testing schedules, field trips, assemblies, classroom cleanup, celebrations, and last-minute changes. It’s a lot to keep track of, even for the most organized educator.

Try This: Map the final miles

Create a simple “finish line calendar” for the final weeks of school. Start with the dates that are set, then add the tasks that need to happen before students leave. Once everything is visible, you might notice one task that can be simplified, a job students can take on, or a “to-do” item that can wait until next year.

Students can help map the final days, too. A class “finish line checklist” might include cleanup jobs, reflection activities, returned materials, celebration plans, or advice for next year’s students. When students help carry some of the end-of-year logistics, the final stretch can feel more like a shared effort.

Adjust Your Race Plan

One thing running has taught me is that while a plan is helpful, adaptability is essential! Race day can bring a delayed start due to a thunderstorm (as in last year’s Grandma’s marathon!), heat, wind, crowds, or an IT band acting up. Staying calm in the face of the unexpected is key. 

The end of the school year asks for the same kind of flexibility. Even carefully planned lessons and activities can be disrupted by schedule changes, student fatigue, testing, special events, and surprise tasks. 

Try This: Prep for changing conditions

Keep a few “Plan B” options on hand for days when time or energy is limited. Maybe that means a shortened version of a project, a lower-prep lesson, having a quick game at the ready, or a quiet reflection activity when the class needs a reset.

Use the Aid Stations

When my dad ran marathons in the ‘80’s, runners rarely drank more than water on the course. Exercise science has come a long way since then, and now we know how important it is to fuel properly to avoid the dreaded “bonk,” when your body runs out of energy and every step suddenly feels impossible. From carb gels to electrolytes, nutrition during a marathon can make a big difference in both performance and the overall race experience. 

Teaching through the final weeks of school requires fuel, too. Not in a “just drink more water” kind of way, but that bodies and brains need care during demanding seasons. Eating lunch, staying hydrated, moving your body, getting sleep, and taking a real pause when possible are the aid stations that help you keep going.

Try This: Refuel along the way

Choose one or two small supports that are realistic for this stretch of the year. Maybe it’s keeping a water bottle and easy snack nearby, protecting lunch from becoming a work session, taking a short walk after dismissal, or choosing one night to go to bed earlier.

Students need aid stations, too. A five-minute reset, calm cleanup music, gratitude notes, or a quiet reflection can help the whole class pause before moving into the next task.

Run With Your Team

One of my favorite things about running is sharing the miles! Even in an individual event, there are training partners, volunteers, spectators, pacers, and teammates offering support. On my running team, Mill City Running, our motto is “The front supports the back, the back supports the front.” Whether a runner is winning races or finishing at the back of the pack, everyone yells “Gooooo Mill City!” when they see a team member on the course.

Schools work the same way. During the final weeks, everyone takes turns needing encouragement. The colleague who has energy today may need support tomorrow. The teacher who shares a template, covers a bus duty, sends a kind message, or says, “I’ve got you,” can make the final stretch feel more manageable.

Try This: Share the course

Look for one small way to give support and one small way to receive it. Share an email template, reflection prompt, cleanup checklist, or final-week activity. Ask a colleague for help with something small before you are overwhelmed. 

Students can be part of the team, too. They might write thank-you notes to school staff, create encouragement cards for classmates, make a memory board, organize materials, or write advice for next year’s class. The end of the year offers a powerful opportunity to practice community care.

Don’t Skip the Cooldown

After a marathon, the finish line is a celebration: medals, photos, hugs, snacks, dry clothes, and that first glorious moment of sitting down. But the finish line is also the beginning of recovery. With the Mill City Running team, the post-race cooldown includes a dance party after Grandma’s Marathon (yes, there is karaoke!) and a jog with a sauna the next morning. And there are always stories…who crushed their goal, who walked it in with a calf cramp, who drank pickle juice at Mile 16 and immediately regretted it. The commiserating and celebrating go together, and both help us make sense of what we just did.

The end of the school year deserves that kind of cooldown, too. Before the year disappears into the blur of packing up, grading, and “just one more thing,” take a moment to reflect.

Try This: Pause before you pack up

Celebrate one thing before you move on: Save a kind note, take a photo of a project, write down a student success, or jot down something you are proud of from the year. If the year was hard, take time to process that, too. Talk with a trusted colleague, laugh about the ridiculous moments, and acknowledge what took more out of you than expected.

Students can also cool down with celebration and reflection. Invite them to share a proud moment, write advice for next year’s class, thank someone who helped them, or add to a class memory book. 

Crossing the Finish Line

As I count down the weeks to Grandma’s Marathon, many teachers are counting down the days to the end of the school year. Both finish lines represent months of preparation, effort, adaptation, and commitment.

So as you move through these final days, I hope you find small ways to pace yourself. The finish line is close. When the year is done, I hope your cooldown includes the rest, reflection, and recovery you deserve.

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