Marathon advice

[DFI000]

Hello. Currently in the midst of marathon training and would be interested to learn from others that have trained/run a marathon.

Any words of experience you’d like to share either for training or during the actual race? What would you like to have known?

caveat: a lot is personal and there will be conflicting advice on this thread and off it.

Training: it’s all about the long run. My training for my first marathon was patchy as hell but I made sure that I got my long run in every week, increasing the distance to about 22 miles.

prioritise distance over speed. The distance isn’t negotiable. Slower running also helps to build your CV endurance.

Nutrition: “train low, race high”- i tend to train close to fasted and then bring out the big guns ( gels every 30 mins) on race day. I find the Spring ones most palatable but some people find the texture 🤮so test them.

The race: if possible just use what drinks the organisers provide. Otherwise it’s just extra weight. Keep stuff you carry to an absolute minimum. Arm sleeves are a good compromise between long sleeved top and no long sleeved top.

Don't go off too fast. On race day, you need to get to 20 miles feeling comfortable, as it can all go downhill very rapidly from there. And do not underestimate just how terrible you can feel at 23 and 24 miles, even if you felt great at 20.

Practice fuelling and, on race day, take on fuel before you need it. Like @illiterato , I train fasted, but you can't do that on race day. Have a fuelling strategy, practise with your specific brand of gel, and stick to it. Even if you feel great and like you don't need it, get those gels down on race day - because by the time you do feel like you need it, it's too late.

Get your long runs in. I like to have done 5 proper long runs of 18+ miles before race day. And if you're going for a time, make sure you do plenty longer runs at MP. This isn't as important if you're just aiming to finish.

Finally - strength work is crucial for helping stave off injury. I'd got to my fifth or sixth marathon before I finally accepted this one!

Most important of all is point one - don't go off too fast! Have a pace plan and stick to it..

Thanks both - i have never heard of training fasted before. What are the benefits of this? Something I’ll look into.

I know it’s very individual but I really find all the advice useful (even when conflicting - useful to hear experiences).

I had 2 gels during a half marathon yesterday and they were already repeating on me! How do you stomach having one every 30 minutes!!!

i have never heard of training fasted before. What are the benefits of this? Something I’ll look into.

The theory is that it teaches your body to burn fat more efficiently in the absence of other fuel, so even if it affects your performance negatively in training, you'll perform better on race day.

I had 2 gels during a half marathon yesterday and they were already repeating on me! How do you stomach having one every 30 minutes!!!

I just got used to it. I've done relatively little road marathoning (only 3 or 4) as for years I lived in Asia and did trail running which tends to have bigger effort peaks and troughs and are longer so the gels are v necessary, particularly before a big climb. I also just know from experience that although they're not fun to eat, my times are much better when I use them, so it sort of forces me to embrace them :-)Have you tried SIS? They are more liquid and I find much more palatable than (eg) Gu and you don't need to drink with them. The ones I use (Spring) are based on rice so less sweet, but are bigger so heavier to carry, so there's a trade off. If they're really not doable, alternatives are cold mini potatoes or salted rice balls (homemade) in a little ziplock. They are not as immediate so you need to schedule them accordingly but are fairly portable and do the job.

I know it’s very individual but I really find all the advice useful (even when conflicting - useful to hear experiences).

I agree and a lot of it is just trying things out, seeing what works for you and drop what doesn't. I had to leave a well known running FB group as it was so militant about things like heel striking (bad), arm swinging (bad) nutrition (carbs bad) etc. The most nuts thing I read was people advocating protein heavy snacks during a marathon and that gels were just "filling your body with junk". They'd obviously got confused between that and a training diet, but no amount of telling them that protein takes longer to digest than the marathon is long and is the body's fuel of last resort would dissuade them.

One thing I forgot

• Taper properly- I'd say at least 10 days, ideally 2 weeks. Last long run at least 2 weeks before marathon. Don't do what my friend did and decide to run a marathon the weekend before the actual marathon to make sure he could do it. Ended up being slower in the proper race. This is before strava so he didnt even have a record of the faster marathon.

If you really can't stomach gels, work out what you can. I'm trialling fruit cake just now as it has always worked for me on ultras whereas I've never got along with gels.

I agree with a balance of training fasted and practicing race nutrition. I set off on my long run and other runs before breakfast, but on my long run practice race nutrition from halfway and will do it from earlier as they get longer.

If you're going for a time focus on making the second half of your long run close to race pace (eg 90-95% of it) and add a tempo run at 100% too. Other than that train slow and in lower heart rate zones (unless you do quite a lot and want to add an intervals session too) but as pp said long run is the most important run of the week.

And if you're doing a marathon with crowds, put your name on your top so people can shout encouragement!

I think the “science” (Or lack of) behind fasted training is pretty debunked, in that it rarely
leads to an increase in performance, and just increases injury risk. Especially in women.

I don't train fasted either. It doesn't work for me at all.

You have to practice with gels - so if you think you'll need one every 30-40 mins do that on your long run until they repeat on you, you start to feel some stomach issues, you feel sick. Then stop. Next time try taking them more slowly so have a bit every few minutes (less feasible for sticky ones I'll admit) see if that helps to take more on. See if you can gradually get your system used to them so you're not experiencing GI distress or you know you can have a certain number before that becomes an issue. You can try different brands - I like Torq for the flavour but Maurten ones are the best for my guts. I can't deal with SIS ones any more.

Agree with taper - if you're following a plan do your last long run 3 or 4 weeks out. It sounds mad but the rest you get in the taper really works and will get you through that last 10k.

My last tip - run the first 5k under your target pace. Doesn't have to be much, a few seconds, but the energy you conserve at the start you will need at the end. Let people go off fast and overtake you! You'll probably see them again at mile 20 looking destroyed.

I can only just walk to work fasted, let alone run 20 miles!
I use gels every 5 miles so not as much as they advise, but I can't stomach them any more frequently.
Check where the race has water stations and decide if you're going to carry your own water or rely on theirs. I tend to use High5 hydration tablets in my backpack and take fresh water from the race stations. You need to drink when you take gels which helps your stomach to digest them.
Train in kit that you plan to wear on race day.
Ditto dinner the night before long training runs (pasta just doesn't do it for me).
Take a plastic poncho and/or old jumper to wear before the start that you can then ditch (they usually get collected up for recycling). If it's a big race you'll be hanging around for quite a while once you'd done bag drop.
Pack flipflops and a complete change of clothes and baby wipes in your drop bag for when you finish.
If you're staying overnight then take comfy shoes to travel home in the next day.

Really helpful advice all - thank you!

Im doing my next long run on Sunday so will take on board!

What do you recommend for the pre long run dinner the night before and breakfast on the day? What works for you?

thank you

Whatever you eat make sure it isn't eggy

I had quiche for lunch the day before a marathon once - it was lovely. But it bunged me right up and I couldn't go to the loo. Two hours into a marathon, the second gel had me simultaneously clenching and sprinting to the portaloo. Thereafter was a terrible balancing act between taking on enough energy and not shitting myself on course. Don't be me!

I tend to have overnight oats for breakfast, I find them more filling than porridge and anything over 13 miles I'd have toast or a bagel as well.

I'm training for marathon number 10.
I find running with other people much easier than running alone so if you can find training buddies for even part of your long run that helps.
Test out various types of nutrition. I use gels (in the marathon I'd maybe take 4 or 5 so probably every 40-50 mins. Some gels were horrendous and made me gag or wretch, I like torq gels they are more palatable. I would take 1 at around 8 miles in a half marathon, but more frequently during a full marathon.
Also for me, long distance running is as much a mental challenge as physical. For me often miles 15-20 are the worst (mentally) because you've run a long way....but there's still a long way to go!

I can't think about running more than about 8 miles without eating. I don't have breakfast before a parkrun but I usually have a few haribos or jelly babies.

Two things that stuck with me:

• Kendal mint cake was amazing if you don't like gels (I really don't)
• Sports Massages worth their weight in gold

GOOD LUCK x

I've never done my long runs at race pace! And the advice is typically to run long runs 1 min/mile slower than race pace (but obviously do some faster runs at other times).

I did all my long runs at a pace of between 10.10/mile and 10.50/mile (with one even slower during the heatwave), and ran the race at 9.25/mile (feeling pretty comfortable until about 22 miles, and then it was the slog I expected, having run marathons before).

On fuelling, I have a bagel for breakfast before long runs (as well as yogurt and granola for the 18+ milers) and have that on race day. A gel (Torq) every 6 miles.

I’ve run five marathons
(one pregnant!) and these are my go-tos:

• test everything out first. What you’ll have for dinner the night before (pasta doesn’t work for me, for example - just causes bloating) breakfast, what you’ll eat and drink during, absolutely everything you plan to wear (including what pants 😂) with different options for different weather.
• I can’t stomach gels. I wish I’d found that out before my first ever long run where I naively packed them thinking that’s just what you do …😬 I’ve used jelly babies since!
• do not skip stretching and if you have a niggle get it checked out. If you can afford them sports massages during training are amazing.
• Be prepared to adjust your goals during training depending on how it goes. You may set out training for a certain time but things happen and it’s better to manage your expectations before race day so you can enjoy it.

good luck! 🤩

I’m watching with interest. Signed up to London 2024. It will be my first full marathon. Ran 3 half’s when I was a lot younger!