Share your marathon tips and experiences!

[SlB09]

I am doing a marathon next year and I won't lie I'm starting to regret signing up, nervous for the whole thing but also giving me some motivation .

How did you find your first marathon? And tips around coping mentally, fuelling, training, clothing anyone has to help?

I'm.not an expert, but I'm a regular runner and have done 8 marathons, although the last was a while ago.

My tips would be,
Find a training plan - runnersworld and women's running do free ones I think.
Dont worry if you dont do every session (life happens) but try to do 3-4 x a week including a long run.
join a running club or find some training buddies, long runs on your own are so tough.
Have more than 1 pair of trainers on the go at one time (look for black Friday deals) they can get wet or muddy
buy decent running socks (balega are my go-to, they are about £13/pair)
Enter a half marathon or 2 in spring to get Used to pre race food/routine/nerves/race atmosphere
On runs of maybe 10-12 miles or longer test out fuel (there are lots of options - sports drinks, energy tabs, jelly type sweets, gels....and others) some are nicer/more palatable than others, some might be harder to digest. Torq gels are my favourite
Good luck 😊

I've done lots of marathons and have made a lot of mistakes over the years!

First of all - respect the distance. People will tell you the race starts at 20 miles and until you've done it, this doesn't make any sense. 26.2 miles can't be that different to the 20 or 22 you do in training, right? Wrong. A marathon is a 20 mile warm up and then a six mile race. The aim on the day is to get to 20 feeling relatively strong and running within yourself; and then dig in for the last six. As otherwise the wheels will fall off at 22/23 and it isn't pretty.

Fuelling is key - and practice in training with the gels you will be using on the day. Do not practice with SIS gels if on the day you plan to use the Hi5 gels they give out on the course. Horrendous explosions will ensue.

Training- follow a training plan and get your long runs in. The training won't go exactly according to plan, as life will get in the way, but you want to get to the start line uninjured, knowing you have those long runs in the bag. For a first time, follow a training plan based on time on feet rather than distance too, as if you doggedly try and eke out 20-22 mile runs and it's taking you 4+ hours, this is going to be setting you back rather than getting you fitter. Really, you don't want to be doing any long runs of more than 3h 30 in training as the risk of injury outweighs the training benefit.

Finally - and related to the last point - the main thing you need to do during training is avoid getting injured. Listen to your body. If you up the mileage too quickly and things start to hurt, ease off for a week. Many first time marathoners push through the pain, then get injured and turn up on the start line with a niggle that then ruins their race. In your first marathon, any time you run is a PB, so the most important thing is to be able to get there, and get round, in one piece.

Good luck and enjoy!

Tja KS souch @FeelinTwentySixPointTwo I feel like your first point will have saved me from a tragic ending already!!!

Mentally how do you trudge through it?!

In my experience, mentally, the training is much harder than the race itself, particularly if you're doing a popular race where lots of people will be around you. If you're doing Manchester, Brighton or London, for example, you'll have enough company at all points on race day to be able to distract yourself. Whereas on less busy marathons you can find yourself on your own for stretches, which is tough when you're in the trenches of it at 21-25 miles.

In training, though, you need to find something to get you through the long runs. For me it's audiobooks - on short runs of an hour or less I'm better with music, but on those long Sunday runs my Audible subscription really has saved the day. That and finding a running club will really help, as you're bound to find people on a similar marathon timetable to you who could join you for some of the longest ones and keep you going.

Train with a pouch for running with. So you can have some stuff on you on the day.

Find out how you get the runner number. Some will send it to you other places you have to go get it yourself.

GOOD trainers not supermarket type. Go to a shop that knows about running shoes (ask on forums for your local specialist shops) I am convinced it qas my friend who had run lots of marathons who insisted on my getting good running shoes (most expensive shoes I'd ever bought) that ensured I didn't get injuries.

Get yourself a pair of bone-conducting headphones!
Also one of my favourite parts about marathon prep is the amount food you need to eat to keep up with the training😁

Just completed my 5th and still learning but here's mine!

-Focus on base fitness/strength/speed NOW until the first week of your training plan. During the training plan you will find yourself spending a staggering amount of time running and sometimes speed/strength needs to get dropped to facilitate getting the long run in with a busy life. You will feel the benefit of the base.

• Chose a plan ahead of time. Look at the first 3/4 weeks and if they look too hard, choose an easier plan- if it's hard that soon, it will only get harder! I also usually start the plan a week early- if something goes tits up life wise, I can repeat a week. If it doesn't, I repeat one of the hard weeks around 12/13- win win!
• Practice fuelling on all the long runs. I found a surprising amount of stuff makes me want to vomit and have a really limited range of what I can eat before and during a ran. I eat the same breakfast and fuel for every long run and take it with me to the race so I don't need to switch brand. I did just fly to Chicago with a bag of Quaker oats 😂.
• YES to two pairs of shoes on rotation, properly fitted in a running shop. Found this out the hard way this year when my shoes broke 3 days before my flight to Chicago, BIG panic and some lovely blisters!
• You WILL cry! A lot... in training and probably in the race too. For me, training for and running my first marathon was a life changing event. It's hard but also absolutely incredible to realise you can do it.

And the one I wish someone had told me...

• You only get to run your first marathon once. You have absolutely no idea how your mind and body will react after 20 miles and it is an EXPERIENCE! For this reason, unless you're a super experienced runner and racer, your A goal for your first one should just be to finish and finish healthy and smiling! Absolutely make a pace plan nearer the race to guide you on what to do in the race but have back up plans and don't stress if it goes wrong!

A good time will be lovely but just completing the training, getting to the start line uninjured and then getting round safely is an incredible achievement. During my first marathon a much fitter and faster runner than me collapsed and died and it made me appreciate what a privilege it was to even make it round, have my medal round my neck and celebrate with the family. As per PP, it is a staggeringly long way so respect for the distance and make sure you have fun!!!

Get used to running on tired legs, only once a week or so but normalise the feeling. You can do this by splitting a run in two and completing it later in the day than usual.

Most marathon training plans have higher than necessary weekly mileage, as long as you run at least 3 times a week and one of those runs steadily increases in distance you'll be fine.

Marathons are run in your head after a certain point, barring serious physical injury or illness it mostly comes down to mental toughness.

Every training run advances your running fitness somehow, there are no failed runs even if they don't go as planned. Look for the positives and celebrate them.

Get used to eating and drinking to replenish glycogen within half an hour of finishing a run.

Ice, foam roller, a bit of cross training here and there.

Don't set any time expectations for your first full.

Do a largeish half if you can, to familiarise yourself with racing in a huge group.

Try to do your long run at the same time of day as the marathon.

Taper!

Oh and do the first 5k of the race as slowly as humanly possible. Practice this in training. It's so easy to set off too fast and run out of steam. Aim for negative splits in training runs.

And don't wear anything new on the day, whether it's under or outerwear make sure you have completed several long runs in it.

Agree with all of the above

Especially keeping your longest runs limited to 3-3.5 hours. If you're looking down the barrel of a 5-6 hour time you might think this is madness BUT if you look for plans with back to back runs on a weekend they will see you right.

So 3 hours Saturday and then another 60-90 mins on Sunday.

If you don't feel comfortable with that you can stick to a traditional plan perhaps with a 20 mile race in the last month to practice fuelling. Those races sell out quickly as everyone wants to use them for Spring marathon prep.

I've done a couple of those races before and they are helpful for confidence. But i agree that there is a balance to be had and I think getting to the start fresh and uninjured is more likely with fewer of those really long runs.

Don't eat anything new on race day

I also find that after my first marathon I didn't want to eat and woke up the next day with migraine. With that in mind for marathon number 2, I explained to my friend that I struggle to eat much post race and we just went for coffee and cake. We had a full meal in the evening.

Take a bin bag or old jumper that you don't mind dumping and won't get back at the start

I used this book for my first marathon and recommend it - it really breaks down the training plan into an easy format and makes it enjoyable. I was lucky to train with a friend and we both used the same book.

Training with a friend is ideal, if you can. We helped each other with motivation, support and extremely random chats on our long runs!

There's loads of fab advice on this thread. I'm tempted to sign up for another!

SO MUCH good advice on this thread!

Pretty much everything I would have said has already been said, and there's been a lot of consistency in what people have suggested, which is refreshing.

Which marathon (people may be able to give specific advice - I'd say different things about London vs Manchester vs Brighton vs a small race with only a few hundred people in it)?

How long is your plan? I usually follow a 20 week plan (which is one I construct myself based on previous experiences and what I'm hoping to get from the event), but I'd always start it 22 weeks before race day. Then I've got 2 weeks 'in the bag' and if something goes wrong I've got a bit of padding. If it all goes well, then I either repeat a week if I'm feeling keen, or just have a 'rest' week where I keep ticking over and do no more.
The best plans, IMO, are those with a fair number of 'step down' weeks. So your long runs don't go 10/12/15/18/20/22 miles but more like 10/12/15/11/18/14/20/17/22. I find that much easier mentally - getting to the end of a 20 mile run and thinking "I've 'only' got to do 17 next week" is easier that getting to the end of 20 and knowing the next long run is even more. By the time the 22 comes round (after the 17) you've had a chance to mentally prepare (and forget the horror of the 20!!)

Other random things that have got me through (I've done 8 marathons, so have tried various approaches)...
Run your long runs SLOWLY. At least a minute/mile slower than you think you might go. People worry about this one, but it honestly works. (As an eg - for my fastest marathon I did all my training at between 10.30/mile and 11.20/mile and on the day averaged 9.35/mile. I had done shorter runs and some speed work, and it was a pace I was familiar with, but ALL my long runs were done slowly. It means you can run again within a day or so, and your legs are not battered).

Find other people to run/train with if you can - it makes a HUGE difference.

I like to plan interesting routes for my long runs. I figure if I'm going to run a long way, it may as well be somewhere nice/where I don't usually run. Some people like to do laps/use their usual routes, but that is very much NOT for me!

Don't underestimate the power of adrenaline! It gets you a LONG way on the day.

On long runs, and on the day, just take each mile at a time. Or chunk it up in a way that works for you.

I could go on and on, but you've been given so many good tips that I'll probably stop there for now.

Lots of good advice here. would second the one about finding somewhere nice for the long runs. I would often run a long stretch on the thames path and then get the train home (and sometimes the train to the start point too).

Try and get someone to be there to support you at about mile 22 (with a nice treat) as that is when you're really digging deep.

Magnesium spray to rub into tied legs after a long run really helps....

You've got most of the advice you needed but I wanted to reiterate the point on nutrition. Practice to see what works for you otherwise you will either hit the wall or get stomach issues during the race. You do no want diarrhea on race day.

Kit - sports bra, proper trainers and socks (with space for your feet to swell during the race, and probably some anti chafing gel.

You'll be fine, a marathon is hard but if you've prepared properly its extremely doable for most people.

Yes yes yes to the step-down weeks mentioned by @BuzzieLittleBee - I tend to do a 20-week plan with a step-down every four weeks.
I find that helps to avoid getting injured (after always getting injured about 15 or 16 weeks in, during my first few marathon blocks).
Also agree with running your long runs slowly, but doing some faster sessions midweek so you get used to knowing what MP feels like.
My MP is 7:45 pace but my long runs would be roughly 9 minute miles, or even slower on a hilly or trail route. From experience, doing your long runs close to MP just ends in injury.

I think miles 15-18 during a marathon are mentally toughest, you've run a really long way ....but there's still a long way to go! Once I get to mile 21 or 22 I tell myself I could walk the rest if I had to (it has never come to that!)
Also break into chunks, often I tell myself, you only have to get to the next mile marker...or 5k etc...and then repeat...again and again!

Training runs can be pretty tough especially if the weather is bad. I've had to have a word with myself on many a long run when the urge to give up and go home is strong! 🤣 But training buddies are absolutely worth their weight in gold, chatting/whinging/complaining your way round 18 miles is so much easier with friend/s, there is almost no subject off limits on a 20 mile run!
(Although choose carefully, ideally they will be a similar pace, or at least do long runs at a similar pace - attempting to keep up with someone faster and youre likely to crash and burn...equally it's actually quite difficult to go slower than your natural range)

During 1 marathon I had mentally given up around mile 18 and then a club mate saw me, and then we ran together for the last 8 miles, which was great

I can't believe the advice on this thread is all so consistent, and - IMO - really good.
I've seen some nonsense and also so really bad advice on marathon threads before, so this is very refreshing!

I also can't believe noone has mentioned Vaseline yet - a marathon running essential. Even if you're wearing kit you've worn a million times before, running longer distances can lead to blisters and chafing, especially if you're wearing a running vest or belt (which are prone to moving around).

For anything over about 10 miles I cover the ends of my toes in Vaseline (your feet swell so they fit differently in your trainers), and also put some under the clasp of my bra strap and also the front (where it sits flat). Those are my 'pinch points', but if it's wet then I also use it on the inside of my arms. Finding out you have chafed skin when you get in the shower is the worst!

And one other thing - treat yourself to some really nice bubble bath. A bath after a long run is a real treat, and bathing in something nice is even better.

Try not to be too emotionally attached to your toenails, just in case. It was totally fine but several of mine did drift off in the bath after my first marathon which was disconcerting.

So true!

Nothing new on race day. Good 80/20 plan will get you over the line. Cross train with cycling. Ensure you’re focused on mobility exercises too. It’s always the last few miles that kill - keep it Z2 as a warmup until the last couple of miles and race 😎

Lots of good advice here, also please enjoy it. You only get to run your first marathon once, it should be exciting!