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?

Oh I tucked into a full breakfast at 7am halfway round a 100k but I wouldn't do it in a marathon 😅

@TiramisuThief that's actually just brought my tea up at the thought!! You must have steel insides!

I struggled with gels but found the chia gels by mountain fuel worked - I think they are basically chia and fruit puree so none of the artificial sweetners etc. Also dried apricots - a couple every 40 minutes or so helps. My favourite marathon snack was mini cheddars - DD had a bag for me at mile 21 of my first marathon and it was such a boost. Some people swear by baby food and I can see that it would be easier to digest.

I'm a real fooder (artificial sweetners= laxitive to me) so I mainly have nakd bars. A change of taste is good, and I like switching to kendal mint cake for the freshness of the mint after a couple of hours.

One of the best things I have ever eaten was my bag of salt & vinegar crisps at mile 14 of my marathon. Sounds bonkers, but the starch and salt was exactly what my body wanted and it was a great boost.

Trail events often have aid stations with food. Run Through have things like fruit, brownies and salted corn at some of their events 😋

I haven't run a marathin before, so I'm here in the comments to learn from others' experiences.

If your marathon is in June, I would spend the winter getting strong with a few strength and conditioning sessions per week, plus a handful of runs to keep you ticking over (depending on what your mileage is like at the moment). You are much less likely to get injured in a training block if you have done strength under your belt.

You are much less likely to get injured in a training block if you have done strength under your belt

This is true. A good few weeks of strength training before starting a 20 week marathon training block in the new year would be ideal. Nice that you have time for a 20-week block instead of a traditional 16 as well; gives you more time to get the long runs in.

The thing I would be most worried about in your shoes, OP, is the potential of it being hot on race day and also in May when you'll be hitting your longest runs. Some people are fine in the heat, of course, but others (like me) tend to struggle.

Agree, weather is difficult to legislate for.

There's a half marathon in early May I've stopped running now because it always falls on the first really warm day of the year and I go the whole way round hating every minute and resenting the ££ it cost me.

By June I've generally acclimatised a bit - so I'll reckon you'll be OK OP, use your long runs to get used to warm temps, try and do them so you're getting some midday warmth. Embrace the strugglebus! It all helps on the day.

Best advice I was given? Start slow and then slow down!

Mentally, I count the miles up to 13 and then down to the end.

Best snack I was given was a long ice pop on a very hot London marathon.

You've had great advice, try and enjoy it!

@TiramisuThief embrace the strugglebus haha, I'll remember that one!

@FeelinTwentySixPointTwo yes heat is a worry. I did an event last year in the heat and although I managed so much better than I thought I felt shitty afterwards, deffo don't do well in heat so this is something I'm hoping to climatise to (if I can in our weather!)