Running a marathon can be an overwhelming, anxiety-producing experience and first-timers are bound to make some rookie marathon mistakes. Here are some common blunders to avoid, so you don’t have to learn lessons on race day.
Don‘t try something new on race day.
The night before my first marathon, I cut the tags off a new pair of shorts that I planned to wear in the marathon. I remember thinking that it would feel good to wear something new instead of the same old shorts I had worn through training. Fortunately, the new shorts did not chafe or fall down, but it could have been ugly.
Try to resist the temptation to wear, eat, or drink anything
new and keep telling yourself, “Nothing new on race day!” Race day is
not the time to experiment with new foods at breakfast, a new pair of running
shoes, running shorts, a new sports bra, or new nutrition or hydration. Stick
to your tried-and-true favorites so there are no surprises on race day.
Also see: How to Dress for a
Rainy Race
How
to Dress for Hot Weather Running
How to Dress for
Cold Weather Running
Give yourself plenty of time at the start.
You may think you can just show up at the starting line, line up, and go. That approach may work for a local 5K, but a marathon is a totally different beast, especially if it’s a very large race. It’s going to be crowded and everything will take a lot longer than you think.
The lines for the porta-potties will be long, so give yourself enough time to use the bathroom (maybe more than once), check your bag, and find your corral (if the race has them).
Check the race’s website to find out how they recommend getting to the start and make sure you check for any road closures that may affect your travel. You may also want to talk to other runners who have done the race in previous years (or read reviews on websites) to find out how early they recommend getting there.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
Don’t put pressure on yourself to achieve a really fast time for your first marathon. Completing a marathon is an incredible goal and you don’t want to take away from that accomplishment by being disappointing over not hitting a time goal.
Just focus on going the distance and becoming part of a extremely small percentage of the population who can call themselves marathoners.
Don’t start out too fast.
One of the biggest rookie marathon mistakes is starting out the race too fast. It’s tempting to go out blazing fast because you’ll feel strong and rested from your tapering. Going any slower might feel too easy. You’ll tell yourself, “Wow, I must be in better shape than I thought!” But if you go out too fast, you’ll burn through a lot of your stored energy early in the race and your legs will feel fatigued much sooner.
The first half of the race should feel easy. If it doesn’t, you’re probably going too fast. When it comes to marathon racing, there’s no such thing as “putting time in the bank.” You’ll pay for those fast miles later in the race when your legs are really fatigued and you feel like you’ve hit the dreaded “wall.”
Stick to your planned pace – running even splits or negative splits (running the second half of the race faster than the first half) is a smart marathon racing strategy. In the first half of the race, keep telling yourself, “I need to hold back. I need to hold back.”
Don’t forget to smile.
You didn’t work hard all through training to be miserable during the race, right? Enjoy the ride! Running a marathon is not just about crossing the finish line – it’s about the journey you take to get there.
As you’re running, take it all in – high-five the kids cheering you on, thank the volunteers passing out water, pump your fist in the air as you pass the guy blasting the theme from “Rocky”, smile at the spectators holding funny signs. Doing so will give you that boost of motivation to keep going. And finishing photos always look better when you’re smiling.
Also see: How to Look Good in Your Race Photos
Running coach, avid runner, and fitness writer Christine Luff is an RRCA-certified running coach and ACE-certified personal trainer. Founder of the website Run for Good and author of the book Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, she coaches runners, from beginners to advanced, who are training for races, from 5Ks to marathons.
