How to Run Your First (or 10th) Marathon

Running a marathon takes effort long before race day. Weeks and months of training go into simply finishing the distance, and even more if you want to run fast. Whether this is your first marathon or your tenth, these do’s and don’ts will help you get to the start line ready and give you the best shot at crossing the finish line strong.

Things to Avoid

Warming up before the race
It sounds crazy, but warming up for a marathon is a waste of energy. Most runners will spend the race at aerobic threshold, or the top of zone 2 in a five-zone model. That’s easy enough that you don’t need to burn through glycogen before the start. Think of your first 3–4 km as your warm up. Ease into the pace, don’t get carried away by the adrenaline, and save that energy for the later stages.

Underfuelling
“Hitting the wall” is avoidable. You don’t need to run 42.2 km on just water and a banana anymore. Research shows the body can handle over 100 grams of carbs per hour, and some trained athletes can push as high as 150 grams when using a mix of glucose and fructose. Fuelling properly means more energy, less chance of bonking, and quicker recovery afterwards. That goes for beginners and veterans. Train your gut with gels and carb mixes in your long runs so you know what works. Come race day, you’ll be faster and more comfortable.

Starting too hard
The marathon is long. Really long. The pace you run at should feel manageable for the first half. If you’re breathing heavily in the opening kilometers, you’re going too fast. Stick to your race plan, even if it feels too easy. It’s tempting to latch onto a group that’s slightly quicker, but that decision usually comes back to haunt you around 35 km. If someone surges past you early on, let them go. You’ll thank yourself in the final stretch when you’re still moving well.

Things to Keep in Mind

The course will be longer than 42.2 km
You won’t run the exact race line. There will be detours at aid stations, weaving through crowds, and a bit of zig-zagging. Don’t be shocked if your watch shows 42.6 or even 43 km. Plan for it and don’t empty the tank before the official finish line.

Race Day Tips

1. Manually split your watch at 5 km markers
   GPS is never perfect. Courses often have small variations, and your watch might beep 200 meters before the sign. By splitting at the official markers, you’ll get cleaner pacing and less stress.
   
   

2. Test your gels in training
   Your stomach is trainable. Practice with gels on long runs to find what works. Maurten is safe for most runners, while brands like High5 can feel watery or acidic and cause stomach issues. Don’t experiment on race day.
   
   

3. Nothing new on race day

   No new shoes, no new socks, no new nutrition. Use the same setup you’ve used in training. Blisters at 3 km or stomach cramps at halfway will ruin your race. Keep it consistent.
   
   

Training Tips

A suitable training plan is essential to ensuring you arrive on race day in the best possible shape without injuries and niggles. Kaizen identifies your current level of fitness based on your past training data and gives you the exact distance/pace that you need to run each week to reach your target goal. Download the app on the AppStore or PlayStore to give yourself the PB you deserve!

Photo by Arnaud STECKLE
Photo by Mike Cox