While much of marathon training focuses on preparing to run 26.2 miles it is important to have a race day plan too. After all, you’ve just spent anywhere from four to six months in an intensive effort to run a successful marathon. You had a training plan, followed it, did all your workouts, you’ve tapered, and now you are ready to go. Having a plan for marathon day is essential too.
Whether this is your first marathon or your 40th it is a good idea to remind yourself of these simple race day tips to ensure a successful marathon.
8 Race Day Tips for a Successful Marathon
It's finally race day! You've done the work but it's important to have a race day plan. Here are 8 tips for a successful #marathon. #running #runningtipsClick To Tweet
Eat Breakfast
Try to eat a moderate breakfast two or three hours before the race. You need to top off your tank with easily digestible foods (that you have hopefully tried during your training) like oatmeal, bananas, cereals, yogurt, or toast. Drink water or a sports drink throughout the morning, all the way up until the race starts.
Nothing New on Race Day
Your training has been like a three or four-month-long dress rehearsal for your big day. Over that time, you’ve found the right combination of nutrition and hydration, as well as the right shoes, clothing, even socks. Don’t mess around with success on race day by wearing the cute top that you bought at the expo, or using the gel that is being given away on the course (unless you’ve been training with it). While new shoes are a great idea for the race, take them for a spin or two before the event, even if they are the same model as your old ones. Stick with your tried and true pre-run meal, which can be a little difficult if you traveled to an event, so make sure to plan ahead.
Logistics
You do not want to be sitting in traffic trying to exit the freeway as the gun goes off. Plan ahead to get to the venue early. Check out the race website for information about parking, shuttles, clothing drops, etc. Depending upon the size of the race, there may be long lines to use the portable toilets, so it is a good idea to head there right away. Drop off your clothing bag and get to your corral at least 15 minutes early. Better to stand around waiting a little while than try to squeeze in when it is full. If the weather is cold, stay warm with a throwaway shirt that can be tossed after you warm up. If the weather is damp or rainy, a trash bag makes a great poncho to keep you dry while you’re waiting to get started.
Start Slow
No matter how many marathons you have run, this may be the hardest advice to adhere to. The excitement of the moment, being surrounded by other excited runners, sometimes even a downhill start of the course can all conspire to make you start out too fast. There’s no such thing as time in the bank. Getting more miles in at a faster pace is not going to help you finish your marathon faster. In fact, it will probably backfire, you will overextend yourself, use up crucial energy and fuel, and your time may very well be slower than you planned. Start out at your goal pace or even slightly slower. This will allow you to conserve both your energy and your fuel, enabling you to keep the pace during that last 10k.
Have a nutrition plan and stick to it
I will admit it. I made a huge nutrition mistake in what turned out to be my PR marathon. The thing is, I should have run that race five or even 10 minutes faster than I actually did! I have always had issues with fueling and nausea during the marathon, and during that race, I was feeling so good I didn’t want to mess it up by ingesting anything. So, beyond water and the carbohydrate drink I was carrying I didn’t eat anything. So what happened? Well, at mile 20, I was on pace for a 3:10 finish, and I bonked so hard I could barely sustain an 8-8:30 pace for the last six miles. I ended up running 3:16 in that race, a good time to be sure, but, after losing about a minute a mile over the last 10k, I learned a painful lesson.
The point is, you have been practicing your nutrition throughout your training, you have a pretty good idea of what works, so, make a plan before the race and stick with it.
Don’t wear headphones
Don’t shoot me! I know that music lovers everywhere are saying “What???!!! I can’t run without my music!” Wait a moment and just listen to my reasoning.
You are about to embark on one of the most life-changing excursions of your life. You will have to reach deep inside of yourself, use everything you’ve got, including all your mental strength, to stay the course, and to be successful in your endeavor. Having music playing in your ear, while it may give you a beat to run to, will distract you from all of that. While you may say that distraction is a good thing, it really is not if you want to produce your best effort.
On the other hand, if you are running to have fun and “just finish,” why cut off half of the experience by not communicating with the other athletes that are sharing this moment with you? I have met some amazing people during a marathon, something that would never happen if I cut myself off from them by wearing headphones.
The Last 6.2 Miles
I’m sure you have heard the saying, “There are two halves to the marathon: the first 20 and the last 6.2,” and that is true to a certain extent. That last 10k can really grind you into the ground. But, if you have followed the advice above, fueled correctly, and moderated your pace, you will have a much stronger finish. Some other ideas to keep you going strong: Break the distance down into smaller chunks. Think about a great two-mile run that you enjoy; Think minutes instead of miles. Four or five minutes may sound better than a half mile; If you’re really feeling like you have to slow down, try instead to pick up the pace for a short distance. That little change can refresh your legs; Take one mile at a time; Try some positive self-talk. Be your own cheerleader.
Have Fun
This is the culmination of months of hard work. Cherish the moment. Talk to other runners. Give high fives to the kids on the sidelines. Smile for the cameras. Thank the volunteers. Enjoy the scenery. Appreciate the body, however tired and sore, that has brought you this far.
What race day tips would you like to add?
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Oh wow, what a shame about missing that 3:10 mark, Debbie!
I’ve done the same mistake – I felt so good that I neglected fuelling…. and then paid for it later.
Did you manage to make up for it and crack the 3:10 mark later on?
We both know better, right? I used to get so nauseous in a marathon so I hated to mess with feeling good. That certainly backfired! No chance of that 3:10 now. My PR was 22 years ago and I’m almost 64. These days I just hope to survive! 🙂
I agree about headphones, although I know some runners would never race without them! I think racing is such a great experience and headphones can change that. But then again I only wear them for long runs to listen to podcasts, so I know I can run without music or other entertainment.
I feel that many more people use headphones in races this year. I miss being able to communicate.
Figuring out and sticking to my nutrition and hydration plan is key for me. Also, sticking to my race day plan and doing what I practiced
It really is important to stick with what worked during training. People are funny and all of a sudden it’s race day and they’re running too fast, skipping aid stations, and really messing with their plan.
I never wear headphones during any race. You miss so much. The crowd, the atmosphere, the scenery, etc.
All great tips for a marathon and any race.
Exactly. I’ll admit that I’ve brought headphones with me just in case things go bad (which they do sometimes with my asthma). Even then, I rarely use them.
Yeah, the headphones one is tricky. It’s so tempting to put on music, especially towards the end. But you never see an elite runner using them, and they know what they’re doing!
All great tips- the nutrition one can be hard to get right. Even though you practice in training, race day can feel quite different. As your story shows, it’s probably the one big thing that holds people back from their goals.
Still… a 3:16 PR is impressive! Thanks for the tips.
Yes, I’m still bragging on my 22-year-old PR. 🙂 I admit that I will bring headphones, especially if my training hasn’t been stellar. Just in case things go bad. It’s nice to have something to listen to then.
I cannot believe how long I relied on music as a security blanket (though I didn’t realize it at the time). I’d run a few shorter races sans earbuds & tunes, but when my iPod died at mile-2 of the MCM (in the midst of all.the.rain), I had a profound revelation–> I really didn’t need the music (actually, this revelation came to me after the finish line LOL). I can’t say that I’m running/racing any faster (or slower) without the music, but I’m certainly not struggling on the race courses or long runs. Like you, I like chatting with fellow runners and that’s not easy when one or both has the distraction of headphones 😉
Never having run a marathon, I can’t really add anything!
I can say that I stopped listening to anything on the run a long time ago. My pace didn’t suffer. I always think it’s good to be more in the moment!
I can remember one half where even though I was wearing headphones, the race finished along the ocean and I took them out of my ears so that I could enjoy the sounds of the ocean.
It is so hard to stick to the nutrition plan in a race, but so important! I set alarms on my watch to help me remember.