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The days before a marathon can be very stressful, especially for runners who are making their debut in the distance. In this article I am going to give you 10 tips for your first marathon, Especially for the days before and for the day of the race.
Preparing for a marathon requires a good training plan; a training plan adapted to the objective pursued in the race, previous experience in marathon distance, state of form, age... There are many factors that can be important when determining the most appropriate preparation to face a marathon with guarantees.
We are going to assume that you have completed the preparation and that, therefore, you arrive with your homework done in the days prior to your big date with the 42,195 kilometers. Behind you have left months of training, sacrifice and effort. The day for which your legs have traveled hundreds of kilometers is approaching, the day that seemed far away in time and that now you see so close.
You must be optimistic and think that all the hours and all the kilometers of effort and dedication are going to pay off, but It is important that you do not make last minute mistakes (in the last days and on the day of the race) that could compromise the work done for months. Below I am going to list 10 tips for your first marathon that will help you avoid making mistakes.
The first of the tips for your first marathon: rest and disconnect the days before
In the days before the marathon you should try don't stress your body anymore and give priority to rest and disconnection.
If you have been rigorous and constant with the preparation, you have to be confident and seek peace of mind. It is the time of Tapering or set-up. You have to change the “I have to get up to train” by “I have to sleep more”; forget the gym and visit the physio to give you a muscle relief massage on your legs; Dedicate time to family or leisure and don't think about training anymore.
Every runner wants to arrive in the best possible performance conditions on the big day and to help you I offer you 10 tips for your first marathon. These tips for the days before and on the day of the race are valid for any runner, also for beginners:
- Don't train anymore.
- Study the weather forecast.
- Avoid staying cold on the way out.
- If you can, train at the same time as the test.
- Avoid excessive carbohydrate loads the days before.
- Eat and drink what you have trained.
- Follow the rhythms you have planned and trained.
- On race day nothing is improvised and nothing is released.
- Pay attention to small details.
- Your fans must wait for you in the final ten kilometers.
Don't add last minute training
1. Do not train more than planned by your coach. The sessions, competitions, lengths or series that you did not do are already behind you and it is not the time to recover them. Don't think about what you “could have done.” In the week before, additional training will not make you perform more or better on the day of the marathon; however, one session less may do the trick. The really important thing now, when you are just a few days away from the big date, is to arrive rested at the start. Trust what you have trained!
2. Check the weather forecast and temperature in the city where you are going to run. It is important that you know what the average temperature is at the start time and what temperature it will reach during the race (in the Valencia marathon, for example, in the month of December the average temperature at the start is 9º). -13º, reaching 17º-20º maximum). It is also advisable that you take into account the relative humidity or if there is a forecast of rain to avoid surprises.
The humidity thing is not nonsense because for a person used to training in a dry climate it can be a significant handicap to run a marathon in a more humid city or region since it will require a special hydration strategy. I'll give you a concrete example: if you live in a dry region and decide to run the Valencia marathon, which is a city with an average relative humidity of 60%-63%, I recommend that you raise your hydration levels 2-3 days before the race at 2-3 liters per day.
3. Avoid staying cold on the way out. Don't forget some clothing to keep you warm until the moment you start or until you have warmed up a few kilometers after starting to run. There are races in which it is possible to get rid of these clothes at the start or even later and that have a charitable purpose, as the organization of the Valencia marathon does, which collects all these clothes and donates them to an NGO.
4. Train at the same time as the marathon. If possible, it is recommended that you train at the same time that you are going to have to run on race day. Our body is like a “repetition machine”, capable of adapting and memorizing any routine. If due to personal or work circumstances you cannot train at the time of the test, go out for a light jog of between 20 and 30 minutes the day before the race, at a time similar to the start of the test; This way you will get your body activated the next day without problems.
5. Avoid excessive carbohydrate loads in the previous days. The belief is too widespread that it is essential to gorge on carbohydrates 48 hours before running a marathon. My advice is to avoid excessive and uncritical 'carbohydrate loads' in the days before. It has been shown that these diets are not as effective as was believed and that can cause gastrointestinal problems to many runners and runners.
Start race day with your regular breakfast (not a breakfast with “extras” for the race) and do not leave your stomach empty until 90 minutes before to start running. Bring something to eat and drink until there are 90 minutes left before departure and this way you will avoid feeling hungry or feeling 'empty' or 'lacking strength'.
On race day don't improvise with the alimentation, hydration or rhythm
6. Eat and drink what you have trained. One of the most important tips I can give you for your first marathon is to
the day of the race you don't have to improvise with thelimentation and hydration. Repeat the supplies you have rehearsed in training; stick to what you know has worked well for you in training and don't make last minute changes. The marathon is a race that is very tiring and pushes you to the limit, so you cannot allow yourself "experiments" that you do not know how they will affect your performance.
Something that I consider important to note is that many marathons have a sports hydration/nutrition brand as a sponsor or collaborator and they offer their products at the aid stations. Find out what that company is and try if those products work well for you, if you intend to use them in the race. Otherwise, continue with your personal supplies and do not eat or drink more or less than what you have planned, trained and assimilated.
It is quite common to want to eat more than necessary hoping to perform better or, on the contrary, not reach the recommended intake due to the nerves and anxiety generated by the marathon. Eat when you are not hungry and drink before thirst appears It is the key to not having energy and/or hydration problems.
The marathon begins when crossing the starting arch, not at Km30
7. It is ESSENTIAL to follow the planned and trained rhythms and/or heart rate. You are facing a race of several hours, so you have to think that the sensations you have at kilometer 5 may be very different from those at kilometer 25. Try to be very rigorous in monitoring your rhythms and/or heart rate. planned and trained for the race; Do not get carried away by the pace of other runners because the race is very long and you will lose control (relative) of fatigue.
Among the tips for your first marathon, I also consider it important to tell you that you have the very cold head in the first kilometers of the race to avoid sudden changes in pace that usually occur in the first 3-4 kilometers. Those sudden changes of pace can wear you down more than you imagine and take their toll on you in the end. Focus on running at the pace you have planned from the start and don't mind being passed by other participants on the right or left; you have to do your race from start to finish.
It is a very common mistake in the first kilometers to run at a faster pace than expected, either due to nervousness, the excitement of the marathon, or the effect of the tapering, etc. These excesses, once the race is advanced, can cause a situation of excessive exhaustion with many kilometers to go. This state is not reversible and there is no other alternative than to lower the intensity and not lose focus on arrival.
The marathon does not start at Km30, as they say; What you do from Km1 already conditions everything that will happen later. The marathon begins when you pass through the starting arch: keep this idea as one of the main tips for your first marathon.
8. Don't improvise or try anything new. Don't experience race day! This is one of the most important pieces of advice for your first marathon that I can give you and you will surely have heard it from all the trainers or coaches in the world.
the day of the race You should NOT wear brand new sneakers, socks, pants, t-shirt... Of course, You should NOT try new isotonic and/or energy drinks; Don't try any radical diets in the last few days (even if so-and-so or so-and-so did wonderfully in a previous marathon).
Another piece of advice for your first marathon that I consider necessary to highlight is the importance of not doing training with new teammates the week before the race (I have seen this many times in my years as a trainer). Absolutely everything must be tested at least 15 days before.
Tips for your first marathon, practical aspects of great importance
9. Pay attention to the small (big) details. Among the tips for your first marathon I also find it interesting to point out practical aspects which may seem of little importance but they have a lot of importance in a 42 kilometer race.
To begin with, pay attention to your feet and take care of them during the week before the race. As a first measure, I would tell you that the days before the race, wear comfortable shoes to avoid chafing or blisters that could bother you on the day of the marathon. If you have to cut the nails, let it be four or five days before the race (never the day before). And he also thinks about the scratches; If you are prone to it, you can use Vaseline but only on the specific areas of the foot where friction is generated (do not abuse Vaseline on your feet or other parts of the body because it is not absorbed and can cause increased sweating).
More tips for your first marathon: anticipates any inclement weather, prepare everything in time the day before and don't leave things for the last minute (such as placing your number, preparing your supplies or preparing the clothes you are going to run in), go ahead and get your number (if it is the same day as the race), avoid stressful situations and use Vaseline sparingly for critical chafing points (armpits, groin...).
Lastly, Don't worry if you can't sleep the night before (it is very common and does not only happen to beginner runners), since the important rest is a night's sleep 48 hours before.
10. Ask your "supporters" to wait for you after Km32. Up to Km25 the marathon is “easy”. From Km25 to Km32 you will face the hardest part on a physical level. From Km32 onwards the countdown and the psychological marathon begin. If you have supporters individuals (family, friends, club mates...), ask them to be within the last 9-10 kilometers to give you the necessary moral support. The applause and encouragement from familiar faces along with the visualization of reaching the finish line will push you to success, for sure.
I hope these 10 tips for your first marathon are useful to you.
Health and kilometers!!!!
Text to 42K of :
Marcos Greus
Trainer and physical trainer.
Bachelor of Science in Physical Activity and Sports specializing in endurance sports. National triathlon, cycling and swimming coach, as well as long distance specialist coach.
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