I’m not a doctor… I don’t even play one on TV. I’m also not a professional athlete. That’s right, I just do this for fun. I’m an ordinary runner that has run a few marathons and some ultras. That does NOT make me the end all as to what to expect on race day, but I’m going to share “What to Expect on Marathon Day” based on my personal experiences and in conversations with those more talented than me.
This post is a shout out to Bonnie of bonnielangfitness.com as she gets ready to run her very first marathon. She pinged me for some tips and I thought it would be a great idea for a post.
Go get ’em B!
I just ate 20 miles (32 km) for breakfast! Not everything was awesome about it, but it was faster than 2 weeks… http://t.co/HWnqoASvIJ
— Bonnie Lang (@bonnielang) May 27, 2013
The night before
Take care of yourself and try to relax. You’ll walk around at the expo, but do your best to limit time spent on your feet. Keep your dinner simple and familiar. Things you know your body can digest normally. Bathroom issues can ruin race day.
Lay out what you’ll need the day before. Making sure you have everything you need in one place for race morning can help you feel more “prepared.” It’s one less thing you’ll have to worry about on race day.
Don’t be surprised if your excitement or anxiousness keeps you awake the night before, but get to bed early (even if it is just lying in bed) and get those feet off the ground. Sleep is good the night before, but the sleep 2-3 days before the marathon will fuel you, so don’t stress if the night before is restless.
Race morning
Breakfast should be familiar. You hopefully have perfected your morning routine from your long runs in training. Stick to familiar foods, “nothing new” is a good plan for race day.
You’ll have all your gear and supplies set up from the night before, so it’s just routine.
Miles 1-3
These are some of the most exciting miles. You are surrounded by fellow runners and everyone is ready to go and full of energy. Race goals and dreams are plentiful.
DO NOT get swept up in the excitement and go out to fast. Soak in the energy and use it as fuel, but keep the first miles comfortable and easy. You’re going to feel great and ramped up, but start out too fast and you’re in for a long day. If the first few miles are slow and comfortable, you are on the right track.
Miles 4-10
This is where the crowd should start to spread out. You are past the initial waves of runners and any congestion and you should start to settle into your pace. If you are sticking to the plan, you should feel great. Yay, go you!
Miles 11-16
You will have passed the halfway point and your race goal should be right on track, you may even be a little ahead of schedule. That’s okay, but stay focused and stick to the plan. You are going to feel really good and you might start thinking about speeding up and doing better than your initial race goal. That’s good feeling, but hold off on that idea. It’s still WAY too early.
Important Note: This should be the point where you feel your best. This is the distance of most of your training runs, so you’ll feel extremely comfortable and excited. Hold on to that energy. It’s a great feeling and embrace it. But don’t start changing your race plan. You still have over 10 miles to go and these coming up are the tough ones.
Miles 17-19
Here is where you will start to feel the energy take a tiny dip. You have been running for a few hours and how you feel here will help you approach the remaining miles. Some folks around you may be slowing down and feeling the results of starting out too fast. Lucky for you, you’ve stuck to the plan so you are moving forward consistently.
If you feel a little tired, that’s okay. It’s expected and your training has taught you to continue running strong. Trust in your training and keep moving forward.
If you are feeling great, that’s wonderful. BUT it’s still too early to throw the hammer and pick up the pace. Stick to the plan for a few more miles.
Miles 20-22
Everything up to this point has been a warm up (strange, but true). You are within reach of the last 6 miles and how you handled the first 20, determine how you will finish. Weird, but this is the “moment.”
You’ve heard runners talk about “the wall” and you may be experiencing it. It’s pushing past the point of exhaustion and overcoming the urge to stop. These are the wild card miles. You are close to the finish line, but still far enough away from feeling like you are almost done.
Focus on running one mile at a time. Pick out things in front of you as target points. Run to that tree. Ok. Check… Run to the mile marker. Ok. Check. Focus on your form and get through these miles. You may find strength in repeating a mantra or thinking about everyone that has helped you along the way. Think about your next blog post and how AMAZING it is going to be. Think about how EXCITED you’ll be to tweet out your shiny new PR.
Miles 23-25
If you are feeling great, GO. You’ve got 3-4 miles and you can do that in your sleep. Forget the previous miles and focus on running these next miles with what your mind and body will allow. Don’t start sprinting, still too far for that, but you can pick up the pace and start the countdown to the finish line.
If you are feeling exhausted and you are starting to struggle, it’s okay. These are the last of the tough miles… you are so close you can taste it, but you’ve got to keep moving forward. Think about your training and focus on channeling your “easy” runs of 3-5 miles. It’s just like that. You’ve got this. Keep. Moving. Forward.
Ok, this may be from a Half Marathon, but you’ll feel THIS strong!
Mile 26
This is your victory lap. If you were feeling miserable and tired, all is forgotten on the final mile as your legs have new life and your mind can sense the finish line. Chances are this mile may feel “long,” but don’t be surprised if it is faster than your previous few miles. If your legs are feeling wonderful, this is the BEST mile as you know you have run a successful race and can push hard to the finish line. Pick a runner in front of you and focus on trying to catch up to them… maybe even pass them.
.2
This is always funny. The longest .2 you have ever run, but the finish line crowd is all around you, runners and spectators are cheering you in. Soak in all the glory, as you have just finished a marathon. You can now stop running. But don’t do it RIGHT after crossing the finish line. You have to keep moving just a little bit to allow others to finish. Then you can drop to your knees and kiss the floor. (Not really recommended, but understandable.)
Some other things to keep in mind:
Hydration: Stick to what has worked for training. If all you drank was Gatorade, stick to Gatorade. If all you drank was Nuun, stick to Nuun. Not all electrolyte drinks are created equal and your stomach may not tolerate something new. Check the race website and see what the aid stations will provide. Always safe to bring your own or stick to water.
Fuel: Again, stick to what you used in training. As you can see, race day is the land of NOTHING NEW.
Clothes: Can you guess? That’s right, exactly what you used in training. No new shirts, shorts, tops, socks, shoes or anything different. This includes the race shirt they give you at the Expo. DO NOT WEAR THAT SHIRT DURING THE RACE = first sign of a rookie. Everything you wear on race day should have been road tested for at least 15 miles, and that is a fairly low number.
There you have it. Some things to expect on race day. This post was for those looking to run their first marathon, but the list also works for those running their 10th. Funny thing is that not all races are the same. Your first may go wonderful and I hope it does. Mine did not. But I finished and I look back at everything I overcame, physically and mentally and it taught me so much. I’m still learning and like most things, running is a constant evolution. Just when you think you know it all, a race will knock you on your butt… all you can do is learn from it and keep running.
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Feeling inspired to run?
Here is a link with coupon codes to races around the U.S.
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Your first marathon is something you will never forget.
Anything to add to the list?
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I agree with all these tips after just completing my first over the weekend! I followed all of them but sadly my body wasn’t too happy for the majority of the miles. I would have liked a better experience but I’m not done with marathons just yet. I’ll be back for more!
Excellent post. My last marathon was a year ago. My mouth is watering for another…
I once read that your sleep two nights before a race is what matters most! That always eases my mind as I without a doubt have trouble difficulty sleeping the night before. Not sure if itz true or not :)
Great post! I’ll be sure to read it over and over when I’m in MCM mode ;)
I think relaxing and getting in some good zzzzzzzzzzz’s is so important no matter the event you are training for…and just in general :)
Great tips!
Miles 17-19 have definitely been the worst for me, although I don’t remember my legs ever feeling “good” at mile 26… :) Great advice!!
hahah I LOVE THIS!! GO BONNIE!!
haha Thanks, Krysten! Soaking in the info in this post, that’s for sure. :)
Awesome!!! Good luck Bonnie. Put your name on your shirt so people are cheering personally for you. Dedicate miles to people – think of those people during those miles when it is tough to get you through.
Love all those tips! I should do the name on the shirt somewhere and really like the dedication miles idea – heard of that before and it’d be neat to think of others while on the course.
While I am not sure I’ll ever run a full, this is a great post with some really good tips. I think it’s probably ideal to get a sense of what it will really feel like from a pro!
What a great, informative post, PR! Thanks so much for taking the initiative to help me out…what a cool guy (really, I mean that!). :) Love the tips and will be reading and rereading this post leading up to June 23rd!
One thing I haven’t dialed in yet is my fuel…some runs I seem to need more and others I’m fine as long as I keep drinking water along the way…I know it’s different for everyone, but do you know the general timelines for fueling during a marathon? I tend to take fuel at 10km, then again at about 10 miles, maybe 17 again…but how often?
Also (so many questions!), you run with a hydration pack, right? Did you ever try the handheld or waist kind? I think I’d like the backpack and only just tried a makeshift one on my last 20 miles. Just curious.
THANKS again for this info! I really look up to you as a runner who is making amazing strides and gains in his runs and continuing to push himself but who is also approachable and down to earth. Thanks, Brian. :)
This is good advice for anyone, even people who it isn’t the first for. I wrote tips for a first marathon as well and know that no matter what, there’s no way to prep someone for it. I think the roughest point for me was 18-20. It was at that point that I just wanted someone to come and pick me up and take me home and tuck me into bed. After that each mile felt like a race in itself. And yes to the last 1.2 feeling like 12 miles, not 1.2. I kept looking towards the finish area at Disney and wondering if I was ever ever going to get there. I pinned this. These are great tips.
thanks for the list of advice :) keeping this in my favorites so I can recall it when i get close to CIM. I’m still nervous about the though of running more than 13.1 miles, even more so since I haven’t run in almost a month do to my hip :( any advice on how to get over the fear of re-injury in training, after being cleared by a doctor? seeing my PT for the first time tomorrow to see just what I am dealing with.
I’ve done a handful of half marathons, no full ones, but I couldn’t agree more with NOTHING NEW. Before my first half, which was derailed by some GI stress around mile 9 or 10 and the locked-up legs that resulted from stopping, I *didn’t* listen to my suspicions about a trigger food because a veteran runner had told me that it was a good pre-race food. So nothing new, and trust yourself on all old foods!
I’m running my first full this year and getting excited to start the training and testing my legs on longer runs!
This is great and gets me pumped to run my first marathon this Fall!
Great article! I’ve got the bug!!
*Squeee!* Just reading this gets me all excited for MCM … Right now I’m still really scared of the training and can still see myself bonking at mile 14.
YEP! You nailed it!!!!
This was an amazing post! Definitely bookmarking it to read the night before my first marathon – Marine Corps in October. :)
Always interesting but I can tell you I will never be training for a marathon! Love to watch others though! :)
Thinking of signing up for my first so this post is so timely. Thanks for the tips!
I start training for my first marathon-the chicago marathon next week. I’m really nervous and thinking why did i do this? Reading about other people’s runs and what to expect when helps me so much.
I ran my 1st marathon at Disney this year. Started out too fast / was extremely hot for January (didnt train in the heat). So needless to say i finished in 7 hrs +. I wasnt too happy with that time and of course will need to PR that. ;)
Awesome article! Thank you. I have a few races under my belt, but nothing longer than a half – training for my first full marathon now and your tips were exactly what I have been looking for!
Fantastic article! I need to see everything broken down to get from start point to end point, even with my business — running a marathon is a metaphor for launching a company!
I am running my first marathon in October, and you just got me so giddy for race day with this post. I plan on reading this over and over again in the final weeks of marathon preparation. Thanks!
Hi,thank you for sharing this.i hope i can get advise from you sir/guys.Thinking of running my first marathon this march9,2014.i just finished my 21k last jan.19,2014.should i continue my training to 42k or just wait?thank you.
Im running since oct.2012 to date.
Just came across this post on Pinterest and I am so happy I did :) I just signed up for my first full marathon on July 23 and am ready to crush it! Will definitely be coming back to this post as the race approaches :P
This is right on point. I ran my first (and only) full in March of this year. I trained for 6 months and everything mentioned here, I would hold to gospel. Mile 18 and through the end was tough for me as my legs decided that I was done, but since they hurt whether I walked or ran, I kept running. What helped fuel me the most were the little gel packs and all the banana halves that the wonderful spectators would hand out. I had a LOT of banana that day, but the day, the experience, the memory are just the best. I am so proud to have accomplished this.