Robert is an experienced marathoner who failed in four attempts at breaking 3:00:00 over 9 months - here are his lessons learned which led to multiple successes in 2019.
This could be you!
1 - Nothing New on Race Day
Everything should be locked and loaded and ready to go. You've done all the training. You darn well better have worn the exact outfit you are going to wear on race day.
Your shorts with the pockets that fit 4 gels. Your shirt, or tank top, that you know won't chafe no matter how sweaty you are. Your socks that won't blister while wearing those shoes. That hydration belt with the bottles that click when they're back in all the way. The gels that don't upset your stomach.
What was your best long run, or your best run at marathon pace? What eat that morning for breakfast? Hell, what did you eat for dinner the night before?
On race day, only a precious few things are under your control… take advantage of what you can.
1.2 - NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY!
This absolutely cannot be overstated.
Murphy's Law says that those shorts will chafe your thighs (or worse), your shirt will have twin blood stains, your feet will be torn and your stomach will be a brick if you mess with any of these things and decide to throw something else in the mix because it sounded good at the time.
There is a big exception to this rule, though, which is relatively recent thanks to the Nike Vaporfly. It is perfectly acceptable (given the $1/mile expected maximum) to have only run a tiny bit in them before your race.
2.2 - Bring throwaway clothes
Goodwill is a great option for securing a cheap jacket and sweatpants to wear to the start of your race. Ideal marathon temperatures are, from my perspective, COLD. My ideal clothing choice will always be shorts and a tank top… so when it is 40 degrees and you're standing around, you want some extra layers. (Shivering will burn those precious calories you need for your race!) Make sure the layers are big enough to easily slide off while you're on the run!
Another pointer - especially in a point-to-point race where you'll be carrying stuff onto a bus - is to get yourself a cheap bathrobe. It has pockets. It is kinda warm. It gets muddy so you don't have to if you're sitting around waiting for the race to start.
And next level on a point-to-point race: throwaway shoes. If you're wearing racing shoes (like those Vaporflys) you can carry them with you and wear some shoes at their End-of-Life to donate at the starting line.
3.2 - Eat all you can before the race
This is not the carb-loading tip, though I agree you should definitely be eating a shit-ton of carbs in the 3 days leading up to your marathon. Like, 600g of carbs minimum.
This is the "wake up 3-4 hours before your race so you can eat a bunch and digest it" tip. I tend to have a large bagel with peanut butter, a glass of orange juice, and if its early enough, also some oatmeal. I have a big meal in mind, and subtract from it the closer I am to race start when I'm finally moving around.
4.2 - Drink plenty of water 2-3 days before the race
Lance and I were talking about how magazine articles talk about how you might lose 2 pounds of sweat every hour you run… and wondered who the hell sweats so little? In the summer heat, I lose a pound every single mile - which is devastating for a summer marathon. Get all that liquid in until about 5p the night before your race. Because you should not be drinking a ton on race morning…
5.2 - Don't drink a lot 2-3 hours before the race
If you're behind on hydration at this point, overdoing it now is only going to make things worse and lead to a lot of bathroom breaks. No one wants that. Drink "normally" up until an hour before the race - at that point, I will only have a sip to take something like acetaminophen or a caffeine pill.
An important note on coffee: I'm someone who likes to have 3-4 cups every morning. That's a bad choice on race day, but having a cup to get the engines firing is important, too. If you have access to it, opt for espresso to get a more concentrated dose with less liquid sloshing around.
6.2 - Nutrition is mandatory - early and often
This is obviously true at maximum effort. There's studies out there that demonstrate when you will run out of stored fuel and for many people this would come at "the wall", somewhere between 18-20 miles. If you don't start taking in calories early it will be too late.
I use Hammer Gels almost exclusively, but typically will take and use whatever is offered on the course in gel form. (Even blocks if it comes to that.) I start by mile 4 or 5, and then every 4 or 5 miles after that. Typically after mile 20 I'll take one early, around mile 23.
7.2 - Hydration is mandatory
I've seen plenty of people in races like the River Bank Run who skip aid stations entirely, and then I see people who carry water and stop for more in 5Ks. To each their own, I suppose, but the fact is that if you feel thirsty while running its already too late. I will carry a bottle, wear a hydration belt, or make it a point to grab a cup at every aid station during a race.
Overlapping a drink with calories (like Gatorade) with an energy gel is a bad choice, though. I will only sip water within the 10 minutes of eating, so that I don't have sugar on top of sugar in my gut.
8.2 - Body Glide is mandatory
And maybe some band-aids, for that matter.
I have chafed pretty much everywhere over the course of the past 10 years. I use Body Glide on the soles of my feet, between some toes, and under my shorts in several places. If you have ever chafed there in a run, protect yourself during your marathon. It may not be a deal-breaker during the race, but you'll absolutely be happier with your post-race shower if you take the precaution.
9.2 - You'll get salty
Electrolytes were the last major lesson I had to learn about marathon running, and I think I've finally found what works for me.
I didn't know how important it was until I ran the marathon portion of a relay team at Michigan Titanium (I think this was my third marathon ever?) on a hot, sunny August afternoon. I cramped hard at mile 18, lost over 15 pounds of sweat, and it was too late to do anything about it.
Even at my last race in Indianapolis, where it barely got above 30 degrees, I had a salt crust on my face and legs at the finish… but I didn't cramp there. I'm doing three things to combat my overactive glands;
First, I take Gu Roctane or Hammer Endurolytes capsules to swallow before and during the race. Second, I bring 8-10 Salt Stick Chews with me during the run to serve as the "quick release" vs. absorbing the capsules' contents in digestion. Last, one of my two small bottles I carry is filled with pickle juice.
Warm, sloshy, briny pickle juice. It sounds really unpleasant, I know. But when you're sweaty and rubbing salt off your forehead so it won't get into your eyes, it is wonderful.
10.2 - Start out easy - don't warmup!
I used to do almost a mile, or more, as part of my pre-marathon routine. I'd do about a third of a mile, then a minute near marathon pace - then a few minutes later, I'd do another set with a minute faster than race pace.
While I think its helpful to get some light jogging in I don't typically even start my watch anymore.
Part of this is learned behavior - too many races starting in the pouring rain where I didn't want to get soaked - but my performance didn't suffer and I decided I didn't need to wear myself out anymore.
The first 1-2 miles of your marathon should not be faster than your overall goal pace. Even at Boston, where you launch downhill out of a cannon with Tom Petty blaring. Not doing a full warmup helps keep things in check, I think, in those crucial early miles where you should be easing in to your race pace.
11.2 - Be smart on the hills
After you're in the thick of it, though, you should definitely plan to run hills by effort and not try to maintain a constant pace. That means if you're running up a steep hill, you should have allowed for a slightly slower mile split and don't overexert trying to charge it.
By the same token you should definitely not try to slow yourself down when you're descending a hill, either. It's counterproductive to put the extra strain on your quads (by not letting loose), and you're not taking advantage of free speed for a reduced heart rate cost.
12.2 - Run in the pack
Eliud Kipchoge has pacers to keep him on the mark, but they're also there to help break wind resistance. One of the windiest races I remember was the Kent City Ridge Run -three of us created our own peloton pace line and took turns swapping in to the front. I remember watching everyone else finishing after us, feeling crushed because they went it alone.
Look at the Boston Marathon in 2018: the year Des Linden won there were 25+ mph headwinds. The women's race starts quite a bit earlier than the men's race - so they're all alone out there. The advantage the pack makes was demonstrated clearly when several Wave 1 women placed "in the money" out of nowhere, running faster chip times than the Elite Women could. (Note, I am not on Boston's side about this issue, where "any man" in Wave 1 can win and the women are excluded .. but I do think it is mechanically not the same race. They should try to solve that problem.)
13.2 - Little things become big things if you let them
There's a certain amount of bargaining with yourself that goes on during the marathon. As the saying (around these parts, anyway) goes: "Would you poop your pants for your BQ?" I don't think I would, but I've seen someone who has. The point is, when you're running a great race you don't want to stop… but the question you should ask yourself is "What is the worst thing that could happen?"
Personally, I would only stop if the "worst thing" is something that would impact the current race I'm running. If your shoelaces come untied - you could step out of your shoe, or stumble and take a hard fall.
14.2 - Treat each mile as its own event
I train with heart rate on my watch and will use it to pace most runs - and I'm always eyeballing how much longer I've got left during a long run. I think these things are actively unhelpful during a marathon. You're there and you've done the training. It's time to take your best shot.
With that in mind, the data I show myself during the marathon does not have an overall time - I have current lap (mile) pace and last lap pace. You know what you're trying to run in each mile, so just do your best to run that mile. Then do it again. And again, another 24 times.
15.2 - Take the beer. Or the pickle juice. Or the milkshake. Or whatever.
As the marathon drags on, that "nothing new on race day" rule feels like it goes out the window. Between miles 15-22 I'm game for pretty much whatever is offered.
Ok - Dairy on a hot day may not be a great choice, I suppose. And I'm not a fan of dry stuff (like pretzels) even if its salty… I need to keep all my precious moisture. But I promise you that taking a hit from a can of Miller Lite isn't going to cause you any problems other than making your hands sticky when it sloshes on you.
16.2 - Remember your B goal.
Marathons are a big deal, whether its your first or twenty-first or hundred-and-first.
You should have some perception of what you really want to achieve, if everything goes your way … but you should respect the fact that so much of the race can be outside of your control, and have an attainable goal for when it starts raining sideways or hits 90 degrees.
This is part of that bargaining process: anything that could cause you damage should trigger that B goal for you.
17.2 - And your C goal.
For me, the "C" goal is still usually pretty lofty; for most people, I think it is "just finish the race". And for those who just want to finish as their "B" goal, this ambition may simply be "live through it".
And that's ok. It's a sliding scale, and you can have a "D" goal too if you want. I'm pretty sure I've got 5 goals for my next marathon…
18.2 - ...And don’t shoot past your A goal.
This is the last "respect the distance" line you'll hear. Yes, you might feel really good. Like, really REALLY good.
But you trained for a specific pace to hit a certain finishing time, right?
I support "secret" goals, for sure. What stinks is going out too fast and blowing all that training with a crash-and-burn when you could've actually hit your real "A" goal.
So don't get ahead of yourself. Mile 20 is where the conversation should start - a big part of running your best marathon is getting to mile 20 feeling good.
19.2 - Keep some songs in your head.
If you're bringing music with you, this tip doesn't fully apply to you. Either way, uptempo and high BPM are what you want to lock in your brain. During my first Boston Qualifier I mentally oscillated between two songs: Shake It Off by Taylor Swift and All Nightmare Long by Metallica. The former had a consistent and steady cadence that I could use to maintain a solid pace; the latter has unrelenting drums and blistering rhythm guitars to push you when things start to lag.
20.2 - Nothing matters as much as finishing
If you can keep moving forward, you should.
I have been fortunate enough to never DNF a marathon. I've cramped so badly that I needed to move deliberately with each step… for 6 miles. I've run dehydrated at the onset of the flu. I've ripped holes in my ankles that stained my socks and shoes with blood. I've faced 30 mph headwinds and freezing rain, risking hypothermia.
And I don't regret crossing the finish line in any of those races.
If you need to, tell yourself you're never running again … but not until after you get through these next 6 miles.
21.2 - Trust your training, and your taper!
The marathon training plan that I, and most of my friends, rely upon leverages cumulative fatigue in building the endurance you need for a great marathon. The Hansons plan only asks for a 16-mile long run, but they expect you're so tired from the weeks of pounding that this will prepare you for the last 16 miles of your marathon.
The first time I fully completed my Hansons training cycle and nailed every workout, I felt like crap at the race by mile 18. I was astonished at mile 20 when I felt a second wind instead of smashing headlong into The Wall.
I don't underestimate the rapid recovery of the taper anymore. And neither should you… even if you don't feel incredible at the Start line, or any other time during the race.
22.2 - Ok, now start looking at your watch
Around mile 22, you're finally getting to the home stretch. This is the point where I'll start flipping my watch display down to see the overall race time and begin doing math.
Depending on how tired you are, arithmetic could take a while! This is the final stage of self-bargaining, too, where you can start telling yourself "I could slow down and just run 7:03 per mile and still reach my goal".
What you want to avoid is getting this close to the end and not knowing how close (or far) you really are to achieving that goal. I was powerless to do anything about it at the end, but missing out on sub-3:00:00 in Marquette 2017 by less than 2 seconds per mile was pretty upsetting.
23.2 - And let it rip! If you really want to.
When you've got 5k to go, you're pretty much past the point where anything random is going to derail your race. You are where you are and you know what you've got left.
Honestly, though… once you're already 20 miles into a marathon, the most you could realistically move the needle without blowing up is probably 1-2 minutes total (by speeding up); conversely, if you blow up you could cost yourself 10 minutes or more.
I've rarely sped up for more than the last mile or two of a marathon, preferring to trust my overall pacing plan to get me where I want... but again, I might have had a shot in MQT if I knew how close I'd been.
24.2 - Remember why you came
Maybe you're trying to qualify for Boston. Maybe you want to run your personal best. Maybe this is just one of a dozen marathons you're trying to run this year. Or maybe you're just here to hang out and have fun.
Remember why you're here and make sure you've embraced that goal. And don't worry, you can always find the fun during a marathon; just slow down, the fun people were back behind you this whole time.
25.2 - Take it all in
Take off the headphones. Push up your sunglasses. You're in the home stretch and your fans are out there cheering for you. Your mom might be over there calling your name. Make sure you're listening for it.
Even if you don't know anyone in the crowd, they're there for you as you go by. Get your arms in the air and get excited about that Finish Line ahead of you!
26.2 - Rest, Recover, Refuel, Rehydrate
And now that you've crossed it - whether you crushed every goal or barely made it to the end - its time to stop thinking about running for awhile.
Eat anything and everything in sight. You probably won't want to, but you should anyway. Calories are crucial, and there's nothing I have seen at a post-race party I wouldn't eat. Burritos, sandwiches, pizza, cookies, chips, ice cream, bananas, watermelon … just make sure you've had some solid food before you start in on the beer.
There's no shame if you need a nap after the race, but I recommend forging ahead to an early-ish bedtime the night of the race. If you're feeling up to it, consider a spin on the bike after the marathon … but you should expect that running won't feel great for a few days, while some say you should take over a week off.
If you have any comments after your race (or rebuttals), feel free to let me know! This is all what works for me, and I'll admit that it may not work for everyone.
Good luck on your best-ever marathon!
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