Runners jogging in marathon

How To Ace Your Next Marathon

The London Marathon is fast approaching. Whether you’re running this year or thinking about entering in the future, here are our top tips for race day.

Eat Well In The Days Before

On the days leading up to your marathon, choose foods that you know your body digests well. Ideal foods are vegetables and those rich in carbs and protein.

Be Sure To Fuel Up

According to nutritionist Claire Bartholic, it’s best to eat your biggest meal earlier in the day as this allows plenty of time for digestion.

Research has found that marathon runners who consume 60 grams of carbs per hour finish faster and experience less of a slowdown in the final 10km of the race. This is because available blood glucose enables the quick production of energy without depleting glycogen stores.

Check The Weather

We all know how temperamental the British weather can be, especially in the past few weeks. Choose the right gear and bring back ups just in case the weather does change.

Don’t Wear New Shoes On Race Day

If the Paolo Nutini song ‘New Shoes’ was written from the perspective of a runner, it would go something like ‘I put my new shoes on and suddenly… I have blisters.’ There’s nothing worse than starting a race, only to find out there’s not enough arch support or the fit isn’t quite right. If you have bought special shoes for race day, then be sure to break them in beforehand.

Leave Ahead Of Time

Plan for the unexpected! You never know what traffic, parking or public transport might be like on the day. Arriving ahead of time means you’ll be able to make that toilet trip or meet friends feeling stress free.

Don’t Forget To Warm Up

It’s best to stay dynamic as opposed to static stretching before the race. Some runners even use the first mile of the race as a warmup. If you’re an experienced marathon runner you may want to go for a light jog beforehand, nothing too strenuous but something that’ll get the blood pumping.

Pace Yourself

The first few miles set the tone for the race. You don’t want to run out of energy midway through. We all know how the saying goes, slow and steady…

Stay In The Zone

The key tip to acing your marathon is to stay focused. In other words, avoid looking at your watch while you run and keep your ‘why’ in mind. Having a killer motivational playlist also helps.

So, you’re ready. All that’s left to say is good luck!

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