Damian Hall: Why running ‘frenemies’ are the best marathon. running at warmer times 45in the afternoon on spring days could have better prepared me for the higher climes, Why is 76-year-old Jeannie Rice is so fast.
I’ve been a supporter at the London Marathon since the age of 10, cheering on both my parents in the years between then and now. By the time I was 16, I’d told myself that one day it would be me running the famous route from Greenwich to The Mall.
I thought that I had my mid-race half marathons Why is 76-year-old Jeannie Rice is so fast Advertisement - Continue Reading Below I thought that I had my mid-race Whizz Kidz, th London Marathon.
In all honesty, it wasn’t the race that I had planned. My training had gone swimmingly. I’d enjoyed my Saturday morning long runs (dare I say, I’ll even miss them), cross trained What everyones reading recovery more than ever with compression boots, sports massages and plenty of restorative sleep. Everything pointed toward a sub-4 marathon, Celebrities You Didn’t Know Are Marathoners.
I’m not majorly disappointed considering the atmosphere of the day and the support shown from the crowd provided an experience that I’ll treasure forever, regardless of the time on my Garmin. However, upon reflection, I’ve realised that there were a few things I could have done differently on race day and during the few days prior to make the run easier.
If you’re a digital or roadside supporter who’s been inspired to take on the big 26.2 miles yourself, here’s what I want you to know about my first (very hot) marathon experience…
Lesson one: Take it easy the day before
running at warmer times 20,000 steps around the English capital the day before the marathon.
I don’t live in London, so I travelled there Friday evening and picked up my race pack from the London Marathon Running Show on Saturday. By the time I got there and back and spent some time strolling around Borough Market and along Embankment, I had doubled my step goal. On an average day, this buzz on my smartwatch is welcome. A day before a marathon? Not so much.
This meant that even after a two-week taper, my legs didn’t feel as fresh as they could have on race day morning.
Lesson two: Train in all conditions
The British weather threw a curveball in front of many marathon runners on Sunday, with mid-day temperatures hitting 22 degrees.
Thinking back over my training plan, I’ve noticed that it didn’t include any warm runs. I’m an early morning runner, so my runs are usually done in the cold before the sun fully comes up. The Welsh rain was even kind to me during this training block, meaning I did almost all my runs in what I consider perfect running weather (cloudy and cool, but not raining).
Obviously, a sunny run is hard to come by while training from January to April in the UK, but essential rainy day running tips running at warmer times.
Lesson three: Hydrate slowly and steadily
I’m rarely without a water bottle to hand, but made the mistake of leaving the hotel without one on Saturday morning and, swept up in the excitement of collecting my race pack and meeting family and friends in London, I didn’t sip as much as I’d have liked throughout the day. When I guzzled a litre bottle of water on Saturday afternoon, it tasted too good, which I worriedly noted as a sign that I hadn’t quite hydrated enough.
I was also nervous about drinking too much on the morning of the race in case I needed a toilet stop mid-race. In the heat, this meant that I felt thirsty by the time I lined up in my starting pen. Next time, I’ll be drinking plenty and if I have to stop at the toilets mid-run, so be it.
What’s more, armed with eight gels, Best wireless headphones fuelling strategy sorted. But the salt patches on the knees of my leggings during the marathon were a stark reminder that I could have benefited from taking electrolytes on board while on the go as well.
I drink electrolyte water every morning and took more supplements during race week, but when you’re continuously sweating out salt in 20-degree-plus heat, replenishment is needed. I drank water at every aid station but nothing was clenching the thirst, contributing to my heavy legs.
Lesson four: Stick to your planned pace
Admittedly, I’m a very ‘go with the flow’ person and pacing is my pitfall as a runner. I planned to run at 8:45min/mile pace, which I was confident I could sustain after my long training runs. But, loaded with carbs and hyped by the crowd, I made the rookie error of going out slightly faster than my planned pace, knocking 20 seconds off the first couple of miles.
Sure, 20 seconds isn’t a huge amount of time, but after crossing Tower Bridge around the halfway point, my legs were feeling it. Honestly, I’ve done this in countless half marathons, too, and am writing it here in the hope that one day I’ll listen to my own advice and learn to take it slow to start.
Post-race, I’ll still enjoy a long run for fun and will hold these lessons tight until I toe a marathon start line again, because it’s true what they say: it’ll be one of the hardest things you do, but you’ll want to do it all over again once you have your medal in hand.
