One of the biggest mistakes new runners (and even experienced marathon runners) make is to set out too quickly when running a marathon. This is a big mistake and could even mean you don’t finish your race
Running a Marathon – Don’t make this common mistake
As the race starts you can easily become caught up in the euphoria of the event. Resist the urge to run at other peoples’ pace. Run your own race. You (should!) have a race plan. Stick to it.
You are clearly full of energy and the early miles of the race will feel too easy and you will want to run at a pace higher than you have planned. Don’t fall in to this trap as you WILL pay for it later in the race. Conserve your energy now and you’ll be able to run the latter stages of the race with a smile on your face.
The first 3 to 5 miles may end up being slower than your planned pace due to the many other runners in the race slowing you down. For many popular races there are thousands of other runners all vying for position on the road. Do not be tempted to try and run through them as weaving in and out uses lots of unnecessary energy and doesn’t move you up the field enough to warrant the extra drain on your reserves. In addition, there is a good chance you may bump in to other competitors and you may even suffer an injury.
The right thing to do is relax, take in the atmosphere and run at the pace the race allows until the runners thin out and you can gradually pick up your pace.
Once you are in space enough to run your own race don’t try and make up the “lost time” over the next mile. Gradually increase your pace and get back on track over the next several miles.
Don’t forget this is a marathon not a sprint. Gradually building your speed will help to ensure you don’t hit the wall but cross the finish line with a strong finish.
There's a Lot More Where That Came From… |
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This article is a condensed snippet taken from Nick Mitchell’s information-packed manual How to Run a Marathon. Your essential manual to enable you to run a successful marathon includes training schedules, advice on everything you can think of and lots you probably haven’t even thought of! You need this manual if you want to cross the marathon finish line with energy to spare, in a personal best finishing time and with a big smile on your face. More details here: VirtualHealthClub.com/marathon |
