7 Top Tips For Running Your First Marathon 

My goals for my first marathon in July. 1. Don't poo myself 2. Finish

Just remember no matter how much you think you’ve prepared, you will still make mistakes. Embrace it and accept it. I’ve run over 10 and due to collect my 6 star medal in Boston- trust me, im still making mistakes and learning.

I am doing my first marathon in Chicago at age 59 thanks to Tom (and Sarah) posting their run in 2023. Wish me luck.

I attempted my first marathon in January. I started training 28 weeks in advance doing 2 strength sessions every week with a trainer and using a Running Channel training plan. I got a stress fracture about 10 weeks before the marathon, and only got up to 13 miles in my training plan. I decided to still give it a go Jan 7th. I only made it to 30km and then dropped below the pace requirement and was swept off the course. I found out a couple days later I also had covid! All this to say, you can train and plan and it still might not work out. Do your best and be proud of all your training and whatever you accomplish.

I made the mistake of sprinting for the Brandenburger Tor at the end of the Berlin marathon. Definitely a good idea to check the course beforehand.

Tip- major marathons. In the days before, keep walking to an absolute minimum. Unfortunately the major marathons make you pick up your race pack in person and it is always in some massive far away expo centre where they will funnel you into the merch section. Pick up your bib as soon as possible and don’t leave it to the Saturday if you can help it as you will spend too much time on your feet getting tired. Learned the hard way in Berlin.

Would add practice racing. Have done 3 marathons and this is what im adding in for my current plan. Im doing a 10k this weekend, half marathon in may, marathon in October. It helps practice race technique and definitely helps me motivate in training through the year

first marathon is pittsburgh in may and tbqh i just want to be proud of my effort no matter what happens

Ok, on carb loading, it’s important to point out that ‘carb loading’ is not about eating more but rather increasing the proportion of carbs in your diet while still maintaining your calorie necessary intake. Carb loading is not about stuffing your face just for the sake of it. Example- going from say, 50% carb intake to 75-80% but still within your BMR requirements.

Tip 2 is, for me, the most important, hydration, fuelling, electrolytes, salt intake, these have all cost me on marathons before, followed by marathon training plan! The most important goal, especially on your first marathon, should be to finish, great video guys!

Goals for 2nd marathon A - 4:30 B - 4:39 (time of first marathon) C - Don’t walk

Solid set of advice there Sarah & Mo! I'm about to run marathon #16 and pick up my 6⭐medal in Tokyo in 2 weeks time. That's been a 10 year goal in the making! (25,000km and 32+ pairs of shoes) Goals for this year: - sub 3:30 in Tokyo (never run

London for me this year. Also my first. Keep the videos coming all very useful. Maybe include a slower person 😅 so my 11:30 - 12:00 min miles don’t seem as bad.

Signed up for my first ever marathon. Rotterdam on the 14th of April. Terrified and excited! Thanks for the tips, you guys motivated me for my first 5k in 2022 and you still keep doing that everytime!

I just completed my first half marathon on Sunday. I remembered a lot of these tips from previous videos, and they absolutely helped me. The aid station cup tip definitely helped me achieve my B and C goals. Someday I'll achieve my A goal too.

Training for my first Marathon in Hamburg April 28th. A - 4:15, B - 4:30, C - finish

Running the Austin Marathon in 3 days!! Perfect timing!

We Training for Two Oceans in South Africa in April. So excited 😊

This comes in 7 weeks out before my first marathon, couldn't have been a better timing!

This will be my first marathon, Air Force Marathon September 2024. Goals 1. Finish 2. Time 4 hours, anything under is a plus

Running my first tomorrow in NW Arkansas called the Hogeye. Been training since late October and have battled through so many different issues. My latest battle has been significant knee pain that put my training to a halt. It has taken several weeks to slowly build back up after healing and nervous how this will affect the race. I’m very excited about the race, though, and plan to continue running after this first achievement. Thanks for the tips and good luck out there!

I just started training for my first marathon. My "A" goal is to finish under 4 hours, my "B" goal is to finish under 5 hours, and my "C" goal is to just finish.

This video couldn’t have dropped at a better time. I’m running my first marathon this Sunday! The cup trick I’m definitely gonna utilize. Thanks!

Thanks for the tips! Training for my first marathon in Copenhagen! Primary goal: make it to the start line! And then we hope to make it to the finish too :)

You guys are killing it with the content! I have a question for the podcast - I am currently out with a knee injury, nothing serious, but will be resting for at least a week. How quickly do you lose fitness when you completely stop running, and can you jump back in at your usual mileage when the injury has healed if it wasn't a severe or serious injury? ❤

First marathon 21st of April in Enschede, the Netherlands! And second is Berlin, first skating it and then running. Training is strong, looking forward to it. Thanks for the tips.

I've been watching you guys for sometime now and decided to do my first marathon which is in Barcelona on march 10th Thanks for all the advise you give in your channel - it really has helped!!

Started my training for Copenhagen this week having done my first marathon in Valencia back in December. I'd fully agree with all of these tips; really helpful to everyone watching about to run their first one!

I'm currently training for my first marathon, the Antwerp Marathon in October of this year! :)

I think my why is very similiar to Sarah’s. I only started seriously running at the age of 23/24 and only started long distance in 2023. I was never an athlete in school, but I love being able to show myself I can do challenging things like a marathon. It helps in other areas of my life as well like my work goals. I am going to be running the Cape Town marathon in October 😮‍💨

I love watching TRC videos and experiencing the dawning realisation that you're somewhere I've run myself. Burgess Park!

Great tips not just for NEW marathoners

I am running my first marathon January in Houston TX. Just finished an intense year racing my first and second half marathon. Been running for 3 years at 56. Not a fast runner but really getting consistent with even pacing.

First marathon in November in Indy. Can’t wait

Thanks guys!! Though these are oft repeated but remain the golden mantra🤗

This was a great video! Thank you. I’m going to sign up for Chicago Marathon in October! I’m already half marathon ready!

Training for Milton Keynes Marathon (first one). Goals... A. 3.50 B. Sub 4.00 C. Finish Lots of very sound advice. Thanks!

Great timing for this, I’m doing London as my first marathon 😀 x

After 6 months of training have my second and last marathon next Sunday Ventura Marathon. I did all I could and hope for the best.

I'm training for the Norfolk marathon in Cromer at the end of April, have to say I'm loving training (at the moment!)

Great vid guys! I’ll be doing my very first marathon in less than 24 hours!!! I’ve a target time but, as you guys said, i just want to finish with (still) a smile on my face. 😊

Thanks for the useful tips! Busy with the last weeks of my training plan for my first marathon. I’ve chosen Rome (17 Mar). Seems cool to finish my first marathon right next to the colosseum 😅

Hi Mo, Sarah. So really great ideas and tips here. I'm going to watch this again to make my prep more varied this time. Done a few marathons and an ultra but the best experiences have been when time was secondary so good to hear Sarah in particular talking about her goal of 'having the best day ever' :-) My next marathon / ultra is in 5 weeks and so far I've done my 2 10k runs, next up 21k, and 35k runs and i will be ready . Good luck everyone as there are always problems :-)

A full marathon is on my bucket list so these tips are very appreciated!

Thanks for the tips Sarah and friend👍

Goals for Loch Ness in September: 1) Do better than Brighton when I messed it up. 2) Try and enjoy it. There's a reason why I've picked a, supposedly, picturesque one

Brighton in just over seven weeks. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Less worried about the running than about all the faff before and after. A.4:20 B: 4:30 C: finish.

Currently training for the Oklahoma City Marathon on April 28. It's my second marathon. Been sick and had a hard time on the training block but hopefully still enough time to get it all in. :)

I’m 7 weeks into my first marathon training block. The road to Manchester marathon is a long one but I can’t wait for the race day feels 🎉

I'm 8 weeks away from my first marathon, so this video was super helpful. I'm terrified but also excited!

I haven't ran a Full Marathon yet.. These tips will keep me in line !!

Have recently my first marathon in Sydney, Australia for September! A: 5 hours B: No walking C: Finish it!

Got my first trail marathon coming up in April. Just trying to crush as many miles as I can leading up. The Strava app has been a good motivator. Also set two sub goals of 1 mile in 7 minutes and 3 miles in 27 minutes to work on short term pacing as well. Good luck all!!

I am in week 3 of an 18 week training programme for the Cork marathon on the 2nd of June. This will be my 2nd marathon, having done the Dublin marathon in October. Have learned a lot from my experience in Dublin and all the fantastic tips and encouragement from The running channel. Dublin was 4:06:43. I hope to break 4 in Cork. I made a hugh mistake in Dublin that I have never, ever made on any run. Being my first marathon I got so caught up in all the excitement and with meeting two of my cousins beforehand who were also running, I forgot to warm up and stretch. (BEFORE A MARATHON) I paid for that in the last 8km when my legs just switched off. If it wasn't for all the tips on mental strength and pushing yourself through from the running channel I would have stopped. Thank you. Always look forward to your amazing videos

These are rock solid marathon tips, thank you for breaking down the process of getting ready for a marathon. I would add to those the importance of training to current ability, not to goal pace. At the beginning of my last marathon block, I was in shape for about 8:30 m/m (5:17 min/km) as my marathon pace. Finish time would be about 3:43 with that initial fitness. So my first MP sessions were around that, 8:20-8:30, just a smidge faster. As I progressed through the 18 week plan, I got fitter and MP got faster, 8:10-15. Midway through the plan in week 10, I managed to run a half in 1:45:47, 8:05 m/m (5:01 min/km) at marathon intensity, i.e. I wasn't racing it as a half marathon but stuck to the target power and HR zone. By the end of the plan, I reached my goal of running a sub-3:30 marathon, 3:29:36, bang on 8 m/m pace or 4:58 min/km. If you train at goal marathon pace from the beginning, you are training too hard and you don't develop the energy systems you need for sustaining marathon pace for the duration of the race. In the same vein, my threshold pace improved from about 7:50 m/m to 7:30 m/m over the course of the plan. My threshold sessions were initially at 7:45-50 and got faster with time. So my tip #8 would be to be realistic about your current abilities and to execute your training session to purpose. If I had tried to run my MP runs at goal pace of 8 m/m from week 1, I would have run close to my threshold, therefore not targeting what I needed to train in that session. I made that mistake in earlier sub 3:30 attempts and they all failed. This spring, my target is Leipzig Marathon on 21st April. My A goal is running a 3:25, B goal is repeating last year with a sub-3:30 and C goal is sub 3:40, a BQ for me. I couldn't train my normal 18 weeks block due to illness, so my A goal is just a slight improvement from last year because of the lack of training. Going sub 3:25 will be challenging.

I’m in week 13 of training for the Myrtle Beach Marathon the 2nd of March in South Carolina. After starting running in January of 2022 I attempted my first marathon in 2023 with very little training, hit the wall at mile 14, finishing in 5 hours 12 minutes. Hopefully will do better this time around.

Great tips and good timing I have my first marathon in 6 months.

A few weeks ago i signed up for a half marathon in the Swiss alps, its gonna be epic im such a noob but Im hyped to rock it 😂

Great advice guys, it’s my first ever marathon at London. I didn’t actually enter the marathon as I won a ballot place

Just to finish! It will be my 28th marathon. I just turned 47 and it’s all about my health and happiness!!!

Those comments were very helpful!

Running Brighton in a couple of months so this is ideal!

Love this dynamic video ❤ the jet leg mention immediately made me think of Sarah's Japan marathon 😂

I have done the last 4 Birmingham Half Marathons and the last 3 Solihull Half Marathons. I am doing my first marathon in April which is the London Marathon. I am on week 9 of your training plan. It was my 50th birthday a few weeks ago.

Great video guys 👌🏾, My goals this year is sub3 marathon at end of the year (October/November)... currently at 3:30PR - going for 3:20 PR next week (25 February).

Love the content. Find it hard to focus when you’re talking while running and the background is moving up and down. I get the point this is about running!

Running my first marathon in 2 weeks and 5 days in Stockholm. I've been feeling very excited till yesterday, now the nerves are setting in. What did i sign up for?! 😬 😂 Is my 16 week plan enough! 🤔 Your videos have definitely helped and motivated me since I started running two years ago. Thanks!

Tip- major marathons. Research before you leave home the travel route- airport, subways etc and how you will get to your hotel. Familiarise yourself with the route or you will spend time standing around scratching your head in the airport trying to figure it out. Wasting valuable energy and stress. Even worse if it is a non English speaking country. Oh, and make sure phone works abroad and you have roaming data. Learned this hard way in Chicago. I couldn’t use my phone to get to the hotel as I didn’t have US roaming and I was wandering around lost- cost me a good hour of stress and wasted energy walking around.

Got 8 weeks till my first marathon in Manchester! Videos like this are really helping settle the nerves!

I am currently training for my first half marathon in Bergen in April. Then I have signed up for my first marathon in Oslo in September 😬

I have a half marathon in a few weeks that I'm not worried about, but I signed up for Westenergie Marathon in Essen, Germany which is on October 13th 2024! My longest run so far has been 33 km in 3h 13m so I guess my primary goal for the marathon is like 4:30, secondary 4:40, and tertiary is just to finish, hah.

Running Napa on March 3rd! Going for sub 4 hours… I’ve held myself accountable by filming my journey!

Oooo Sarah i'm also doing London :) This will be my first ever marathon eek!

Hello bridge to nowhere 😊 how auspicious that you've made this video here as its where I'm doing the Southwark Slam Marathon in Burgess park in September, I'm already nervous 😂.

I'm currently training for my first marathon. The Hawkes Bay marathon in NZ

I think you are right Sarah, London doesnt feel like the place to get a pb but to have a good time (I did it a few years ago and there's loads to see and hear)

"Taken on over 100 marathons" James with 80% of those: sips his morning coffee ❤

My goals are to just finish sub 4 and avoid walking at any point. I don't follow plans for marathons but I do for ultra's. I've got two booked this year...first in Paris then Moray back home in Scotland. Using them as training runs. I'll be waiting till next year before I follow a sub 3:30 plan (to try beat my dads time 3:28) and then continuing the chase for Boston qualifying time.

10 weeks till my first marathon, great timing

Great video guys 👍🏼Will the green Running Channel tops be available to buy?

Doing my first marathon either here in Barbados in December or in Miami in January. A timely video 😁

I'm training for the Generali Genève Marathon in May. I'm 51 years old and it will be my first marathon. My goals are: a) to finish the race in 3h45 or less; b) to finish the race under 4h; c) to finish the race.

I'm training for the Wellington Marathon as my first full..... aiming for completion, but under 4hrs would be great!

1st Marathon- London 🥳 If all goes well Cape Town next year 😎

Know your route. You are 100% correct. Thought I knew the Sydney Marathon route, only to discover how steep the rise from the landmark " Mrs Macquarie's Chair" is. Kms 40 and 41, that I have walked 100 times are a different beast when running. Get to intimately know the route.

Thanks

I might see you in London. It’s my first this year. Goal A: to finish in 3:30, goal B: To finish in 4:00 goal C: To finish because it will automatically be a PB.

I'm doing my first marathon in Brighton I did my first half last Sunday now I'm doing my first marathon in 5 weeks :')

I'm doing the Cork marathon at the start of June! Currently on week 3 of training

Melbourne marathon this year in October! Perhaps the running Channel will make it out to Aus one day ;)

I believe the biggest tip to keep in mind is that you are racing your mind just as much as you are racing the distance. Everyone is hurting and struggling in a marathon, just like you are, but if you don’t have the mental discipline to keep moving then you will find yourself in a bad place and it will demoralize you. One marathon I ran was in the Spring after taking 4 months off all Winter, and I only trained a total of 50km before the race, and still managed to run my fastest marathon at the time. A lot of your success will come from your mind.

Preparing for the July 2024 Gold Coast Marathon in Queensland, Australia!

I'm 3 weeks away from my 3rd half marathon then 4 months later in September I'll be tackling my first marathon in my home town Sydney, Australia 😬

First marathon in a month in Ghent! :)

Training for my first road marathon having previously done 7 trail marathons. I’ll be running with my son, it’s his very first marathon.

I am training for Chester marathon in October. I have ran a handful of marathons and a couple of ultras before, but I have never followed a training plan. Hopefully using runna will see some good improvements.

First marathon is Manchester on april the 14th and after watching andys marathon in valencia and im dreading it 🙈

As a one and done (as Mo calls me) back of the pack runner, it's OK not to like marathons. The training is long and grueling, and running in the heat (I'm in the tropics) for 5 hours is not for everybody. I prefer half marathons nowadays. That said, mad respect for those who run them. Especially Sifan Hasan, she's insane.

Im am training to the Bataan Death march marathon for next year. This is my first one and i am just hoping to finish within 4 hrs.

RIght now preparing for Thessaloniki marathon in 21 April will be my first. But I am not really sure if I doit right. Good thing is that I see my body evolve and being better and better in time My goals: I got my A B C times feel relaxed and enjoy it and have a time to remember