Your first marathon: 10 ways to make it matter

It is marathon week. The nerves are high and the legs are itching to get on the start line. Having run more than 40 marathons, I am often asked for my top tips for a good first marathon day.

1.Be grateful:

There are so many people who would love to be in your shoes. You are one of the lucky ones. Appreciate the fact that you can be at the start line ready to run.

2. Don’t stress about the clock

Make sure any time goal you set is realistic, and not based on someone else’s time. There is always the next marathon to beat your time. You don’t know how your body is going to feel at 22 miles, so be sensible and realistic.

3. Trust your training:

No two runners have had the same path to the marathon, so you cannot compare race times. We all overcome different obstacles on our marathon journey. There will always be faster runners. The only competition is with yourself.

4. Respect the marathon:

This will be your fastest marathon to date and it may also be your only marathon. Aim to enjoy it. That should be the first priority.

5. Think tall and relaxed:

When you’re feeling tired, practise your Chirunning posture and remember the technique tips you have worked on. Whenever you are tired, focus on what you can do to make your running lighter and more relaxed.

6. Wear your name on your T-shirt:

Hearing random strangers shouting your name along the route is one of the most emotional and uplifting feelings in the marathon. No one will cheer you if you are wearing headphones, though, so pull them out when you need some crowd energy.

7. Start slowly:

It is very easy to get carried away by the atmosphere at the start line. Your first mile will feel very easy and it is tempting to run faster. Slow down. Decide in advance the pace you will run your first mile, and stick to it.

8. Break it down:

Don’t overwhelm yourself with the numbers. Take it one mile at a time. Think only about the mile that you are in. Avoid stressing about what lies ahead.

9. Manage the doubts:

There will probably come a point in the marathon where you will feel you have taken on too much. Accept that this happens to us all, but it is only a temporary dip. Decide what you are going to do when this happens, and stick to your plan.

10. Smile:

If you are feeling tired, stiff, in pain, nervous, anxious or generally overwhelmed along the route just slow down, relax and smile. It’s amazing what a smile can do to trick the body into feeling better. As an added bonus, more people cheer you when you smile; your body will relax, and you might just start to feel better.

Run tall, smile and enjoy my favourite day of the year in Dublin city.

Want to start running? Or want to maintain where you are currently? Sign up for our Get Running courses here www.irishtimes.com/getrunning

Mary Jennings is a running coach. For more marathon training tips, see forgetthegym.ie