It’s almost that wonderful time of the year again… London Marathon time! A day filled with inspiration, incredible stories of determination. And, if like us you’re tuning into the TV coverage from home, a morning spent exclaiming: “I can’t even hold that pace for a 5km!” multiple times while watching the footage of the pros at the front of the race.
Whether you’re running the marathon yourself, or heading into the city to support a loved one. We share some top tips to help you get the most out of marathon day.
London Marathon race day tips for runners
Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need before the race
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: time seems to operate differently on race morning so give yourself plenty of it to avoid any last minute stress! From public transport mishaps to the dreaded race morning loo queues. There are plenty of things that can leave you with a mad rush to get to your start pen. Set off nice and early and give yourself a bit more time than you think you’ll need to get your bags dropped off and get to the start line. That way you can start the race feeling calm and you’ll have the opportunity to soak up the awesome pre-race atmosphere.
Pace yourself
Don’t set off too fast! With all the nerves and excitement buzzing around it can be easy to go too hard at the start without even realising it. 26.2 miles is a long way so you definitely don’t want to be overcooked within the first 5km. Set off at a nice steady pace and focus on settling into your effort. The start can also be really busy so try not to get frustrated if it takes a while to get enough room to be able to properly settle into your planned marathon pace. It’s all part and parcel of being part of such a huge event and spiking your heart rate with frustration won’t do you any favours.
Trust your training
It doesn’t matter how fit or how experienced you are, a marathon is an endurance event that will push your limits so there will come a point where it feels tough and you start to doubt whether you can keep going. Trust your training: know that you can do this. Reflect on all those tough training sessions where you weren’t sure you could keep going, but you did it anyway. Think about those runs where you surprised yourself. Don’t let fatigue and doubt get in your way: open up that mental filing cabinet and have a rummage through all those memories from the training journey to reassure yourself that you’ve got this.
Take energy from the crowds
The crowds at London are electric. You’ll never be short of a cheer or a high five, so make the most of it! Smile, wave and soak up that positive energy – it’s amazing what a boost it will give you.
Don’t forget to fuel and hydrate
Hopefully you’ve been practicing taking on board your fuel of choice (gels, jelly babies, energy bars) during training. Don’t forget to put that fuelling plan into practice on race day – it’s easy to get swept up in all the excitement and realise you’re running on fumes!
Check out our top tips for staying hydrated to learn more about pre-loading with electrolytes so you can start your event properly hydrated.
Enjoy the finish line
Nothing beats that finish line feeling, so make sure you really take it in! Unless you’re aiming for a specific time and you’re cutting it fine, slow down a touch, take a look around and soak up this moment. You’ve earned it.
London Marathon race day tips for spectators
Plan your spectating spots
If you’re heading into London to cheer the marathon runners on, you can expect an incredible atmosphere and jam-packed streets. And while spots like Tower Bridge or The Mall are brilliant if you really want to soak up that race day atmosphere, they can get pretty hectic with the sheer level of people out supporting. This can make it difficult for you to get close enough to the action to support your runner – or indeed for you runner to be able to see and hear you amid all the chaos. Other places on the route such as the Isle of Dogs and the Madchute area are known for being a little bit quieter on the spectator-front so these can be a great place to head towards if you want to make sure your loved one can spot you doing your best cheerleading work. These quieter spots can be pretty lonely for those racing and that’s when the demons can creep in so bring your best positive energy and help to give them a boost when they need it most!
Don’t forget that public transport is also likely to be a bit of a jungle too on London Marathon day so do your best to plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time to get around.
Head over to the official TCS London Marathon website for more details on the course, accessible viewing areas and how you can follow the action via TV coverage and the mobile app.
Cheer for everyone
Get into the spirit of the day and cheer for anyone and everyone out on the course, not just your loved one! You’ll have way more fun and it feels great to put a smile on a strangers face. You never know when someone might be going through a rough patch in the race, and your words of encouragement could be just the lift they need to keep going.
Wear something bright
Make sure the runner you’re there to support can pick you out in the crowd by wearing something nice and bright! They’ve got enough to focus on with the small feat of running 26.2 miles, so they definitely don’t want to have to play a game of ‘Where’s Wally?’ at the same time!
Don’t forget to look after yourself
When you’re on support crew duties, it’s easy to focus on your athlete and forget about yourself. When they finish they’re going to need you in tip top shape to help them navigate their way home on achy legs and an exhausted brain. Wear comfy shoes, don’t forget the sunscreen and keep the snacks coming. Spectating is an endurance sport!
Feeling inspired to lace up those running shoes and get out for an adventure on two hooves? Check out the Stolen Goat Run collection >>