5 things you didn’t know about running a marathon

We’ve put together 5 things you didn’t know about running a marathon with the help of those of you who have gone the distance and got the T-shirt (plus obligatory bling).

Tears, smiles, hugs and sheer joy, if pictures of the London Marathon are anything to go by, running 26.2 miles is an emotional rollercoaster. Sure, you need to train and be dedicated to run this distance but you may be surprised by what a marathon can teach you in return.

1. Marathon training can become a physical AND emotional commitment

There’s no doubt about it, training for a marathon takes time but can also cause a shift in your priorities. You swap boozy nights out for carb-loading and a protein shake. Sunday mornings become less about catching up on sleep and more about upping the mileage. As marathoner Charlie Watson puts it, “You have to sacrifice to give it everything you have and that can take an emotional toll as well as physical.”

2. Maranoia is normal 

This can take many forms including fears about a sniffle or teeny pain in your left calf (is it a niggle or am I injured?). You may even have unrealistic thoughts about the day itself – such as an alien abducting you at mile 18 so you’ll never get that medal you’ve worked so hard to earn. Just remember, you’re not alone if your mind goes into overdrive in the weeks before the marathon. Becca Jones comments, “Taper madness came as a bit of a surprise and the total maranoia about getting a cold/injuring myself/random thoughts of my legs dropping off in the last few weeks before the race was a bit of a surprise.”

3. The early bird just gets cold (and grumpy) 

This may go against all known advice but you don’t have to arrive two hours before the race starts. In fact, there is nothing worse than having to wait around in the cold. You’ll just make yourself miserable before the race. Sian Havard says: “It’s better to just get there, get into the start pen quite quickly and go! This avoids excess waiting around and worrying or over-thinking.”

4. Give your team specific instructions

If you’re lucky enough to have mates who’ll support you, tell them what you think you’ll need when you see them. This could be anything from beer to a hug. “Get them to shout your surname rather than forename, you’re more likely to hear it over the crowd than you are your first name,” suggests Georgina Spenceley. And try to find out where they are planning to stand so you can be ready to spot them in the crowds.

5. Pain? Ha – I want to do it again.

Those ‘never, ever, ever again’ thoughts that creep into your mind as you slowly plod past the mile 20 marker miraculously vanish when you receive that shiny medal. Similarly, you seem to have forgotten about the piggy-back your boyfriend had to give you to the Tube station the day after the marathon because stairs were your nemesis. You are now signing up for your next 26.2-mile race. It’s true – the marathon malarkey can be slightly addictive but once you’ve got the bug, you’ll want more of the action.