5 Mistakes First Time Marathoners Make as told by an Olympian



I can remember last year watching the NYC Marathon with my sister. No, we weren't actually in NYC, but we were comfortable sitting in my living room watching it in High Def, so it was kind of like we were there, right?...lol

Well, unfortunately we will not be able to watch the race this year because we will be running our own race on Sunday (which I assume will be in much warmer weather than those who will be running in NYC).



In any case we were asked to share these 5 marathon tips from Olympian Meb Keflezighi.
 
1.    Refusing to taper before the race: A race of 18-20 miles takes about four weeks to recover from. Many marathoners try to squeeze in one last long run as the race approaches, and this leaves them unable to properly recover in time for the race and thus unable to perform at their best.

2.    Forgetting to refuel during the race: It’s easy to get distracted on race day and forget to refuel, but by the time you feel the impact it’s too late. Consume a PowerGel around the sixth mile to keep your energy up and replenish electrolytes for hydration and fuel for the rest of the race.

3.    Starting too strong: Many racers think it’s smart to surge faster than their usual pace at the beginning to make up for their slower speed toward the finish. This ends up being a downfall because it causes runners to burn through too much energy early on.

4.    Trying something new the day of the race: There are so many great energy supplements runners can use to fuel up before, during, and after a race, but it’s important to make sure your body is used to running with these supplements. If you plan on using gels and energy drinks, make sure that you use them while you train so that they become a part of your routine.

5.    Indulging after the race: It’s tempting to celebrate your finish by going out with family and friends to indulge in comfort foods. This big meal will likely delay your post-race recovery; definitely treat yourself, but don’t let it get out of hand.

Right after the race, it’s best to refuel with a high quality protein such as the new Power Bar Clean Whey Bar. These bars have 20g of protein and only 2g of sugar. My favorite is the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor.

Of course all these tips seem like a no brainer but you know as well as I do that when you are racing all logic flies out the window!

Do you forget to do any of these?

Don't forget the theme for this Friday 5 is About Me.   See you then Friends!
 

21 comments:

  1. That going out too fast thing? That would be me. Crash and burn. I'm very familiar with it.

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  2. I often lose my appetite immediately following a half - I shudder to think what it would be like after a marathon! And even forcing myself to take in fuel, in a hot half, can be hard.

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  3. Yes, going out too fast was one I did! Used all my energy on the first 15 miles.

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  4. It's so hard to avoid going out too fast, I definitely work on this one!

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  5. The excitement of a race day makes most people dumb in some way or another :)

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  6. These are some great tips. I never see myself running a marathon, but hey you never know right?

    http://slimexpectations.com/2016/11/343/

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  7. I train with lots of different foods and drinks to see how I feel before race day when I use them. I had some Coke before a recent run without any tummy troubles. During a marathon, I couldn't pass up an Oreo someone handed me - it tasted good, but I sure could have used some water to wash it down.

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  8. I haven't done a marathon yet, but I've been guilty of a few of these with shorter races. Going out too strong is definitely one of them! ~Jessica Marie @ Flashfittrainer.com

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  9. I am guilty as charged with indulging post race. I mean come on. Cupcakes!

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  10. I have a terrible habit of going out way too fast. Also, I think a lot of people make the mistake of over training or not tapering. Good points!

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  11. Have fun at WDW! I hope you both eat and drink so many yummy things. I am crossing my fingers for perfect weather at NYCM this weekend!

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  12. Good luck this weekend. For shorter races I always go out too fast, but marathons? I always try to hold back. Great tips!

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  13. I struggled the most in the Baltimore marathon when I went out too fast. It was my 3rd marathon, but it started on a downhill and I couldn't hold back. I definitely learned my lesson when I had to walk alot in the second half of the race!
    Hope you have a great race this weekend!

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  14. I have not run a full marathon but have certainly made a few of these mistakes myself. Good luck this weekend!

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  15. Great tips, and Meb knows what he's talking about! It is hard to hold back at the start of a race, especially since it seems like everyone starts out fast!

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  16. I went out way too fast on my first marathon, I crashed so hard by mile 22.

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  17. I hear from so many people that they don't refuel properly. All the food after is the only reason I would do a marathon I think haha

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  18. I think I'll be good with all these except #5. I'm going with the big celebration!

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  19. I always try to get my girls to start too slow and then pick up pace as they go.

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  20. Have so much fun this weekend! One day, I'll need to do a Disney Race--want to be my guide?

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  21. UGH...yes, there have been times when I have not respected the distance (and failed to fuel often enough). Especially for half marathons...I have done so many of them, I kind of take for granted that 13.1 miles is, indeed, 13.1 miles. I have been working on my fueling strategy this cycle, and I think I'm close to nailing it (#fingerscrossed)

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