Virgin Marathoner

Ran my first marathon last October. Just signed up for another this year. I started running in Nov 2011 and had only run a 5k before my marathon. You are way ahead of me in terms of running experience.

Advice:
1.) Do NOT worry about walking. LOTS of people walk. I found walking through the water stations helped a lot. It gave my legs (and head) a break. During those final miles I kept saying "Just run to the next water stop and you can walk a little"...it helped tremendously.

2.) Hydrate. Every single water stop grab something (Gatorade or Water). I don't care if you're not thirsty, drink something. The worst possible thing you can do early on in the race is under hydrate. It will catch up with you later in the race. Make sure you time your gels or other energy supplements perfectly (I did mine at mile 7-14-21). I honestly ate half a PB&J around mile 9. I credit proper nutrition and hydration for pulling me to the finish line.

3.) Like the previous poster mentioned, train slow. There is not need to kill yourself during training. I did last year and was injured half way through....talk about devastating. If your body is telling you to take an extra day off, do so. I found during marathon training I became really "in-tune" to my body and it will let you know when it needs a break.

4.) During the marathon, take the focus off of yourself every once in a while. Look up. Encourage someone else, provide a "You're doing great" smile, tell someone that they can do this. When I stopped thinking about myself and started focusing on others, I was able to breeze through a few miles. Remember, you are all in the same position. You are all running the same 26.2 miles. Whether you're an elite 2:30 marathoner, or a newbie, it's still 26.2 miles.

5.) Those last miles are hard. Really hard. I don't think I ever hit "the wall", but I did find a point (around mile 22) where I thought "I would REALLY like to stop running right now." Those last 6 miles will seem almost impossible....it is NOT impossible. It will hurt....you're going to be wondering why you did this, but let me tell you....IT IS WORTH THE PAIN!!!!

6.) Soak in the experience. Keep your head up, take in the scenery, thank the volunteers (they are AMAZING!), and try to enjoy yourself.

I never understood people who ran marathons. I never understood the "runners high"...UNTIL I ran a marathon. The feeling that rushes over you when you cross that finish line is so beyond overwhelming. It is B.A.D.A.S.S.

I have so much more to say, but I've already wrote a book. You're going to be just fine!

You can do this. You are strong enough. Good Luck and enjoy it!