Everything I Wish I Knew Before My First Marathon

It’s marathon season! For many, this might be your first time running the big 26.2. How do you effectively prepare your mind (and body) for a marathon? How many running tops will you go through during training? Are your feet meant to look like that after a long run…?

Join our Running Channel presenters Anna, Kate and Rick as they share everything they wish they knew before they ran their first marathon, from chafing to chugging water and challenging yourself.

↓↓ Are you running a marathon? Have you run one before? What did you wish you knew before your first marathon? Let us know in the comments below! ↓↓

What’s in this video?
0:32 Your Social Life Will Be Your Training
1:03 You’ll Be Hungry All The Time
2:03 You’ll Be Tired All The Time
2:38 You’ll Start Oversharing
3:09 Your Feet Won’t Be Pretty
4:00 You May Experience New Running Struggles
4:42 You’ll Do So Much Laundry
5:23 You May Experience ‘Maranoia’
5:49 Where Can I Find The Best Running Tips?
6:23 Different Bodies Need Different Fuel
6:48 You’ll Realise Hydration Is Key
7:06 You’ll Learn To Be Kind To Yourself
7:47 You’ll Probably Start The Run Too Fast
8:25 You Might Wish You’d Ditched The Headphones
8:51 You Will Get Emotional
9:24 At Around Mile 20 You’ll Question Everything
9:46 You May Get Post Marathon Blues
10:21 You May Become A Marathon Addict
10:46 Trust Your Training, You Can Do It!


MUSIC licensed by Artlist:
Proof Instrumental Version by Tom Goldstein

Proof Instrumental Version by Tom Goldstein

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[runningchannel]

Are you running a marathon? Have you run one before? What did you wish you knew before your first marathon? Let us know in the comments below!

[garlic]

Ran my first marathon (London) aged 19 during my first year at university. Often abandoned runs for pints and went out drinking 4 days before the race. Ended up getting a time that all my friends and family still laugh at. Still got the medal though 🏅

[panagiotisvarelas]

I finished yesterday my first Marathon ever in Rotterdam. Running a Marathon is a unique experience. Luckily I watched all of your videos before. Running Channel helped me a lot all these months of my training and I would like to thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. I managed to run the Rotterdam marathon in 3:55:25. My goal was a sub-4 hour Marathon and I am super excited ! Thanks again

[RayBlake]

My first marathon will be Yorkshire in October. I'm 50% excited, 50% terrified.

[FPrefect]

I'm sending this to my friend who's training for her first marathon in November!!

I wish I had known to carry a small bag of wet wipes just in case. The toilet paper in the port-a-potties aren't guaranteed to be in there!

[camillegras]

I do love this channel (quality content, lovely people, good tips and a friendly community, what's not to love?) and I sure hope you hit your goal by christmas! You deserve it.

[regstoy]

I always remember a sign from the expo of my first Dublin Marathon back in 2008
"There is many a day when you think I could do a Marathon but there is the rest of your life knowing you've finished one!!"

[yonatanmyers]

One marathon is enough, thank you very much.

[mattanderson]

Training for my first one now. I am convinced the real marathon is the training program and the race itself is just a bonus. And thanks to COVID, marathon training can’t wreck your social life if you didn’t have a social life to wreck!

[Liamrunsnstuff]

I am running my first marathon this April, I will be running the Boston Marathon to support Special Olympics New Hampshire! Training has officially started, I’m nervous for what lies ahead but super excited to start running with my marathon partner and for the outcome!

[benjaminhall]

Running my first at the end of February 2023. Just finished week 3 of my 18-week plan, and am starting to geek out on the many posts and videos about first-time marathon to-dos. Thanks for the quality content!

[royavrett]

In November, I am travelling from Florida to Tulsa, OK for my first marathon, the Route 66 Marathon. I am currently in my 5th week of training and man, what a rollercoaster ride already. There are days I think I have this, and days that I think I might embarrass myself come race day. Thanks for the great videos. Keep up the good work.

[johnbrown]

Looking forward to London in October, will be my third London one, and hopefully I can get over to Toronto to do the marathon that has been covid postponed twice, it will probably be my last marathon because I’ll be approaching 60 years old 😩

[tanyagough]

I’ve thrown myself completely at the deep end and I’m doing the Brighton marathon on September the 12th! I’ve never ever been a runner always a cyclist! Was so chuffed as completed 12.2 miles yesterday without stopping! I find when you go into a new sport you just don’t know where to start, with routine, clothes, gear everything! I’m looking forward but also apprehensive!x

[ok-lvqy]

Too many comments about losing toenails! Y’all need to quit shoving you feet in teeny little shoes! Size up a size or a half. I have never experienced toe pain and I have a good inch of room for my toes.

[muhammadkhan]

So timely for me! Running my first ever marathon in November; started my training only a month ago. Your videos have cleared many conceptions; given loads of inspirations, tips, and above all confidence. THANK YOU!

[nasrinmostofian]

Oh this video- like pretty much all your videos I should say- was so joyful to watch, thank you! I've been running regularly for a few years now, from 5k to 25k, but finally dared to register for my first marathon in November this year.

[superhornet]

I’ve run only 1 Marathon -2016 Gold Coast Marathon in 3:00:36. I wish I had a pair of carbon plated racing shoes rather than a pair of traditional racing flats with over 250 miles of running in them already. I didn’t have the strength in my legs and endurance to handle that mistake too well.

[jacksonm.]

This brought back so many memories. Everything you mentioned is so true. The scariest for me were the black toenails and my first time getting nipple chaffing. It was my longest training run and my nipples were sore, rubbing against my T shirt. Eventually I saw they were bleeding and when I got home it was bad. Luckily I got advice from my fellow run club members on what to do. They told me about Vaseline and bandages.

Something that did not really apply to me was the headphones rule. Our athletics body (which governs sports including running) have rules that ban listening devices from marathons. I think it's specifically in ear headphones and overhear headphones. Rule says you get disqualified if marshals catch you using them. To get over that, some runners bring bluetooth speakers and put them in their backpacks (hiking/trail running bags).

Also I never went out too fast on my first marathon. I had a goal of sub 4 and practiced running at the correct pace. I made it at 3h59. I was so thirsty and craved salt (my body was covered in salt that I'd lost through my skin). I was so exhausted that I showered and took a nap of several hours long. Prepare to do nothing else on the day of your first marathon. No lunch with friends. No celebration afterwards. Forget about all that! You will be sore. Best thing is it gets better from then on. I since graduated to ultra marathons and the standard marathon distance is practically an easy long run.

[jcolt]

I’m doing the London Marathon this year as a first timer.
Your content has been a great help and you guys are genuinely entertaining!!