26 Marathon Tips I Wish I Had When I Started
Most marathoners don’t blow up on race day because they didn’t train hard enough. They blow up because they get small decisions wrong in the final days before the race, pace the opening miles poorly, underfuel, or let stress and poor planning take over when execution matters most.
There’s a lot of marathon advice online that sounds good in theory but falls apart under real race conditions. In this video, I break down 26 marathon tips that can make race day smoother, faster, and far less stressful, whether you’re chasing your first finish, a Boston Qualifier, or a major personal best. I walk through the practical mistakes I see runners make all the time, from panicking during the taper, getting logistics wrong at the expo, and trying new gear or nutrition on race day, to going out too fast and paying for it late in the race.
I also cover the race-day execution side that matters most once the gun goes off: how to fuel early and often, how to pace the opening 5K properly, how to mentally break the race into manageable chunks, and how to handle the inevitable hard patch when the marathon really begins. We also get into the details most runners overlook, like sleep before the race, breakfast timing, weather preparation, bag drop logistics, anti-chafing strategy, course research, and post-race recovery. This is the tactical, practical, experience-based guidance I wish more runners had before their first marathon.
If you want to race well, you need to show up prepared, stay calm, and execute your plan when the race starts.
Happy Training!
➡️ Watch my “Running: Explained” Series: • Running: Explained
➡️ Sign Up For My Newsletter And Get My Next YouTube Video Early: https://brantstachel.activehosted.com...
⸻
Relevant Links
🚨 FREE TOOLS I CREATED FOR RUNNERS 🚨
https://www.runfastandfree.com/free-t...
⚠️ TAKE THE MARATHON READINESS QUIZ NOW ⚠️
https://marathon-readiness-quiz.score...
Get coached by Brant Stachel
https://teamrunrun.com/coach/brant-st...
Mental Performance Coaching with Brant Stachel:
https://calendly.com/cepadminteam/15-...
Get my Book, “Fast and Free”:
https://a.co/d/00twBZ6d
Learn More about Team RunRun:
https://teamrunrun.com/
Fuel Your Training (Affiliate Link):
https://fuelgoods.com/?ref=Brant
⸻
Follow Brant Stachel Fast & Free Performance Coaching
/ @brantstachel
/ fastandfreecoaching
/ brant_stachel
/ brantstachel
/ strava
/ fastandfreewithbrant
/ brantstachel
/ brant-stachel
Visit My Website: http://runfastandfree.com
⸻
Listen to the Fast and Free Podcast on Your Favourite Podcast Platform:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2jI6TBv...
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
03:11 - Tapering and Pre-Race Logistics
06:10 - Race Day Preparation and Nutrition
08:57 - Mental Strategies for Race Day
12:00 - In-Race Strategies and Pacing
14:49 - Post-Race Recovery and Reflections
#marathontips #marathontraining #runningtips #runningcoach #racedaytips