Written by Jonas Manley (Running and PurePower Ambassador)

Are you about to run your first marathon? And maybe you even have to participate in the Copenhagen Marathon, which starts here on 15 May 2022. If so, then you have probably already put a lot of training hours and kilometers behind you. It may have required blood, sweat and tears on the road, because yes, the marathon distance can be tough. 42.195km is no joke, but definitely worth it when you cross the finish line.

Today I want to make some suggestions on how you can best get through your first marathon and at the same time have the best experience along the way.

Preparations before the starting shot goes off

Before you show up for the actual race day, there are some completely impractical things that it might be good to have a handle on beforehand. What I would always recommend before a race is:

• That you have found the clothes in which you intend to run the day before. Remember to dress appropriately for the temperatures so that you avoid overheating on the trip.
• That you have laid out gels/energy for the trip and found out where they should be stored during the race.
• That you have prepared your starting number and possibly stuck it on your t-shirt.
• That you check in advance where you have to meet at the start, where you can lay any outerwear, where the toilets are, etc.

The above are factors that can help make the actual race day as stress-free and good as possible for you.

Food and liquid

In addition to the completely impractical things, it is also important to give both your depots in the form of food and liquid a thought. It is important that you do not go out and change everything possible in your diet in the days leading up to your marathon. Eat what usually works for you and like to replenish your carbohydrate stores.

It can be in the form of pizza, bread, pasta or anything else that works for you.

In relation to liquid, make sure you drink plenty (it is recommended that you drink 1½ - 2 L a day). However, avoid the big mistake of thinking you have to drink 4L, because it's better! It is NOT, you just end up peeing important minerals and salts out of your body.

You can supplement the water with Hydro tab - this way you also ensure that your stocks of minerals and salts are at their best.

Energy intake along the way step by step

I cannot stress enough the importance of getting enough energy and fluids along the way. The reason for this is that your glycogen stores only provide energy for 60-90 minutes of cardio training.

It of course depends on whether you have consumed enough energy before the race and at what intensity you run the race. Filled glycogen stores provide energy and allow you to continue to maintain your performance.

If your glycogen stores are completely depleted, your performance will also decrease accordingly. AND we want to avoid that.

Therefore, it will be advantageous for you to consume 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour and actually like up to 60-90 grams on the marathon distance.

My own energy/fluid plan for the marathon distance looks like this:

• Four hours before the start, I will eat a portion of oatmeal with milk and sugar.
• Drink regularly up to the start, preferably water supplemented with Carbo race or Hydro Tabs to make sure my electrolyte balance is top notch. (stops drinking 1 hour before the start, so that there is no unnecessary fluid in the body that is not absorbed and just lies and floats around)
• One hour before the start of the race, I will eat an Energy snack or a banana.
• After the start has passed, I will already start drinking fluids at the 5 km mark. Or just take a few small sips.
• 7-8 km - here I will consume my first gel. Remember to consume gels 30 minutes before you actually need to use the energy. In this way, you avoid emptying your depots.
• 10 km - here I want to drink water. Just 2% dehydration will affect your performance, so fluids are important!
• 15-16 km - here I will again consume a gel plus water.
• 20 km – a sip of water again.
• 23-23 km – here I will again consume a gel plus water.
• 25 km – a sip of water again – possibly. throw a little over yourself to cool down the body
• 30 km – another sip of water + gel
• 35 km - gel time again, supplement with water.

*when I write, if possible, I feel in my body how hard it is for me. If I need additional energy

If you are the type that needs extra water, one can soft bottle in hand be the way forward for you! here you can mix in a little Carbo race, so that you add some carbohydrates to the body at the same time.

Disposition during the race itself

I would always advise you to start slowly.

Never go too hard and get plenty of hydration and fluids so you risk hitting the famous "wall" and having to slow down completely.

Feel free to schedule your race so that you have the resources to do the race progressively. This means that you slowly increase your pace over time. The marathon distance is demanding - we cannot avoid that.

And it requires a lot of training beforehand. But since you have just finished the training, you also have plenty of opportunity to practice if you can maintain the same pace throughout, it is best with a negative split/progressive increase. At the same time, of course, it is also during the training sessions where you increase your energy intake.

After your marathon

When you've been going for so long, it's not certain that you'll feel hungry afterwards. It is completely normal and natural as the body hormonally suppresses the feeling of hunger. However, it is still important in relation to your restitution to top up your deposits. If you find it difficult to eat, possibly drink Carbo race supplemented with a protein snack. It is important that after a hard session you get enough carbohydrate, protein and fluid in relation to the body having the best conditions to rebuild itself. Giving your body the right (and enough) nutrition also makes your recovery time shorter.