Top 10 Marathon Racing Mistakes

Paula Radcliffe after dropping out at mile 23 of the Athens' Olympic Marathon. The full story from the BBC..

I've split this list of the marathon of mistakes into those made on the race itself and those made in training. I focused on mistakes that a specific to the marathon distance, though there is obviously some overlap to other types of racing and running. The prioritization is based on the severity of the mistake combined with the likelihood of it happening.

1 Top 10 Marathon Race Mistakes

1. Over-hydration
2. Breaking The Golden Rule of Racing
3. Going out too fast
4. Unreasonable expectations
5. Lack of fuel in the race
6. Even pace rather than even effort
7. Not making allowances for heat/humidity
8. Racing with injuries
9. Lack of fortitude
10. Missing caffeine

1.1 Race Mistake 1 - Over-hydration

Main article: Practical Hydration and Hydration 101

Over-hydration is where you drink beyond your thirst, and can lead to a condition called Hyponatremia. Over-hydration tends to be a problem for the slower marathon runners, typically slower than a four hour finish. Over-hydration will lead to weight gain which will impair performance. However, in rare instances it can become life-threatening and is one of the few things you can do in a marathon race that will kill you. It is vital that you drink to quench your thirst only.

1.2 Race Mistake 2 - Breaking The Golden Rule of Racing

Main article: The Golden Rule of Racing

Most runners tend to break The Golden Rule of Racing to one extent or another. The rule is 'never do something in a race you have not practiced in training'. Most of the time these breaches are minor, such as running with a pace group, or trying a new flavor of Comparison of Energy Gels. However, some breaches of the rule have more serious consequences. The classic breach is to run in new shoes which can often lead to blisters. This race mistake is linked to training mistake number three, 'lack of race simulation'.

1.3 Race Mistake 3 - Going out too fast

Main article: Going out too fast

Going out too fast at the start of the marathon is one of the most common problems I see. This is caused partly by the excitement of the race, but also by the optical illusion of having runners around you. On most training runs we have nobody blocking our vision, so we see our forward motion represented by the ground and scenery appearing to move towards us. At the start of most marathons all we can see is other runners, and many of them are going faster, so it appears we are either stationary or going backwards. This optical illusion makes it hard to judge the actual pace. The consequence of going out too fast can last for the whole race. This initial high intensity creates an oxygen debt that increases glycogen usage and can upset in the metabolic processes.

1.4 Race Mistake 4 - Unreasonable expectations

Expecting to be able to run a marathon in a much faster time than your ability will allow is a far more common mistake than it should be. In most marathons I run, I come across people walking slowly towards the finish line from about mile 18 onwards. These runners had an unreasonable expectation and set out at a pace that they could not maintain. It is vital that each runner spends time predicting their race performance, and these predictions should be based on hard evidence, not guesswork. There are workouts such as Yasso 800s that can help predict marathon performance, but the best predictor is from a shorter race. Ideally this should be a half marathon run a month or two before the main race, but a 10K, or even a 5K can help. The performance in these shorter races can be used in a calculator such as my VDOT Calculator to predict marathon performance.

1.5 Race Mistake 5 - Lack of fuel in the race

Main article: When to eat Energy Gels in the Marathon

Few runners seem to take sufficient fuel during the marathon. It is generally impractical to get enough calories from the provided sports drink. Unless you actually stop running it is very hard to drink more than a couple of fluid ounces from a paper cup, and most of the time the sports drink is poorly mixed and all you're getting is colored water. The primary source of fuel in a marathon should be gels as these provide a convenient and predictable supply of calories. These gels should be taken throughout the race, rather than leaving it until the latter stages.

1.6 Race Mistake 6 - Even pace rather than even effort

On hilly races runners will sometimes try to keep their pace even, which means they are running at a much higher intensity on the uphills and a much lower intensity on the downhills. This is a bit like doing sprints in the middle of the race, which causes premature fatigue. Also, because Glycogen consumption increases disproportionately to pace, the higher intensity on the uphills will deplete the glycogen reserves more quickly. This Glycogen depletion is a classic cause of 'hitting the wall'. Instead of maintaining an even pace on the hills, you should aim for an even effort. If you have a heart rate monitor it will give you a good indication of your effort. Alternatively your breathing and general feel should give you a sense of intensity. You may find that you need to slow up more than you expect on the uphills, as well as speed up more on the down hills.

1.7 Race Mistake 7 - Not making allowances for heat/humidity

Main articles: Impact of Heat on Marathon Performance, Heat limited running pace, and Optimum Running Temperature

Heat and humidity has a huge impact on race performance especially at the marathon distance. If a race is hot, all hot and humid, then you will not be able to perform as well as you would in the cold. The ideal race temperature for the majority of people is about 40f/4c. Failure to allow for the heat stress will mean a catastrophic slow down later in the race, and can result in heat related illnesses.

1.8 Race Mistake 8 - Racing with injuries

Main article: Racing while injured

Racing the marathon distance requires dedication and courage but sometimes the strengths can lead to runners ignoring injuries that should prevent them from competing. Carefully weigh the risks and consequences of racing with an injury.

1.9 Race Mistake 9 - Lack of fortitude

Main article: The Last 10K

Racing the marathon distance always involves suffering. A well raced marathon will mean the last 10K is a living hell, barely holding on to the race pace. (If the living hell is accompanied by dramatic slowdown in pace, then it is not a well raced marathon but an example of hitting the wall.) It is important to mentally prepare for the marathon distance by both building fortitude and learning techniques for dealing with the suffering.

1.10 Race Mistake 10 - Missing caffeine

It is well known that caffeine improves athletic performance, so taking caffeine before and during the race is worthwhile. The flipside is when a runner routinely takes caffeine except for race day. I once met a runner who would routinely drink 3 or 4 cups of coffee every morning before running, but took none on the race day. This means that not only were they lacking the performance benefits of caffeine, they were actually going through caffeine withdrawal during the race. This will not only hinder performance, but cause headaches, muscle pain, lethargy and depression; none of these make for a good race. Ideally you should cut down your caffeine intake during the taper to maximize the benefits of the caffeine on race day, but at the very least you need to maintain your normal intake. (Caffeine is not a generally a diuretic.)