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=Top 10 Marathon Race Mistakes=
# Over-hydration
# [[Running in the Heat| Not making allowances for heat/humidity]]
# Breaking [[The Golden Rule of Racing]]
# [[Going out too fast]]
# Lack of fuel in the race
# Even pace rather than even effort
# Racing with injuries
# Lack of fortitude
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.
==Race Mistake 2 - Not making allowances for heat/humidity==''Main articles: [[Impact of Heat on Marathon Performance]], [[Running in the Heat]], [[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, or 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. Wearing dark clothes can make the heat far worse, so wear white. Even mild heat stress of 50f/10c can impair performance, and this is made because mild heat stress is perceived as fatigue rather than overheating. All too often runners do not shed clothing so that the remain cool, exacerbating the issue. ==Race Mistake 3 - 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 [[Using a marathon pace group|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'.
==Race Mistake 3 4 - 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.
==Race Mistake 4 5 - 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.
==Race Mistake 5 6 - 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.
==Race Mistake 6 7 - 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.
==Race Mistake 8 - Racing with injuries==
