10 Marathon Day Mistakes

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By Lisa Marshall for Runner's World

Just hours after completing a recent marathon, I raised a bittersweet toast to a race I was already eager to forget. Training for it had cost me countless pancake breakfasts with my kids, and attending it nearly emptied my bank account. But instead of basking in the PR I'd promised my running buddies, I flashed back to futile porta-potty stops, wardrobe malfunctions, and a scary midrace bonk. How did I go so wrong?

You don't have to be new to racing to mess up. I've run seven marathons and 12 halfs, and I've heard many more experienced runners say even they have stepped into the same common pitfalls that ruined races for me. But I've had enough. After consulting with good coaches, I now have a game plan to avoid these blunders next time out. Read on and be the beneficiary of my mistakes.

Mistake #1: I trained wrong.

As a native Coloradan, I have long assumed my mountain-girl lungs would have me feeling downright bionic at sea level. But it turns out running trails at altitude in subfreezing temps is not the best way to train for humid low-elevation road races that can get surprisingly warm midcourse. Duh. "That's one of the biggest mistakes I see people make," says Henry Guzman, a Boulder, Colorado, coach who has run 101 marathons. "If you don't train for the conditions you're going to be racing in, your body won't know how to adapt to the course or to the terrain."

Lesson Learned: Tailor your training to your event.

If you're traveling to an event, there's not a lot you can do to control elevation and climate changes. But you can study the surface, average weather, and elevation of your event, and plan your training accordingly, says David Manthey, a coach with Runner's Edge of the Rockies: "Training specificity is key."

For instance, runners targeting a road race should do at least 65 percent of training (most long runs and some speed sessions) on asphalt. This gets your body used to the pounding and repetitive motion of running on the roads. Hitting trails and park paths for easy and recovery runs and some hill workouts helps you avoid overuse injuries, says Manthey.

If your race is in warmer climes, do a few long training runs in the hotter part of the day, wearing extra layers. When Chris Clark of Anchorage was training for the 2000 Women's Olympic Marathon Trials–which would take place in Columbia, South Carolina–she did long runs of up to 20 miles on a treadmill, with the heat cranked up and the fan off. (It worked: She won the Trials.)

Elevation changes prove more logistically challenging: Ideally, those who live above 6,000 feet should try to drive to lower elevations for a few marathon-paced long runs. Flatlanders preparing for a higher-altitude race should get up high for a few training runs. High-intensity hill workouts can also help you get used to being oxygen-deprived. And be realistic: Lower your goal time by 10 to 30 seconds per mile for a flat course above 5,000 feet–and even more for a hilly route.

Mistake #2: I got psyched out.

Because I am a resident of Estes Park, Colorado, you might assume I have a home-field advantage in our local marathon. Indeed, many experts say training on the actual course is ideal physical and mental preparation for what you'll face come race day. But I felt like I knew too much. Miles before the dreaded climb around mile 17, my body and psyche were already revolting in anticipation. I surged on an early downhill, and then slowed way down on a relatively flat stretch before the big climb, two voices in my head arguing over whether I should bank time or save energy. By the time I faced that hill, my quads were trashed and my momentum was sapped by nerves. It ended up being one of my slowest finish times ever.

Lesson Learned: Prep body and mind.

Study the course's profile, and plan workouts to match the terrain you'll encounter. If you're training for a hilly race, spend one day a week training on uphills and downhills. "You need to learn how to run smoothly and efficiently going downhill so you can absorb shock with your quads better," says Sean Coster, a Portland, Oregon–based coach and exercise physiologist, "and also learn how to transition into running uphill when you're eccentrically fatigued from running downhill." Incorporate strength-training exercises, like lunges and squats, into your routine, and do a few hill repeats at the end of a run when you're already tired.

To counter dread, use visualization and mantras. A couple of weeks before race day, picture yourself running up your hill with strength and power, "picking your knees up, pumping your arms, and breathing deeply," says sports psychologist Kay Porter, Ph.D., author of The Mental Athlete. Establish a mantra like "strong" or "powerful." Plan to draw on those images and words. Once the gun goes off, take your race one mile at a time. "People get ahead of themselves and freak out," says Porter. "Try to stay in the moment."

Mistake #3: I didn't fuel up.

Distracted by glorious views, rockin' Zydeco bands or spectators bearing cowbells, I have been known to let more than 13 miles go by before popping my first chews. At one race, I figured I'd save my Turbo Double Expresso shot until I really needed the jolt. But by the time that need reared its head–in the form of a weird, presumably low-blood-sugar-induced tingling in my face–it was too late.

"Once you dig yourself into a hole, it's very hard for your body to catch up," says Kim Mueller, M.S., R.D., C.C.S.D., a 2:52 marathoner and founder of San Diego–based Fuel Factor Nutrition. It's hard to restock your tank because it takes oxygen to digest food and to pump blood to your muscles. "A lot of runners overwhelm the gut and end up with all those calories swishing around in there making them nauseous," Mueller says.

Lesson Learned: Train your eating.

During training, experiment with pre-run and on-the-run fueling, and once you establish what you can handle, stick with what works. Mueller recommends eating 75 to 125 grams of carbs for breakfast (like a white bagel, or low-fiber cream of wheat cereal and a banana). If you will have hours on race morning before the gun goes off, down an energy bar two hours before the start and nurse your sports drink all the way to the corral. The average runner burns roughly two-thirds of her body weight in calories every mile, says Mueller. Take your first fuel at the 10-K mark and aim to replace 25 to 30 percent of the total calories you burn between there and the finish. For a 150-pound runner, that's 500 to 600 calories (or five to six gels).

Mistake #4: I arrived late.

En route to an East Coast race, I listened to rain pelt the airport rooftop for seven hours before I caught a connecting red-eye that got me to my hotel just before sunrise the day before the race. I had slept zero hours that night–the night that coaches say matters most, since nerves keep most of us awake on race eve. "People try to cut it too close and end up spending all their prerace energy being stressed out," says Star Blackford, a Clif Bar pace team leader and veteran of 140 marathons.

Lesson Learned: Get there early.

Traveling to a race? It can take more than 24 hours for your body to recover from the swelling and dehydration that a pressurized airplane cabin can yield, says Guzman. To keep it to a minimum, shun alcohol and caffeine–both diuretics–bring your own water, and wear compression socks on the plane. Arrive at least 48 hours before the start so you have time to do a 30-minute shakeout run, get a good night's sleep, spend a few hours at the expo, and lounge the night before the race. (For cheapskates like me, consider staying at an inexpensive hotel by the airport the first night.)

Racing close to home? You want to arrive an hour before the start so you can pick up your number, check your gear, hit the porta potty, and be in your corral 20 to 30 minutes before the gun goes off–so you don't waste precious glycogen stores sprinting to the start. (Been there.)

Mistake #5: I ate too much.

There's nothing like an all-you-can-eat buffet of cheese-soaked ziti to inspire a sense of calorie entitlement in a marathon runner. "I'm carb-loading," I rationalized before one 26.2-miler. The next day, despite my typically foolproof ritual of strong coffee and morning headlines, the buffet stayed with me, making my stomach slosh and my waistband chafe all the way to the finish line.

No surprise there, says Mueller. Fat (including that in cheese and in creamy or high-fat-meat sauces) slows digestion. "So if you go to bed after a rich, heavy meal, you are going to wake up with nerves and a bunch of undigested food in your gut." At best, it can weigh you down. Or it may require an unplanned pit stop.

Lesson Learned: Load up properly.

After months of training, a runner's glycogen–or blood sugar–stores are depleted to about 50 to 60 percent of normal. In order to sustain energy for three, four, or more hours, they must be topped off–which means carb-loading starting 72 hours out (not the night before). Eat four grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight per day. For a 130-pound woman, that would be 520 grams. Your diet should consist of 80 to 90 percent carbohydrates.

Steer clear of high-fiber foods, like nuts, seeds, fruits with the peel on, and juice with pulp–all of which tend to leave a residue in the gut. Choose instead bananas or melons; creamy (not crunchy) peanut butter; pulp-free juice; and white foods like rice, bread, and pasta. "Prerace is the one time I recommend white over wheat because of its low fiber content," says Mueller. Finally, the day before the race, make your lunch your biggest meal so you have plenty of time to digest.

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Running Right

Most runners have a love-hate relationship with the treadmill. On the one hand, it's boring and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/07/gym-germ-hot-spots_n_2814171.html" target="_hplink">germ-infested</a>. On the other, it's often a necessary evil to get through long winters or rainy mornings. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/23/outdoor-exercise-health-benefits_n_1616467.html" target="_hplink">Working out outside has noted benefits</a> over hitting the gym, including improved energy and a greater likelihood to keep exercising. But in case you're stuck inside, we want to make sure you're doing it right. We asked three fitness experts -- personal trainer <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-basso/" target="_hplink">Matthew Basso</a>, president of Iron Lotus Personal Training; <a href="http://www.RunCoachJason.com" target="_hplink">Jason Karp</a>, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist and the author of Running for Women and Running a Marathon For Dummies and <a href="http://cardiellofitness.com/" target="_hplink">Jay Cardiello</a>, celebrity trainer, author and creator of JCore -- to share their biggest treadmill pet peeves. Here are some of the most common mistakes they see gymgoers make, and what we should be doing instead.

You Crane Your Neck To Watch TV (Or Your Feet)

Anything that throws off your posture, whether it be hunching over to watch your feet or leaning to the left for a better view of the TV, is generally a bad idea. "Your neck is pulled to the right or dropped forward and one part of the musculature is getting stretched while another is getting tightened," says Basso. The longer you're in that position, the higher your risk of injury becomes, he says. You're also likely to offset your balance, warns Karp. "You're looking to the left or to the right and your body's going to follow a little bit," he says. Slumping over can also limit your oxygen intake, says Cardiello. To guarantee you're standing your tallest, imagine someone is pouring ice water down your spine, he says. For those runners who rely on a little screen time at the gym, try to find a treadmill with a screen attached, says Cardiello, so you can face forward with your chin parallel to the ground. If your gym isn't equipped with those machines, head to the back of the room. That will keep your neck as straight as possible while still allowing you to watch overhead TVs, he says. "Keep your head, heart and hips inline when you run," he says. "You're running over the ground, never into the ground." Or the belt, as the case may be.

You're Too Zoned Out

Clearing your mind with your favorite TV show during your run is one thing. Jumping on the treadmill with concrete fitness goals is another. "I think a lot of people who choose to use cardio equipment, yeah, they sweat, but your mind starts to wander," says Basso. "Instead of really being present and focusing on the exercise, your gait, your posture, people lose it there." A too-engrossing book or magazine, or a movie might be too distracting, says Cardiello. "Save the reading for your cooldown."

You Do The Same Thing Over And Over

"One of the biggest mistakes people make [at the gym] is to do the exact same thing every time, and then wonder why they don't see results," says Karp. So shake things up, by varying the intensity, speed or incline. Try a longer and slower run one day, and a shorter and faster one on another visit, he says. A great way to mix things up and see results sooner is with an interval workout, says Cardiello. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2991639/" target="_hplink">Short bursts of higher intensity exercise</a> can up the fat-burning powers of your workouts, improve heart health and more, not to mention save you some time. And you might also want to consider adding in a little sideways movement, says Basso. Unless you're really coordinated, don't attempt to walk backwards or do anything too fancy on a treadmill. But most people -- at a slow pace -- can handle some lateral shuffling or crossover steps, he says, to work yours muscles in different ways.

You Skip The Warmup

Yes, you're busy. Some days you just want to hop on the treadmill, get it over with and get out. But skipping a warmup can lead to pain and injuries, says Basso. You don't need a lot of time, and you don't need to passively stretch, he says. Instead, take five to seven minutes for an active warmup with a "joint-by-joint approach," he says, that includes hip circles, toe touches and more. "It's more of a priority to keep your mobility and keep yourself out of pain than to start a workout," he says.

You Hold The Bars

Holding onto the handrails on the treadmill might seem like a safety measure, but your workout will suffer, says Karp. Some of your bodyweight will be supported, meaning you won't have to work as hard and you won't burn as many calories, he explains. If you feel like you need to hold on, it's probably because you're going at a slightly faster speed than you're ready for, he says. "Get comfortable without holding on in increments to gain confidence at each speed," he suggests.

You Set The Incline Too Steep

How often do you encounter a steep hill in the outside world that takes you an hour to climb? Exactly. Exercise should be functional, says Basso, and strengthen your muscles for real-world use. Plus, the steeper that incline, the more likely you'll be holding onto the bar to keep yourself on the belt. "If you have to hold on, it's either too fast or too steep," says Karp.

You Trust The Settings

Between the heart-rate monitor grips on the handrail and the button for the "fat-burning" zone, there's not much worth trusting on that digital dashboard. "You can't really rely on those," says Karp. "The mathematical formulas are rough estimates based on a lot of variables," he says. And every runner is different. Since they're probably not accurate to begin with, says Cardiello, don't obsess over the numbers on your machine. "Throw a towel over the display," he says, and you might just find you work a little harder.

You Jump Off With The Belt Moving At Full Speed

It might seem like taking a water break without slowing down the belt saves you time in the longrun, but not if it makes you trip and fall first. "Most people don't have the coordination to do that without risking injury," says Karp. "I see people all the time who come close to falling." Fess up, are you guilty of any of these? Did we miss any common mistakes you see at the gym? Let us know in the comments!