The night before the marathon will probably be a nervy one and you won’t get the your best ever night’s sleep but try not to worry too much. You have done your training so you are ready for this. The adrenaline will quickly kick in so any tiredness felt through lack of sleep on the day will soon disappear.
2. Arrive on time
Allow plenty of time to get to the start line so you are not too stressed and don’t miss the start of the race. Nearly 40,000 people will be running so things will get busy!
3. Be prepared
There will probably be a lot of waiting around on race day, so make sure you bring some warm clothes which can be discarded. These will go to a good cause as discarded clothes are bagged up and donated to charity or recycled.
Depending on what start zone you are in it can take over an hour just to get across the start line but don’t worry as the time will soon pass quickly and there will lots of people watching to keep you entertained.
4. Toilet trips are normal
If you are like me, nerves will be an issue and you will most probably need frequent trips to the toilet (both number one and two!) But don’t worry this is just your body’s way of preparing you for the marathon ahead.
5. Pace yourself
Running a good marathon is all about pacing yourself. It will be very hard to resist running too fast, as your adrenaline will be running high and you will feel invincible at the start, but trust me it doesn’t last.
If you set off at a pace you have not trained for, you will crash and burn and hit that metaphorical wall far sooner. Each mile will feel like torture – trust me I’ve been there!
6. Help spectators to support you
I would definitely recommend getting your name printed on your running vest, both front and back. Hearing the crowd shout your name will almost certainly help keep your spirits high when you feel like you can’t go any further.
7. Reward yourself – you’ve earned it
To finish a marathon is an amazing achievement so once you’ve crossed that finish line make sure you reward yourself with those treats you have mostly denied yourself through all those hard months of training. That’s lots of burgers and booze for me!
And finally, good luck to everyone running on race day, you are amazing.
Jamie is running the London Marathon inspired by his ‘fun-loving’ sister Jennie Sugars who is battling a brain tumour.
Read more about Jennie’s story and support Jamie’s fundraising via his JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jamie-Davidson7
Jennie (pictured third from left) with her siblings (left to right) Jeramie, Jeannine, Justine, Judie and Jamie
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