Marathon Mistakes - Five Common Mistakes Made While Preparing to Run a Marathon

Running Marathons: If you've run a marathon, you've made a mistake. And, if you've run more than one marathon, you've made lots of mistakes.

Here are 5 common marathon mistakes and their solutions:

Mistake #1: Skipping a Long Run - You have out-of-town trips, bachelor parties the night before, work, and many other "excuses." You think, "It's just one time." The long run is the worst run to skip - it's the run that builds your endurance to go the distance.

Solution: If you know you have a conflict, plan ahead, and run your long run on a different day. Run it on a day when you are scheduled to run a shorter run. It's better to skip a shorter run than your weekly long run.

Mistake #2: Wearing New Shoes or New Clothes on Race Day - You bought a new pair of shoes or new shorts and are saving them for race day. You think it will be ok because you wear that kind of shoe all the time. And, the shorts are made of the same fabric as your favorite ones. Race day comes, and by mile 12 you feel blisters and chafing in places you've never felt before.

Solution: You can buy both new shoes and new clothes. But, wear them in a few runs before race day. Even the same model of shoe or similar fabrics can "rub you the wrong way."

Mistake #3: Too Nervous to Eat Anything Before the Race - "I'm so nervous; I'm afraid I'll get sick." You have gone without food for at least 8 hours, and your fuel tank is empty. You don't run a car on empty; you can't run a race on empty.

Solution: Plan what you're going to eat on race morning, and experiment with it on your long runs. You'll quickly find out what works and what doesn't. Also, get up 2-3 hours before the race to be sure that you can fuel up in plenty of time before you actually start running.

Mistake #4: Trying New Drinks or Other Nutrients During the Race - You know that there will be gels at mile 17, and plus, it's a hassle to carry your own. You get to mile 17, and all they have left is Mocha shots. Don't they know everyone likes vanilla? And, all sports drinks are basically the same, right? Wrong.

Solution: Find out what sports drink will be available on the course, and practice drinking it during your long runs. And, take your own favorite gels, shots, or blocks. You cannot count on getting your favorite flavors by the time you make it to the aid station.

Mistake #5: Running on an Injury - This is the most serious mistake of all. You have been running on it in training, and even though it hurts, you can tough it out. Plus, you already have your flight and hotel room, paid your entry fee, and you're going with a group of friends. You have to run this race.

Solution: Don't run the race. You can still go and cheer on your friends. Or, you can cancel your room, save your ticket for another trip and pay the change fee. You could make it much worse and risk not running for a long time while you recover from a more serious injury you could have prevented.

Now, hopefully, you can learn from my mistakes.

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