Thoughts From A Runner On Half-Marathon Day

Today I thought I’d write a slightly different blog post discussing the various factors to consider for anyone who’s thinking about running a Half Marathon. The post is also for those that have previously ran one but wanted an alternative perspective.

I’m actually writing this whilst on the sofa recovering from the Liverpool Half Marathon of 2024 that finished around 8 hours ago, so everything I’m talking about is very fresh! 

So where to start? How about the day before. Yes it goes without saying that it’s important you can run the distance and this is built-up over several weeks and months, gradually increasing your stamina and running duration. That in itself is a whole separate blog post! Let’s assume that’s already taken care of. I cannot stress enough the importance of being organised when it comes to what to wear, ensuring headphones are charged, accessories are packed, knowing how to get to the starting line, what to do when you arrive, what to listen to etc, the list goes on.

It’s also crucial to ensure you have enough carbohydrates in your body so that you don’t ‘hit the wall’ and lose all energy half-way through the 13.1 miles. Personally I always have a big lunch the day before which is usually made of some form of pasta. I actually think this is more of an important meal than the dinner the night before. I’m not suggesting the dinner isn’t important but as long as it’s not too heavy, you should be ok. Oh, and don’t drink alcohol or have anything too greasy beforehand either, it will not work out well! 

So let’s talk about sleep. It’s perfectly normal to be nervous about what’s happening the very next morning, and as a result it can prove difficult to switch off and get a good night’s sleep. My advice would be to stop using bright screens and electronics up to an hour before going to sleep. Instead pick up a good book and do some reading. You’ll start to switch off and wind-down and your heart-rate will gradually reduce, making it easier to get a good night’s rest. 

Having a plan in place from the moment you wake up on race day can really help take the pressure off. Get up nice and early having prepared what you’re going to be wearing the night before and have breakfast a good few hours before the race start time. For instance today I had breakfast at 6:30am with a 9am start time. That way you’ll have plenty of time to fully digest and not start running on a heavy stomach (or need an awkward toilet break half-way through!). 

Another factor that’s often overlooked when it comes to race day advice is where to actually position yourself at the starting line. One option is to start much further back. This way the pressure is off and you’re not trying to keep up with those going for a seriously short finish time. A drawback of this however is that it’s difficult to pass others due to there being so many people around you. If you’re aiming for a specific time, it might be a good idea to position yourself near to a pacer going for that particular distance i.e. 1 hour 50 mins. 

I’m always looking at ways of improving, and after reflecting on today’s race, I believe it’s time to invest in some new running shoes. A mistake I can admit to is that I use a specific pair for race-days only and not actually train in them. It has worked out ok in the past but I don’t think it’s a good strategy long-term.
In fact today the last 3 miles got to me and I think the shoes were a factor on the hard ground. I am tempted to purchase the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 running shoes as I hear they provide a firm and responsive return, providing more energy throughout a run. The reviews of them are exceptional and I’m sure they would have come in handy for me today! 

Overall there’s nothing quite like race day and a Half Marathon race. To me it’s that perfect distance that’s enough to really challenge and push you, and unlike an actual Marathon, won’t require 2-3 hours of training every single weekend! It also feels like more of a race than a 10K which can be over fairly quickly which doesn’t really justify all the build-up and preparation the same way.

Anyway I really hope that this post has provided some useful insight and knowledge into some important considerations of the Half-Marathon experience. Once my legs have fully recovered and I’m able to get up and down the stairs again, I’ll be looking forward to the next one!

Adam Warren