If you’ve never made mistakes, you never achieved anything. It’s a well-known fact that failures and mistakes build our road to success. But only if we learn from them.
Marathoners make mistakes as well. They start running without learning much about it. And … they get injured.
My first marathon was a disaster. It wasn’t a failure per say because I did cross the finish line. But there were a lot of mistakes in the training which led to an injury. As a result, I had to limp all 26.2 miles (42 km).
So, let’s learn from our mistakes and never repeat them again.
If you’d like to be more organized in your trainings and life in general, download this free Motivational Planner.
You’ll find several practical printable sheets to build habits, plan your days/weeks/months/year, plan your workouts, projects and traveling.
Now, let’s dive into the mistakes some runners and first-time marathoners make.
1. Overtrain
Start slow. Increase your mileage and pace only 10% per week. And remember, you can’t increase both.
This week you’re running 10% longer distance (compiled altogether), and next week you’ll focus on your speed. And again, only 10% faster on one of the days. The rest of the days your pace will be the same.
By the end of the training, two weeks before the race, you need to start tapering. It’s a term runners use to describe a more relaxed way of running so that your muscles rest, and you come strong to a marathon.
Don’t repeat my mistake. Overtraining was one of the main reasons I got that injury in 2012.
2. Under train
This is another problem that leads to short-term and, what’s even more scary, long-term health issues.
If you go to a marathon without proper training, you may be able to run all 42 km without a problem. You might even finish it strong, but an injury, a knee or a back problem might catch you later.
Don’t risk it. Train for a race according to a well-developed plan. Do your best not to skip any runs and work on strengthening your core.
3. Hydrate Too Much or Too Little
How much water do you drink per day? I bet it’s not enough. Most people I know drink less than they should.
My mom says she physically can’t drink even one glass of water because it makes her sick. When I tried to convince her it’s only in her head, she wouldn’t believe me.
When I started running, water became my best friend. I can’t go anywhere without it especially when it’s warm or hot.
Make sure you drink a lot when the temperature is high and you sweat more than usual. If you lose water and get dehydrated, there’s a danger of you getting a headache or even fainting.
When thinking about hydration, make sure you get the right amount. Like I said, most people drink less than they should, but it’s possible to also drink too much.
In 2013 I ran a half-marathon in Budapest. It was a hot September day and I drank SO much water. Finally, it turned out I had too much of it. Won’t go into detail what repercussions I had, but let’s just say, it was bad. 🙂
4. Wrong Nutrition
Interestingly, as soon as I started running, my eating habits changed a lot. I still love sweets and a bit of junk food every once in a while, but now it’s rare. And greasy, oily stuff got out of my diet.
Fitness and running changes your perception of your body and all processes in it. You feel much better, stronger and lighter when your diet is healthy. It easier to run, to breathe, and to achieve your fitness goals.
Some beginners make a mistake of cutting down on carbs because they think it will help them lose weight. It’s wrong because good carbs are absolutely necessary for us. They give us energy and strength to finish the work out. Noodles, rice, bread, vegetables and fruit.
During the week it’s better to eat as little white flour goods and processed food as possible. You may want to choose whole grain bread, noodles, brown rice and fresh produce.
Yet, before your long runs, intense workouts and marathons you should pick white flower noodles, bread, white rice and goods with less fiber. If you consume too much fiber, there’s a danger of getting stomach problems. You don’t want that when you have to run long distances and especially on your race day.
It’s clear that each day you need to have protein. However, after intense workouts you’ve got to have more of it because the tissue in your muscles will try to regenerate. And protein is what your body needs for creating new cells.
I have to add one remark though. Make sure you consult your dietitian or your personal trainer if you have one, or a doctor before you decide to drastically change your eating habits.
5. Run in Small Tight Shoes
Did you know that your running shoes need to be one size bigger? I didn’t know when I first started running. Then my friend told me this simple runners’ trick. Get shoes at least a half or even a size bigger. Your toes will thank you later.
When you run, with each step you push your toes forward and bump into the front of your shoe. After a few thousands of steps (in one hour you’ll make more than 5 000) your toes will receive lots of beating. You risk getting horrible blisters and black toe nails.
Choosing the right shoes is one of the first and most important tasks you have as a runner. In some shoe stores you’ll find experienced consultants who can help determine what type of shoes you need.
They can also do running analysis for you, check your form and pronation. In that case your choice will be the most accurate one.
Now, it’s your turn. Tell us in the comments, which mistakes you made when you just started running. Don’t be greedy, share with the beginners. Help them avoid your mistakes.
And watch out for the next part of marathoners’ mistakes. They’re coming! 🙂
