If you are running your first marathon, it can be very daunting for someone who has never done it before. Never mind the idea of doing it in another city; the reason we choose to do it in other cities is to get an extra bit of excitement and to explore a new city. That being said, there are a few things you need to make sure you have planned your trip in the best possible way.
It doesn’t matter whether you are heading to the other side of the world or just going to another city in your home country; there are a number of things you’ll have to do to make sure you are prepared.
Plan Your Travel Around The Race
The mistakes that people make when travelling to a different city for a marathon are that they arrive too close to race day. You need to make sure you give yourself enough time before the marathon so you don’t rush around. This includes travel time, check-in time, and most importantly, being able to collect your bib number.
Ideally, you should arrive two days before the marathon to make sure you are settled. Additionally, the marathon expo is usually the day before and is where you will be picking up your race number.
Something else that you will need to do is check how you will get to the start line. There will be a bag drop, so you need to know where this is. For example, if you are are doing the London marathon, you’ll need to find parking in/ around London that is close to the start line such as a car park in Canary Wharf. Finally, check the public transport routes to ensure you get there on time.
Learn The Course
Although this is not that important, it is highly beneficial if you are aiming for a specific time. Try to remember the hills, sharp turns, and long stretches, and most importantly, where the water aid stations are. Take a short walk around the hills to know their gradient.
Ideally, you need to be learning about the marathon course long before you start it. This is because your training will be very different if the course is flat or there are a lot of hills.
Prepare For The Weather
You know what the weather is like in your home country, so if you are just running a marathon in another city, you don’t need to worry about this. If you are travelling abroad, this is something that you will have to prepare for, as you could be in for different weather conditions.
Predicting the weather too far in advance won’t be possible. This is why you will need to give yourself multiple options for your race day outfit. Put a long-sleeve top in there and a short-sleeved top. You never know what to expect in terms of temperature on the day.
Lastly, don’t try new footwear for the marathon. Continue wearing the clothes that you have been wearing all this time.
Pack The Race Day Essentials
The marathon kit is arguably the most essential part of your of your marathon in another city. It certainly isn’t something that you can wing the night before, especially if you don’t have a list of all the essentials. Here’s what you need for your marathon day:
- Running clothes (Dri-fit T-shirt, shorts and running socks)
- Running trainers
- Running belt
- Carbohydrate gels
- Waterproof jacket/ old jacket
- Running watch
- Spare underwear
- Bottle if there are no water aid stations
There are other things that you can take as well, depending on what you prefer. Energy bars are something else that you can take with you to consume before the race.
Don’t Overdo the Sightseeing
If you are travelling to another city/ country, then you’ll want to see all the different sights; however, you don’t want to overdo it. The last thing you want is to be over 15,000 steps before your marathon and leave yourself with tired legs. Remember the main reason why you have travelled so far. Take in the sights when you are running, or give yourself 2 days beforehand if you wish to sightsee other buildings.
