What to Expect at Your First London Marathon

As far as marathons go, the London Marathon is the cream of the crop. Whilst marathons are tricky, this is one of the most daunting feats for a runner; 40,000 runners, huge crowds of spectators, TV cameras and celebrities are just some of the obstacles you will have to negotiate as you run your race.

For first timers, The London Marathon can be overwhelming when you don’t know what to expect, so here we share a few tips to get you through your first time:

Download the official race app

The London Marathon is one of the most well-organised races you’ll ever take part in. Take advantage of the free app to get exact finish times and you can also use it to track other runners you know on the course.

Chafing can often be overlooked during your preparation, so ensure you have a trusty tub of Vaseline handy to ensure you don’t have to endure the race in red raw pain.

Plan your way to AND from the race

After the race you’re going to be shattered, so don’t leave it until this moment to find out how you’re going to navigate out of the city alongside tens of thousands of other people. Plan a route home that requires the minimal amount of walking.

Don’t attach the timing tag to your laces

A common error a lot of newcomers make is attaching their timer tag to their laces to keep it secure and out of the way. At the end of the race, laces will end up being snipped to recover the tag and you’ll have to buy yourself a new pair.

The Loo Queue

You and 39,999 other runners will be experiencing some pre-race nerves, and there won’t be many Portaloos available for all those runners. Get yourself in the queue early, even if you don’t feel as though you need to go, you’ll be grateful that you did later on.

These are just a few tips that will help ease the nerves before your big running events. Remember them, and all should go smoothly – hopefully.