Marathons are, without doubt, my favourite distance.
I love everything about them. The early morning alarms. The long runs where your legs are tired before you’ve even started. The threshold sessions squeezed into a lunch break. The conversations with friends that somehow make 20 miles disappear. I love the taper; despite the anxiety it brings. Convincing yourself you’ve forgotten how to run, imagining injuries that don’t exist.
I love the buzz of the expo, pinning on a race number that never quite sits straight and standing on the start line surrounded by thousands of runners as the countdown begins. I love the suffering and the resilience it demands. The emotions at the finish line. The medal. The relief. The tears. The “I did it”.
But if you’d told me after my first marathon that one day I’d run 2:57, I’d never have believed you. Back then, my marathon was around 4 hours 20 minutes. I crossed the line completely exhausted and barely able to stand up, let alone walk, but as the pain subsided, I knew I’d be back for another.
Fast forward a few years and I found myself standing on the streets of Milan, stopping my watch in 2:57. Breaking three hours wasn’t just PB for me. It represented years of learning. Years of getting things wrong. Years of discovering that marathons aren’t won by one magical training plan or breakthrough session.
But, by consistency, grit, an unhealthy level of stubbornness… and a willingness to learn.
WHAT ACTUALLY CHANGED
Going from 4:20 to sub three wasn’t about training harder, it was about training smarter. Learning how to recover properly so I could train consistently. Understanding that fuelling matters just as much in training as it does on race day and realising that the right kit doesn’t just make running more comfortable, it allows you to train properly.
I used to treat shoes, hydration and recovery as afterthoughts. But over time, I realised those details often make the biggest difference. None of these changes transformed things overnight. But together, they completely changed how I trained and raced.
If you’re working towards your first marathon, or chasing a new personal best, these are the tips that made the biggest difference for me.
TIP 1: FIND A TRAINING PLAN THAT WORKS FOR YOU
One of the biggest mistakes I used to make was comparing my training to others. I’d see people posting huge mileage weeks or impossible looking interval sessions. It made me question whether I was doing enough. The reality is, there’s no one size fits all approach to training.
Some runners thrive on high mileage, while others perform better with fewer miles and more quality sessions. Some rely heavily on cross training, while others focus on heart rate. We’re all balancing different jobs, families, and lifestyles, and our bodies respond and recover in different ways. For women, our menstrual cycles can also influence how we feel from week to week.
What made the difference for me was following a structured plan built around my own goals, my body, and my lifestyle, rather than trying to replicate someone else’s.
That might look like:
- joining a local run club for structure and support
- working with a coach who can tailor your training properly
- or using a running app that creates personalised plans with target paces
Once I found a plan that focused on me, I recovered better, stayed healthier, and really enjoyed marathon training.
TIP 2: FIND RUNNING SHOES YOU CAN TRUST
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s the importance of good running shoes. When I first started running, there weren’t nearly as many options as there are now.
Today, every brand has multiple daily trainers, super shoes, cushioned long run shoes and while that choice is great, it can also feel overwhelming. Especially as prices continue to rise.
For me, Nike running trainers have become my go to running shoes.
The Nike Vomero 18's in particular have handled everything from easy Sunday miles to marathon pace efforts. What I like is how versatile they are, soft and cushioned enough for long runs, but still responsive enough that I can pick up the pace if I want to. I’ve also worn them in the summer on trails, and they’ve felt stable and supportive throughout.
There are so many great shoes out there, but the best advice I can give is simple, find the pair that works for your feet. If you’re unsure where to start, it’s worth exploring different running trainers to understand what suits your training style.
TIP 3: BUILD SLOWLY
If marathon training teaches you anything, it’s patience. Progress doesn’t happen in one week; it’s built over months of showing up consistently. I’ve been guilty of doing too much when training felt good. Adding extra miles. Pushing harder than planned. Often, it left me tired, niggly, and unable to hit the sessions that mattered.
As a rough guide, I try not to increase my weekly mileage by more than around 10%. It gives my body time to adapt, reduces my risk of injury and means I can keep showing up week after week.
I’ve also learned that recovery is just as important as the training itself. It can be tempting to think an easy day is a missed opportunity, but it’s often during those recovery days that your body adapts and gets stronger. Sometimes the smartest decision isn’t another run, it’s swapping it for a swim, an easy cycle or putting your feet up and letting your body recover.
It’s not always the most exciting approach, but looking back, consistency has been far more valuable than any single heroic training week.
TIP 4: MIX UP YOUR TRAINING
When I first started marathon training, I thought the answer was simply to run more. Most of my runs were at a similar pace, and I rarely stopped to think about the purpose behind each session. Now, during a marathon block, nearly every run has a clear role.
Easy runs are exactly that, easy. They build aerobic fitness, support recovery, and allow you to increase your mileage without overloading your body. Threshold sessions, run at a “comfortably hard” effort, improves endurance and helps your body sustain faster paces for longer. Marathon pace runs get you used to your goal race pace, while VO2 max sessions, shorter, harder intervals, develop speed and overall fitness. A well structured marathon plan brings all of these elements together.
Over the last couple of years, I’ve placed a greater emphasis on strength and conditioning. At first, I replaced one of my weekly runs to make space for it, which felt completely counterintuitive. I worried that running less would mean losing fitness. Instead, building strength has made me more resilient, reduced niggles, and left me feeling stronger.
I’ve learned that marathon training isn’t just about running more miles. It’s about making each session count and giving your body the variety it needs.
TIP 5: RUN WITH OTHERS
Some of my favourite marathon memories haven’t happened on race day. They’ve happened on cold Sunday mornings, when it’s pouring with rain, the wind is in your face, and you’re questioning every life decision that brought you to the start of your run. Then someone cracks a joke or starts singing, and somehow another five miles have gone by.
I’m lucky that a lot of my friends and family run, so there’s usually someone willing to join me. Sometimes they’ll run the whole distance, other times they’ll meet me for a few miles in the middle. Even having company for part of a session can make a huge difference, both mentally and physically.
Running with others also brings a level of accountability that’s hard to replicate on your own. When it’s dark, raining, and your alarm goes off at 6am, it’s much easier to stay in bed. Knowing someone is waiting for you makes getting out of the door that little bit easier.
If you don’t have people to run with, I’d really recommend joining a local run club or heading along to your nearest parkrun. They’re great places to meet runners of all abilities, find training partners, and remind yourself that marathon training doesn’t have to be a solo journey.
TIP 6: DON'T IGNORE YOUR FUELLING
If I could give my 4:20 marathon self one piece of advice, it would be this, practise your nutrition. For years, I focused entirely on the running and barely thought about fuelling. Now, every long run is a rehearsal.
I plan what I’ll eat before I head out, which gels I’ll use, when I’ll take them, and how I’ll hydrate during and after the run. It’s taken a lot of trial and error, especially with a sensitive stomach, but that’s exactly why it matters. Fuelling is highly individual. What works for one might not work for another, which is why trial packs of gels and electrolytes are so useful when you’re figuring out what suits you best.
One piece of kit that’s made a huge difference, especially during longer runs in the summer is the Salomon Active Skin 8 hydration vest.
It comes with two soft flasks, so I typically fill one with water and the other with electrolytes, then carry gels, phone and keys so I can replicate race day fuel in training. I went with an XS following the sizing guide and it’s been a good fit.
It’s helped me get into the habit of sipping regularly, rather than waiting until I feel thirsty. I’ve found this helps prevent stitches, keeps my energy levels more stable, and makes a noticeable difference in how I feel towards the end of long runs, when fatigue really starts to build.
If you’re looking for options, there are plenty of running vests here that can support longer training runs:
The lesson is simple don’t leave nutrition to race day. Train it like everything else.
TIP 7: ENJOY THE PROCESS
Running 2:57 wasn’t built in one moment. It was built in lots of ordinary ones. Early alarms. Rainy runs I almost skipped. Conversations that made long runs disappear. Sessions that didn’t go to plan. Marathons where I got everything wrong. Every one of them mattered.
Breaking three hours wasn’t the finish line, it was just proof that consistency works.
I still get nervous before races. I still doubt myself in taper week. And I still cry at the finish line. The difference now is I understand something I didn’t before, it was never just about the finish time. It was about everything that came before it.
So, whether you’re training for your first marathon or chasing a personal best, trust your own process. Be consistent. Train smart. Recover well.
And enjoy it.