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For the first time in history, more than three quarters of a million (840,318) people applied to take part in this year’s TCS London Marathon ballot.
The race, which will be held on April 27, will see those who were successful in being allocated a place take the iconic course from Greenwich to Westminster – marking the 45th edition of the event.
With two months to go until the big day, runners are in the thick of their training as they work towards the finish line.
However, with the risk of injuries, fatigue, low motivation or lack of energy, it’s important to be aware of what to consider at this stage of training.
So how can you optimise your training in those final months?
Get your body used to energy gels
Energy gels help replenish your depleted carbohydrate stores when running, giving you an extra boost during long-distance runs.
“You want to ensure that you are trying out glucose gels before your race,” says Arj Thiruchelvam, head coach at Performance Physique.
“You should start integrating [gels] into your training now, as your gut needs roughly six weeks to adapt. The gels can cause some gastrointestinal discomfort and toilet stops, so start testing them now on every run and get used to the sensation they may give you.”
Structure your runs
“At this stage you should still be doing every different type of run that’s available, and ideally four runs a week,” says Thiruchelvam.
“You should have two quality runs a week – which means running at different paces, speeds and efforts. Also for the next five weeks, two of your runs should be easy zone one and two runs. This will keep your heart rate low while improving your aerobic base.
Taper towards the end
Tapering is the process of reducing your training load before a race. This helps to make sure you’re fully recovered from the training build-up.
“As you build into the final two weeks of marathon training, you’re going to reduce the amount of quality faster sessions. The majority of these weeks should be easier running,” says Thiruchelvam.
“Don’t get rid of everything entirely and it’s important you don’t become sedentary. You still want things to be moving, but feeling nice and fresh and also not using up too much energy.
For the last week, training should be mainly undertaking mobility work and cross training, such as swimming, yoga, or cycling, as the big day approaches.
Prioritise rest and recovery
Research from Strava found that last year, runners began to prioritise their recovery more. Those training for marathons added more rest and active recovery days into their schedule, with 51% of days in the 16 weeks before the race being rest days.
“I think people start to panic a little and over-train rather than prioritising their recovery and strength,” says Laura Wilson, physio and founder of The Swiss Touch.
“As your race gets closer you need to make sure you’re really spending more time actually on recovery, such as stretching, foam rolling and making sure you give your body time to heal.”
“When you’re stretching, work your way from your toes up to your head, making sure you go through your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, soleus, feet and achilles,” says Thiruchelvam.
Train in the clothes you’re going to wear
“Make sure you’re wearing the exact trainers, socks and outfit you plan to wear when training,” Wilson says.
“You want to have a chance to get used to how it feels and be aware of things such as rubbing or chafing.”
Practise race-day nutrition
Ensuring you opt for the correct nutrition, and fuelling your body with enough calories is crucial for marathon training.
“At this stage, everyone should also try out the nutrition they plan to have on race day,” says Thiruchelvam.
“What is your breakfast meal going to be? How many hours before you run are you going to have it? And what foods are most effective for you?
“Ideally you want to be consuming your final meal between two to four hours before running. That meal should be focused on simple and easily digestible carbohydrates, lots of starches, as minimal fibre as possible and as minimal fat content as possible.”
Know everything before race day
“When race day comes, make sure you know your start time and route to get there in the morning. Know which roads are going to be closed and what could impede your arrival,” says Thiruchelvam.
“You want to make sure that there’s no concerns over the things you can control, such as the route and ensuring you have your correct gels.”
How do you avoid injury?
According to Thiruchelvam, the most common cause of injury is a sudden change in either the volume that you’re running or the intensity at which you’re running.
“What you want to do is make very small changes – it can either be to your mileage or your speed – but don’t do both at the same time.
“Strength training is the most common thing I will tell people to do,” Wilson says.
“If [your] mileage is increasing and you aren’t strong enough, you will start to get injuries. So the earlier you start exercises such as pilates – which works on the small stabilising muscles and big resistance movements, such as squats, lunges, single-side deadlifts, and single-legged squats – the earlier you maximise your strength, [you will] help prevent injuries.”
“I also advise people on a little tip to do strength training just in their socks, as it also strengthens the feet.”
Have fun!
“The London Marathon itself is one of the most celebrated events in the calendar. The crowds are amazing so really remember to enjoy the whole experience and be prepared to have a great time,” says Thiruchelvam.
