FRONTLINE TACTICS

RUN YOUR BEST MARATHON THIS SPRING WITH THESE SECRETS FROM THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES AT BIG RACES

WORDS: RACHAEL WOOLSTON

MARATHON SECRETS

Want to know the insiders’ secrets to preparing, racing and looking great on marathon day? We asked for the top tips from those who are right on the frontline of the marathon action: everyone who makes the race work, from the pacers to the sports photographers. These people have witnessed thousands of runners have the race of their lives – and more than a few making rookie errors – so learn from their experience before you start your next 26.2-mile journey.

THE RACE MARKER

Ever wondered why you can run the same race as a friend but they have run a shorter distance? It could all be due to the magic line. “Every event with a UKA Licence has a running line that is measured to ensure accurate distance,” explains Josephine Osborne, who runs events consultancy joeventsolutions.com and has worked on the Brighton Marathon and Nottingham Robin Hood Marathon. “At the Virgin London Marathon, this line is marked on the road but, where it isn’t, the best rule of thumb is to follow the inside of any bend.”

PORTABLE LOO PROVIDER

No matter how many times you go to the toilet before a race, you always feel you need to go again just before the race when there’s a big line. The trick to skipping the queue? Get running. “If you are uncertain whether you really need to go, wait,” advises Abi Sweetman, loosfordos.com, who supplies portable toilets for events including the Virgin London Marathon. “Most big races have toilets on the course within the first two miles, and these toilets won’t have a queue and they’ll be cleaner.” Study the route map for toilet locations and make a mental note before the race. “They are often just before or after a water station, so it’s a natural place to slow or stop anyway.”