Marathon Survival Guide

At some point in almost every marathon, the thought appears: Why am I doing this? It usually shows up when glycogen is dropping, muscle damage is accumulating and core temperature is rising. In other words, when your body is under real physiological strain. What feels like weakness is often your brain doing exactly what it is designed to do: protect you.

The brain constantly regulates effort through perceived exertion. When internal stress signals rise, it increases discomfort to encourage you to slow down. This is not failure. It is regulation. The key is understanding what is happening and knowing how to respond.

Here are six evidence-based strategies to manage the inevitable low points.

Low points feel catastrophic when they are unfamiliar. Progressive marathon training builds more than aerobic capacity. It improves glycogen storage, fat oxidation efficiency, neuromuscular resilience and thermoregulation. It also teaches you what marathon effort actually feels like. Most first-time marathoners benefit from 16 to 20 weeks of structured training. Gradually extending long runs and incorporating race-pace segments reduces physiological shock on race day.

Confidence is largely pattern recognition. If your body has experienced the stress before, your brain interprets it as manageable rather than threatening.

Preparation reduces perceived danger.

When fatigue rises, several mechanisms amplify discomfort:

Your brain integrates these signals and adjusts effort accordingly. This is sometimes described through the “central regulation” model of fatigue. The goal is not to override it recklessly, but to reduce the stress signals it is responding to.

Instead of panicking when a low hits, run a quick internal audit:

Often, small adjustments produce measurable relief within minutes.

One of the most common causes of mid-race collapse is underfuelling. Muscle glycogen stores are limited, and once depleted, pace drops sharply and perceived effort skyrockets. Waiting until hunger or fatigue appears is too late.

A structured carbohydrate plan, typically 60 to 90 grams per hour depending on tolerance and experience, helps maintain blood glucose and delay central fatigue. Hydration and electrolytes support plasma volume and thermoregulation. Think of it as making sure your cars' engine has enough oil and fuel to make a long road trip - not enough of either and you're broken down on the side of the road.

Environmental conditions matter too. Heat and humidity increase fluid losses and cardiovascular strain. Adjust your fuelling plan accordingly.

Fuel is not optional. It is performance preservation.

When fatigue spikes, the urge to stop feels logical. From a biological standpoint, stopping reduces metabolic demand immediately. However, abrupt stops often lead to stiffness, drops in blood pressure and difficulty restarting. A controlled pace reduction or strategic walk break is usually more effective than full cessation. Forward movement maintains rhythm, prevents excessive cooling and protects momentum. Slower is fine. Static rarely helps.

The objective is progress, not pride.

Cognitive load increases perceived effort. When you think about the remaining 12 kilometres all at once, the task feels overwhelming. Our tip: break the race into segments. Focus on the next kilometre marker, the next aid station, or even the next 60 seconds. Short-term goals reduce threat perception and make the effort feel controllable.

Simple cues like “relax shoulders” or “steady breath” improve running economy by reducing unnecessary muscular tension. Move your attention from the hurt you're feeling to the atmosphere around you. Lean on the excited of the crowd or the camaraderie of the other runners. It really does make time go faster.

Attention shapes experience. Direct it deliberately.

Perhaps the most powerful shift is this: assume a low point will happen.

When fatigue is expected, the brain is less likely to interpret it as danger. That distinction matters. If the sensation feels threatening, anxiety rises, heart rate drifts higher, and effort feels harder than it needs to. If it feels familiar, the system stays steadier. Experienced marathoners still experience difficult patches. They simply recognise them and avoid layering panic on top of fatigue.

When a low hits, respond rather than react. Slightly ease your pace to reduce metabolic strain. Take in fuel and fluids. Regulate your breathing. Give your body a few minutes to stabilise.

In most cases, the dip resolves once the underlying stress is addressed. The fatigue is often temporary. It is the panic response that tends to prolong it.

A marathon is a controlled stress test. Your brain will attempt to protect you by increasing discomfort as strain rises. Your job is not to fight your biology, but to work with it.

Prepare thoroughly. Fuel consistently. Monitor objectively. Adjust intelligently.

The finish line is rarely reached by those who never struggle. It is reached by those who respond well when struggle arrives.