Don’t introduce anything new on race day

At 9 p.m., I set my alarm for 4 a.m. and fell asleep. The clocks went back on Sunday, so I got an extra hour of sleep and woke up feeling well-rested. I microwaved my porridge, adding a little banana before heading to the race.

At this point the nerves started to set in. After the obligatory pre-race bathroom visit, I tossed my hoodie into a designated clothing donation box and headed to the start line, where I laced up my so-called “”great shoes”, which have a carbon plate in the sole to give me extra spring in my stride. I had done about 90 percent of my training in normal running sneakers and the remaining 10 percent in these, so they were well broken in for race day.

Break the race into large chunks and don’t exhaust yourself from the start

At about six miles, I felt pretty strong. But it’s easy to catastrophize aches and pains and let those worries take over your brain.

My coping mechanism because it was about segmenting the race into small pieces. For example, at the 13 mile stage, I told myself that I just needed to get to 18, which is only five miles of running, which isn’t too bad.

After that you get to 20 miles and there are only six left. Once you reach 22 miles, you only have three miles left to go. Breaking the race into smaller portions made it much more manageable.

Stay Hydrated and Keep Refueling

In the second half, I kept telling myself that I had come this far and all I had to do was maintain my pace. “Don’t collapse now, keep going and you’ll be there soon enough,” I told myself.

There was also something quite special about knowing that my friends and family were following my progress from the UK – it kept me motivated when things got tough. Having not drunk for two weeks, I remembered how good it tasted first beer I would taste it and then started thinking about what I would eat when finished. I kept telling myself “it’s less than an hour of hard work and then you can relax”.

The route ended in Central Park with a gradual but cruel incline. The crowd pumped me up at that point and even though I was quite far into the pain cave. My advice at this point is to dig deep and increase the pace if possible. The last 800 meters seemed like it would never end, as I crossed the finish line I felt sick. Right after I stopped running, my legs seized up and I could barely walk. As soon as I got back to the hotel, I ordered an 18 inch pizza, took a long bath followed by beers at a dive bar right near Times Square.

Take care of yourself after the race

Make sure to drink plenty of water after running. As a general rule, whenever you eat or drink something, make sure it is accompanied by a glass of water. Consuming electrolytes is also a great way to ensure you are well hydrated. I had booked for a hot oil massage, cryotherapy and a IV treatment the day after the race, after which I felt like a whole new human.

Massage will help relieve any tension or stiffness in your body, cryo is great for reducing muscle soreness, and IV drip is a fantastic way to give your body all the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to recover quickly. As indulgent as they may seem, following treatments like these will help you recover and keep you feeling great.

Don’t forget to take a minute to recognize your success. Participating in the marathon is a big deal for everyone – wear your medal with pride.