Training for a marathon? Avoid these finish line faux pas
You’ve spent months following a training plan, racked up hundreds of kilometres on your feet, got hold of some new running shoes and kit and, hopefully, tested your fuel options to know what sits best. What could this mean? You are, most probably, preparing to take on a marathon.
Often requiring a great deal of time, energy, compromise and commitment, getting ready for a marathon is no small matter – but neither is completing one. An enormous accomplishment no matter what your finish time or experience level, conquering a marathon is always worth the work that you put in.
But in the midst of all your marathon training, have you considered what you should do – and what you should not do – right after you cross the finish line?
We spoke with race organisers, coaches and elite runners to identify the seven biggest mistakes that runners make after they complete a marathon – and what we can do to avoid them going forward.
7 post-marathon errors to avoid
1. Stopping after you cross the finish line
You’ve just run a marathon – so what do you want to do? Stop and rest, of course.
However, no matter how tired and depleted you may feel after such a long and arduous effort, it’s important to keep moving that little bit longer – even if it’s just a slow walk. With potentially thousands of other runners taking part in the race and many finishing at the same time as you, you’ll contribute to unnecessary congestion if you stop immediately at the finish line.
‘As race directors or operations people, our biggest challenge is keeping people moving through the finish,’ says Michael Clemons, Running USA’s finish line manager and director of operations. ‘We have signs all through the finish line with ‘No sitting’ or ‘No stopping’ written on them – because all it takes is one person to do it. Then, it’s a domino effect of everybody wanting to sit down, which blocks the walkways.’
So, to help other runners complete the race and revel in the moment, keep the finish line open for them and keep walking to a designated space where you can take a moment to recover. Depending on the race, you may have to walk up to a mile beyond the finish chute before you can connect with family and friends – but it’s often worth the wait.
‘A lot of races will have post-race party areas where you can sit down, have a beer, hang out, meet your friends and reunite with your family,’ says Clemons.
At many major races, volunteers are on hand to scout the crowds and check whether any runners need medical attention past the finish line. With that in mind, if you find yourself in an emergency situation at the end of a race, help will be on hand.
2. ‘Shopping’ at the refuel station
Just beyond most marathon finish lines, you’ll find volunteers handing out water, sports drinks and other edible items such as bananas, apples and granola bars to help runners refuel and recover after the race.
Event organisers usually prepare to have one of each item for each participant, which means that everyone who completes the race can take their rightful share. However, sometimes, runners get overzealous and take handfuls of each snack – and if a race runs out of food and drink, it becomes problematic for participants who finish later on. ‘It really ruins the experience for the final finishers,’ says Clemons. ‘It’s not that we don’t want to support you – just keep in mind that there are people behind you that we have to support as well.’
3. Worrying about your watch
When standing at finish zones, Clemons often sees runners looking down to stop their watch immediately after crossing the line. However, this is the time when professional race photographers are out in force, trying to capture each runner at their greatest moment of marathon glory.
Alas – the result is not a celebratory shot, but an awkward photo of a runner focusing on their watch instead. ‘It’s not going to hurt your Strava if you wait five or 10 seconds, get that good race photo, then stop your watch after you pass that finish line,’ notes Clemons.
4. Skipping the celebration
No matter how your race pans out, it’s important to acknowledge the effort. Whether you go out for a post-race dinner or book a week-long holiday, make sure that you take time to commemorate the experience. Even professional runners, like 2022 New York City Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi, mark every major race with a celebration.
‘You finished – and that in itself is a big accomplishment,’ says Lokedi, who often likes to mark a 26.2-mile effort with a tasty meal and a glass of wine. ‘It doesn’t matter where you finished. I just learnt to appreciate everything, because that helps me going forward and to prepare for the next race.’
It’s important to take plenty of time to recover from the race, too. To stay healthy and avoid burnout, you probably need to take a break from running before you begin your next training cycle.
In fact, after a marathon, Lokedi doesn’t run for two weeks. When her season ends, she usually goes back home to Kenya, where she gardens and works on her family’s farm. If she’s staying at her training base in Flagstaff, in the US state of Arizona, she goes out with friends and does easy hikes on the trails around her house.
After that initial two-week period, she then gradually rebuilds her mileage and progresses to harder workouts. In addition to running, Lokedi also restarts her strength training routine and gets back to Zumba classes, which are popular among Kenyan runners. ‘It’s hard, but it’s so much fun,’ says Lokedi. ‘It opens up your body, loosens you up and gets you ready for the next training cycle.’
5. Overthinking the race takeaways
When moving from the track to the marathon, Lokedi realised that it’s helpful for her to acknowledge both the things that went well in a race and one or two things that need working on. Without dwelling too much on the negatives, Lokedi likes to pinpoint the areas for improvement early, so that she can make adjustments in her next training cycle. After just missing out on a medal in the marathon at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, she’s now working on strengthening her finishing kick in the last few kilometres of the distance.
‘The next time I get on the start line and people are moving, I want to be able to kick toward the end,’ says Lokedi. ‘Just putting those small things into my everyday run helps.’
6. Missing out on a post-race reflection
Between all the big emotions of crossing the finish line to returning to normality the next day, there’s often little time for thoughtful consideration about the race itself. Abeo Powder, a running coach who incorporates mindfulness practices into her training plans, aims to help runners process the accomplishment of completing 26.2 miles. Through workshops and individual sessions, Powder encourages runners to reflect on their physical, emotional, spiritual and cognitive state while identifying the mental tools that can support them if any of these areas need addressing after the race.
If you’re about to take on a marathon, Powder recommends that you create a reflection plan ahead of the race. This should include a series of questions, such as the ones suggested below, that you can then answer post-marathon:
What has your most recent challenge taught you?
What has it reminded you of, or what has it reinforced?
What messaging are you telling yourself?
How can you dismantle the messaging or reinforce it, if it’s positive?
Powder says that formulating a reflection plan can also help to prevent post-marathon blues.
7. Rushing to post on social media
When you finally make it across that marathon finish line, you might feel the urge to share the big moment with friends online. But, before you tap into social media and start writing that caption, Powder suggests that you give yourself at least a few hours – if not days – to reflect on your race and avoid comparison with other runners.
‘There’s a whole host of feelings that show up when you cross that finish line,’ she says. ‘You might be crying because you’re emotional and happy, but you might also be in physical pain. Maybe your race didn’t go the way that you wanted. If you’re someone that engages in social media, take that pause and be present and ground yourself.’
Once you’ve had enough time to process the race, feel free to share the moment in whatever way feels best for you.
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