The Marathon is a cruel and honest distance. From the hours of training to race-day execution, here are three mistakes you can avoid to ensure you have a successful race on the day.
Every marathon begins with the same hope: that the months of training, the hours of sacrifice, the early mornings, and aching legs will be rewarded at the finish line. Yet time and again, runners are undone not by a lack of fitness, but by the same avoidable mistakes.
The marathon is cruel like that. It doesn't only test your body, it tests your preparation, your patience, and your fueling. Ignore these lessons, and the distance will expose you. Respect them, and 26.2 becomes possible.
Here are the three mistakes that cost runners most dearly, and how to avoid them.
1. Neglecting Fueling
The body can store about two hours' worth of glycogen. After that, the tank runs dry. The marathon, almost perfectly, is just long enough to empty it. That's why "the wall" arrives at 20 miles with such cruel precision.
The most common mistake is treating fueling as optional. Something to grab only when fatigue sets in. By then, it's too late. Fueling isn't a last-minute rescue; it's a steady drip of energy that keeps the legs moving before depletion hits.
This is where Maurten has changed the game. Hydrogel technology allows runners to absorb more carbohydrates without experiencing the stomach distress that once defined the marathon. Drink Mix in the build-up, Gel 100 or Gel 100 Caf every 25–30 minutes during the race, Solid 160 for pre-race fueling. It's a system designed to keep the wall at bay.
Ignore fueling, and the marathon will punish you. Respect it, and you give yourself the chance to run the race you trained for.
2. Training Too Hard, Resting Too Little
Many runners believe more is always better. More miles, more intervals, more effort. But the truth is brutal: the body doesn't get stronger during training. It gets stronger in recovery. Every mile is only as good as the rest that follows it.
The mistake is hammering every session as if it's a race, ignoring the body's whispers until they become screams. Overtraining is the silent thief of marathons. It doesn't just rob speed, it robs the joy of running itself.
Smart training respects recovery as much as mileage. Easy runs are truly easy. Sleep is protected, not stolen. Nutrition supports adaptation, not just calorie replacement. Maurten plays a role here too: by lowering oxidative stress and improving energy metabolism, it helps athletes recover faster, adapt more fully, and arrive at the line ready, not ragged.
3. Going Out Too Fast
It's the oldest mistake in the book, and still the most common. The start line buzz, the fresh legs, the cheering crowds, it feels effortless. Until it doesn't.
Banking time in the early miles is a myth. Every second gained too soon becomes minutes lost in the late miles. The marathon rewards restraint early and courage late. Patience in the first half is what allows strength in the second.
Fueling ties in here as well: pacing and fueling are inseparable. A steady intake of carbohydrate supports a steady rhythm of effort. Blow up the pacing, and the fueling plan unravels too.
The best marathoners, elites and amateurs alike, run with discipline. They resist the crowd, trust the plan, and save their courage for the final few miles, where it matters most.
A Final Thought
The marathon is, by design, cruel. It punishes arrogance and magnifies mistakes. But it rewards those who respect its lessons.
Fuel early and often. Train hard, but recover harder. Start with patience, finish with courage.
Maurten can't promise an easy marathon. But it can give you the tools to avoid the most costly mistakes. And when you cross that line, whether in Berlin, Chicago, or New York, you'll know it wasn't luck that carried you. It was preparation, discipline, and fuel.
Because the marathon isn't about perfection. It's about not making the same mistakes twice.
Written by Sean Hamilton
Photo Credits: Carla Nagel & Marcel Hilger
