Your First Ever 26.2 miles: 5 Tips for Marathon Newbies
Simple tweaks to make this legendary distance doable
November 27, 2025
The marathon is a legendary distance. Its origins trace back to the disputed tale of a Greek messenger’s 25-mile journey from Marathon to Athens in 490 B.C. Now, millions of us flock to marathon events each year. Whatever your motive, running 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometres) for the first time is daunting. The good news? With some savvy choices and the right preparation, it’s achievable – and enjoyable. Here are five tips to get you over that finish line.
Set your sights on success
It’s a PB! However long your first marathon takes, it will, by definition, be a personal best. This opens up space for you to set some more personal aims. Perhaps you’d like to celebrate a fitness journey, or reach the ultimate recovery milestone after illness. Maybe the motivation is extrinsic: raising a certain amount of money or joining a friend. For many athletes, goals will align with their ongoing training challenges: accurate pacing, mental resilience, or racing strategies.Defining success clearly will help you get through those long training runs – as well as the more challenging miles of the race itself.
Pick your marathon carefully
Decide the type of experience you envisage. The challenge of hills, or the consistency of a flat route? Would you prefer the adventure of travelling far from home, or do you need a more accessible event with friends and family to support? Are you inspired by the energy of crowds lining the roads, or would a quieter event help you lock in? Think about the success you defined above, the variables you know affect your running, and select intentionally.PUMA Athlete Patrick Dever chose New York for his marathon debut earlier this month, partly because he knew the hilly course meant less expectation for a fast time. (Despite that – or perhaps partly because of it – he finished fourth overall, in 2:08:58, less than a minute off the previous Olympic qualifying time).
Tried and tested kit
Dedicate time to researching, buying, and running in the kit that suits you. Race day is never the time to experiment with anything new, whether that’s shorts or hydration routines. It’s much more comfortable to turn up to the start line in gear you know inside out.Don’t go overcomplicated when buying a running kit. No one needs every single gadget or a rotation of 24 pairs of shoes. Patrick wore the versatile PUMA Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3 for his marathon debut. He told the Runner’s World podcast he also wore the Elite 3s for a 5km road race, and even parts of training.
Build your confidence
A training block isn’t just physical preparation – it’s the months-long process of building mental readiness too. There are plenty of elements to build into training to improve confidence in your ability to complete the course on race day.If you’re an established runner, review old diary or Strava entries to remember how capable you felt after, for example, your first half-marathon. If you live near the route, visit parts of the course to visualise your progress and what you might need. Mix up your training to add strength and conditioning: critical not only for stability and mobility, but for alleviating injury fears too.
Celebrate – then rest
Relief, joy, and possibly the desire to do the whole thing again? The blur of emotions after crossing the finish line as a marathon newbie is intense. Give your body (and brain) time to soak in the atmosphere. It’s a moment you’ll remember for the rest of your life. Once you’ve come down from the runner’s high, it’s time to rest and recover. Your body has undergone a lot of stress and needs replenishing. Rehydrate, refuel, sleep well, and address any injuries.Guard your downtime carefully over the next fortnight. You might feel a sense of freedom: no more training! It’s tempting to fill that spare time with back-to-back social events or travel. Schedule in some days of complete rest: naps, gentle movement, sports massages, and plenty of sofa time are all encouraged.
You’ll no longer be a marathon newbie. As a marathon finisher, you’re likely already planning your next one.
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