And now it’s finally here: race day. Your legs are ready. Your head is ready. But… how do you pace those 42.195 km so you don’t cross the finish line looking like a ghost?
Good news: pacing isn’t magic, it’s a skill. And just like endurance, you can train it. With these 8 tips, you’ll run your marathon smarter, and hopefully faster.
Start slower than you think
The number one marathon trap: going out too fast. The adrenaline of the start, the cheering crowd, the fresh legs… and before you know it, you’re running 15 seconds per kilometre quicker than planned. Sure, that’s sustainable for now.
The problem? Your energy stores are limited, and burning through them too early will cost you minutes (or even tens of minutes) at the end. In English, this “strategy” is called putting time in the bank – as if you can cash in that early gain later. We now know the marathon is just as much an energy puzzle as it is a fitness challenge. The sooner you burn through your carbs, the worse the outcome – and the higher the chance of hitting “the wall.” That wall is your body telling you you’re out of glycogen and switching to pure fat burning – which is far less efficient.
Tip: Run the first 5 km a few seconds slower than your goal pace. It might feel too easy, but you’ll notice the difference after km 35. Bonus: in the chaos of the start, you often can’t hit goal pace anyway – so there’s no stress about forcing it.
Negative split: the best marathon pacing strategy
A negative split means running the second half of the marathon faster than the first. Analyses of world records show that top runners either run evenly or speed up slightly in the second half. And just to be clear – we’re not talking about a 30-second-per-kilometre difference. Plan to run the first half slightly slower, then gradually build from halfway. Read more about negative splitting in this blog.
Use intermediate goals
Forty-two kilometres is a big mental hurdle. Break it into smaller chunks: 5 km segments, or “to the next aid station.” That way, you’re not thinking “38 km to go,” but “just 2 km to the next marker.”
Small mental wins help you keep focus and thus pace. You need your head for pacing, not only your legs.
Tip: Turn off automatic lap splits on your watch. Use only the official kilometre markers from the organisers. That’s the only way to know your actual pace. A GPS is never 100% accurate – and Strava times aren’t official PBs!
Factor in the course and conditions
No marathon course is perfectly flat and windless.
For hills or headwinds, run to effort (RPE) instead of locking into a fixed pace. That way you won’t burn excess energy in the tough sections.
Know there’s a climb ahead? Keep something in reserve so you can get back to goal pace afterwards. Have an advanced watch like a Garmin that shows Grade Adjusted Pace (GAP)? Add it to your data screens – GAP shows your pace adjusted for gradient, so you stay in control.
Integrate fueling and hydration into your pacing
Your pace isn’t determined only by your legs, your energy levels matter just as much. In this blog, I dig much deeper into marathon nutrition.
Plan fueling and drinking moments in advance so they don’t disrupt your rhythm.
Rule of thumb: 60–90 grams of carbs per hour, plus fluids adjusted to temperature and sweat rate. And practise this during training so your gut is ready for it – I recommend doing it on long runs and tempo runs. Taking a gel at easy pace versus at marathon pace can feel very different.
Train your marathon pace beforehand
A pacing strategy only works if you’ve developed the feel for that pace.
That’s why my Trenara plans include key workouts where we run (part of) the distance at marathon pace.
The benefit: you learn the rhythm and train your body to perform at that pace – even with fatigue in the legs.
Be flexible and listen to your body
A pacing plan is a guide, not a contract. If only it were that simple, I’d be at the top of the world rankings.
Weather, course profile, and your form on the day can all differ from what you imagined.
Learn to recognise signs of fatigue (breathing, heart rate, muscle feel) and adjust your pace if needed. A smart change at km 15 can be the difference between finishing strong and blowing up.
Use the final kilometres
If there’s still fuel in the tank, this is your time.
From km 35–37, if you feel good, start gradually picking up the pace. Don’t wait until the final kilometre: a controlled acceleration will gain you more time, plus the mental boost of overtaking others. And don’t surge too sharply – small steps up in pace are more than fine after running for several hours.
Conclusion: pacing can be trained
The marathon is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. With a smart pacing strategy, you spread your effort, avoid the wall, and increase your PR chances.
And the best part? In Trenara’s marathon plans, we train pacing from day one – from pace awareness in interval sessions to simulations in long runs. You’ll stand on the start line with a plan your head and legs know by heart.
👉 Ready for a marathon you control from start to finish? Start free with a Trenara plan and unlock your personal best.
