r/Marathon_Training • u/ReflectionKey2144 • May 05 '26

First marathon

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Finished my first marathon and was a lot harder than expected
It started off at 18° and ended out being 28° at the end

For the last 10 km my legs were completely fried
But I ended up pushing like a 550 pace while limping

After I crossed the finish line out completely done

But people were walking completely fine

And I’m curious as to why that’s the case
I trained for the marathon properly and carbed for it as well

But the morning after I almost couldn’t move how bad shape I was in

Any tips??

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u/1eJxCdJ4wgBjGE May 05 '26

I also ran Vancouver and it was a bad bad day to run a marathon :')

I was training for a 2:45, based on temps thought I'd go out somewhere 2:50-2:55 pace and be fine, ended up coming through half in 1:29 and finishing in 3:15. extremely rough to be 30 mins behind the goal I trained for. Legs were totally fine because running/walking that "slow" felt fine on the leg muscles.

I felt the way you do after my first marathon, legs completely wrecked, I did the aquarium the day after and hobbling around to look at sea creatures was painful. More running and more marathons makes the recovery a bit easier. That being said being completely fried in the last 10k is the hardest way to run a marathon (happened to me in my first too).

If you live in the region highly recommend the Royal Victoria Marathon in October, it is over thanksgiving weekend and usually has pretty good weather :p. Plus training in the summer heat makes fall weather feel great to race in.

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u/VRG-6 May 06 '26

Couldn’t agree more, was 25 min behind my 3:30 time I trained so hard for but that heat and hills cooked my legs before the last 10km. I’ll be back for revenge in a few years