Why I’m Trying a Slower Start in My Next Marathon

Welcome to the Runpreneur Blog, where I document my journey to go beyond Day 4,292 of the Runpreneur Challenge, push through 40,075km one lap of the world and raise £1,000,000 for children’s causes. Today, I’m sharing a race strategy I’ve never tried before, but one I believe might be the secret to breaking through the dreaded marathon wall. If you’re serious about running stronger, finishing faster, and smashing your fundraising goals, read on… this might just be the turning point you need!

Why Running Slower at First Might Be the Key to Going Further, Faster

As someone who’s laced up for 15 marathons and ultra-marathons, you’d think I’d have this race strategy business nailed. Yet, my last three marathons including Loch Ness, Manchester, and Edinburgh have left me feeling underwhelmed and frustrated. Injuries, training setbacks, and always starting too fast have put me in the same painful position: legs like concrete and mind in a fog at mile 20.

But what if everything I thought I knew was wrong?

I recently came across a runner’s article that flipped my usual approach on its head. It asked a bold question: Could start slower leave you with more in the tank for those crucial final miles? No more falling off a cliff at the wall. No more soul-destroying shuffles. Instead, a strategy built on patience and trust in your body’s natural endurance.

The Three Key Marathon Race Strategies

• Go Out Fast, build a buffer: My go-to: Start quicker than your target pace, hope for a buffer, and hang on for dear life. I’ve PB’d with this (3:24:48) but crashed hard just as often.

• Steady Even Pace: Sounds simple, but steady often becomes “slightly too quick.” Before you know it, you’re clinging on as the splits nosedive.

• Start Slow, Finish Strong (Negative Splits): The one I’ve never tried until now!

The Science: Fuel Tanks, Fat Burn, and Avoiding the Wall

Here’s why going slow first makes sense. If you blast off from the start, your body drains its energy stores and your gels, sweets, and blocks struggle to keep up. Your “fuel tank” empties fast, and when it’s gone…it’s wall time.

But, if you start 10–15 seconds per kilometre slower in those opening miles, your heart rate stays low. You burn more fat, save those precious carbs, and let your fuelling plan work its magic. When you hit the pace after a few miles, you’ve got a fuller tank, more to give, and a much better shot at staying strong through 20 miles and beyond.

My Promise: A New Approach for My Next Marathon

I’m done with insanity doing the same thing, expecting a different result. Next time, I’ll start 10–15 seconds per kilometre slower for the first 3–4 miles, ramp up gradually, and focus on keeping my carbohydrate stores topped up. I’ll be fuelling smarter, racing steadier, and aiming to power past the 20-mile wall with a vengeance.

Will it work? Watch this space. I’ll share every step, every lesson, every tough truth from the road.

Let’s Go Beyond: One Step, One Mile, One Child at a Time

Every day, I’m running not just for personal bests, but to save the lives of children with my Runpreneur challenge. If you believe in my mission to raise £1,000,000, please subscribe, share, like, and join the conversation. Your support gets us in front of more people, raises more money, and, most importantly, saves more lives.

Drop your own marathon tips and strategies in the comments. Have you tried the slow-start approach? Smashed your PB with negative splits? Or are you still chasing that elusive perfect race day? Let’s make this community the best source of real-world advice anywhere online.

Key Takeaways:

• Running slower at the start is a game-changing strategy if you always hit the wall.

• Fuel right, pace yourself, and trust your training.

• Join me on the mission to run 40,075km and raise £1,000,000 for children's causes.

Stay positive. Stay happy. Keep running. See you out there for Day 1,837—and beyond!

#MarathonStrategy #RunpreneurChallenge #BarefootRunning #NegativeSplits #FuelSmart #Raising1Million #SaveChildrensLives #StayPositiveStayHappy

If you enjoyed this post, help me push towards our fundraising targets, your support matters! Subscribe, share, and comment below with your strategies or questions. Together, we’ll go further than ever before!