Knowing your race pace is essential for marathon success. Go out too fast, and you’ll hit the wall. Go out too slow, and you’ll finish with energy left in reserve, regretting the opportunities you missed.

The key is finding a pace that is challenging but sustainable for 26.2 miles. For most runners, this is a pace that feels comfortable in the first 10 miles but becomes increasingly difficult as the race progresses.

One strategy is to break the race into three segments: an easy first 10K to settle into the race, a harder middle section where you’re running at goal pace, and a final section where you dig deep and give it everything you have.

Another strategy is to run negative splits: run the second half of the race faster than the first half. This requires discipline in the early miles, but it can result in a strong finish when you have energy to spare.

Practice your race pace during training long runs. Don’t just run these runs at an easy pace; include segments at goal marathon pace so your body and mind adapt to running at that pace for extended periods.