Strategies for coping with the second half of a marathon Dealing with the last 13.1 miles You will need strategies for coping with the second half of a marathon because even well prepared marathoners may struggle to cope with the last 13.1 miles of the marathon. This guide and these top tips will make sure you have enough left in the tank for the second half of the race so you can tackle the beast known as: the marathon. Strategies for coping with the second half of a marathon: The first few hours If you have put in some thorough training, then the first half of the race or your first couple of hours of running should feel realtively comfortable. After that point, you may start to become increasingly tired, both mentally and physically. Because of this, your first few hours in a race should be about running in a controlled efficient manner . It is far too easy to go off too hard early in a race, or not take on enough fluid, and this will hit you hard in the second half of the race. Strategies for coping with the second half of a marathon: Ignore everyone It always best to ignore those that go roaring off in the first part of a race ; take it easy, safe in the knowledge that that you will have more in the tank for later than they will. It's quite possible you will overtake them in the latter stages of