09/11/2025
Getting ready for London Marathon 2026?
According to a study, only 30-60% do substantial preparation in at least one dimension before marathon races, but none have expressed that they are “feeling completely ready” for any marathon races.
The worst part - your body breaks down during long runs, with muscle fibers (especially quadriceps, calves) start breaking down progressively after 20+ km in which also disrupt your hormonal production (eg: testosterone) which is required to boost your energy production to complete the finishing line.
So fueling up your glycogen is a starting point. But there is more to it than just taking energy gels during marathons.
With DNF numbers climbing to 7% according to Global Runner Survey (2024/25), preparation requires physical conditioning, injury prevention, mental toughness, equipment, pacing strategy, diet and many more.
If you are overtraining, chronic endurance athletes experience a 40% drop in testosterone, leading to slower muscle recovery.
Here is an old wisdom by experts:
Exercise is king, nutrition is queen
Dr. Michael Joyner (from Mayo Clinic, human performance researcher) once said:
“For endurance athletes, nutrition is training. The right diet fuels adaptation as much as the miles you run.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Louise Burke (Australian Institute of Sport, sports dietitian) said:
“You can have the best training plan in the world, but if your diet doesn’t support recovery, you won’t maximize performance.”
In the world of endurance and sports performance, AKARALI has partnered with various global running communities such as RunThrough in the UK, Singapore Runners Club, Maf Runners Club and many others to boost running performance across the finish line.
Find out more how we help marathon and ultramarathon runners here:
https://akarali.com/elevate-your-running-performance/
Get a free 16-week marathon plan and insights, what to look out for and other tips to prepare the upcoming London Marathon here:
https://akarali.com/marathon-runners-16-week-plan-to-achieve-sub-4-hour-enhanced-performance-and-endurance-with-nutrition-support-from-tongkat-ali/