If TikTok is to be believed, your mid twenties is the perfect time for one of two things: a marathon, or a quarter life crisis. The former is an infinitely more appealing option seeing how it is less emotionally scarring and time consuming—plus it comes with an added bonus of upping your current level of physical fitness. With that being said, the nature of a marathon in itself is wholly intimidating. Not only are you willing your body to run for an extended distance almost entirely without pause, you are also essentially putting it in a high-stress situation where it has to deal with a series of unpredictable variables. Think along the lines of weather, incline, and for some of us, period pains and aches. This thus brings us to the point of the feature: how is it you can best prepare yourself for a marathon?
“Post-pandemic, many of us started valuing our health and time outdoors more. Training for a marathon gives structure and purpose to that,” shares Ben Khoo, health supplement brand founder as well as Singapore Ironman Triathlon record holder. “The constant sharing of races and long runs on social media has also driven a lot of the growth. And honestly, I think people are looking for challenges that are hard but still achievable with consistent effort.”
Intrigued? Lucky for you, Vogue Singapore is here to provide. Below, a full rundown of the best tips, tricks and hacks to try before your first marathon, as told to us by veterans and newly-admitted newbies.
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Soh Rui Yong, national long distance runner
Why run a marathon? I decided to run a marathon in 2014 because I felt that it was my best chance to win a gold medal for Singapore at the 2015 SEA Games. Back then. I was a better 10km runner than I was a 5km runner, and a better half-marathon runner than a 10km runner. So the progression made sense, if I could handle the increased training.
What I wished I knew before running a marathon: Don’t rush things. My first two marathon buildups went well, so I got a little bit too ambitious on my third one and that left me with plantar fasciitis. That bugged me for years, and probably stunted my progress—it also affected other aspects of life as well. I found that I was unable to function properly at work, and was limping around the office. I’m a lot healthier now in my thirties than in my twenties.
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The best marathon preparation tips and hacks: First, prep well in advance. Second, taper well about two to three weeks out, so your body absorbs the training and is healthy on race day. Third, pace yourself well. Nobody ever started a marathon too slow.
One key piece of advice for interested candidates: Get a coach to guide you so you can avoid unnecessary injuries and other mishaps. Anecdotally, as a coach, I have helped more than 100 runners achieve new personal bests. Simple fundamentals make a world of difference.
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Eugena Bey, founder and senior Pilates instructor at B.E. Studios
Why run a marathon? My father-in-law actually bought me the Copenhagen Half Marathon ticket as a birthday gift. Honestly, running a half marathon was not on my life bingo card, but I thought, why not? It felt like something new to challenge myself with, as well as something to train for and look forward to. I’m super lucky that my first ever half marathon was part of the SuperHalf series (such an iconic race!) and that I got to do it in my husband’s home country, running with him and his family. That made it really special and memorable.
What I wished I knew before running a marathon: The hardest part is just starting. And sometimes, restarting. Progress isn’t always linear. Some runs will feel amazing, others will completely humble you, but that’s all part of it. Be patient with yourself, have fun with the process, and celebrate the little milestones along the way. You got this.
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The best marathon preparation tips and hacks: First of all, definitely no new shoes on race day or even too close to race day. Be sure to include mobility work in your training, do proper warm-ups before every run, and don’t skip the post-run stretch or foam roll (your future self will thank you).
One key piece of advice for interested candidates: Lay everything out the night before; think your shoes, bib, gels, playlist… all of it. Eat something you’ve tried before and stay hydrated. Sleep early if you can, and one more thing—check the weather forecast, especially if you’re racing outside of Singapore. When we were in Copenhagen, it was all bright, gorgeous summer days the whole week before the race. And then of course, on race day, it poured. Thankfully we’d checked the weather and I managed to get a long-sleeved top. I was still freezing, but at least I was covered. Standing there in the rain waiting for your start group in only a sports bra and shorts? Oof. Not fun.
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Ben Khoo, Singapore triathlon representative at the SEA Games 2025 and founder of supplement label Live Long Long
Why run a marathon? I came into marathons through triathlons. I was already training for Ironman, so the marathon was always this “final boss” at the end of a very long day. Eventually I got curious: what if I focused just on the run? Could I see what I was really capable of over 42.195 km without the swim and bike first? There’s also something very universal about the marathon. It doesn’t matter how fit you are—everyone is a little bit scared of the distance, and that shared fear makes the finish line feel extra special. Even now, after running a 2:34 marathon, I still treat every marathon with a lot of respect. It never feels “easy”, and I think that challenge is part of the appeal.
What I wished I knew before running a marathon: Half the battle is in training, and the other half is recovery. You can only benefit from the workouts you can absorb. Prioritise recovery if you want to get the most out of your training. For me, the two big pillars of recovery are adequate, balanced nutrition and good-quality sleep. Don’t try anything new in the last two weeks. No brand-new shoes, no experimental diets, no crazy last-minute “make up” long runs. By then, the hay is already in the barn. Taper, rest, and show up healthy. Also, look good, run good. Wearing a kit you love turns training from a chore into a ritual. When I feel stylish and confident on the start line, you feel like the main character in your own race.
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The best marathon preparation tips and hacks: Firstly, practice your race day routine. The best way to prepare for a race is to simulate it as closely as possible. Practice everything—from running at your goal pace, using your race outfit (don’t save it for race day!), and trying out your pre-race morning routine a couple times. Never do something for the first time on race day. Secondly, start slower than you think you should. It’s normal to get swept up in the good vibes on race day and run too fast. This always happens. Start the race slower than you think you can race, and increase the pace every 10km. Last but not least, keep fuelled. Some of the biggest performance gains in endurance sports in recent years have come from better fuelling strategies. You should be eating and hydrating early in the race, before you feel like you need it. Once you’re depleted, it’s very hard to come back.
One key piece of advice for interested candidates: Your friends are your ultimate performance hack. The running company you keep has a bigger impact on your progress than any training plan. Find a good group to run with and keep you accountable. The road to race day can be long and difficult, but the right people make the whole process much more fun.
