5 Race Day Tips with Matt James | Marathon Prep, Pacing & Fuelling

"The race is a celebration. The race is the cookie for doing all the right things."

Matt James went from The Bachelor and Dancing with the Stars to one of TV's most legitimate marathon runners. But he'll tell you the real reward isn't the finish line, it's the training.

This week on The Runna Podcast, Matt joins Anya to talk about why running used to feel like punishment, a month training in Kenya, the pacing mistake that ended in a walk up First Avenue, and why he'd rather enjoy the process than chase a time. Plus his five race day tips with the marathon in New York just around the corner, and an exclusive on his pasta gel.

In this episode, you'll learn:
🏃 From Punishment to Joy: how to retrain your brain to enjoy running
🌍 A Month Training in Kenya: what running with champions taught him
📈 Why Training Matters More Than Race Day: the "cookie" mindset
🚫 The Marathon Pacing Mistake: going out too fast, and why negative splits are safer
🍝 5 Marathon Race Day Tips: fuelling, pacing, smiling and a straw
🍩 Dream Race: the Krispy Kreme Challenge

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⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
2:05 What running means to Matt James: a release and an escape
2:53 Why running felt like punishment (and how to enjoy running again)
8:08 How a bank run club got him into running
13:53 Training in Kenya: almost a month at a high-altitude camp
16:12 Watching a champion train in Kenya from a moped
23:45 Marathon training mindset: why the race is "the cookie"
25:31 The marathon pacing mistake: going out too fast
28:14 Why negative splits are the safest way to race a marathon
31:05 Chasing a sub-3 marathon, and why a time doesn't define success
35:12 Mile 19: "Why am I doing this?"
36:58 ABC Food Tours: food, fitness and giving back
43:50 5 marathon race day tips: pacing, fuelling and more
48:03 Exclusive: the pasta gel
54:25 Dream race: the Krispy Kreme Challenge