With the Malta Marathon coming up very soon, we've gathered some insights on how Malta's top athletes prepare for the big race physically, psychologically and nutritionally. Read on for their top marathon tips, especially for runners taking up this challenge for the first time.

First, here's a brief introduction of the runners who kindly dedicated their time to contribute to this article:

Charlton Debono

Charlton Debono is undoubtedly one of Malta's finest athletes and arguably Malta's (Gozo's actually) fastest man, breaking the national record on the half marathon distance a number of times, and also breaking the National Full Marathon record in his very first attempt at this distance - one which had been standing for 19 years. In December 2019, Charlton broke yet another long-standing (22year) national record of the Mdina to Spinola course, a super achievement which he considers one of his greatest.

Andrew Grech

Andrew Grech is the first Maltese athlete to finish the last 3 editions of the Full Malta Marathon. He is the winner of the Malta National Road League & the National League on Track, and broke the national record for the Half Marathon in 2014. In 2018, Andrew finished 2nd place in the World Police & Fire Games in China and represented Malta on several occasions, such as the World Cross Country, World Mountain Championships, World Half Marathon & European Team Championships.

Josann Attard Pulis

Josann Attard Pulis has placed first female overall in the Ferrara Marathon in 2016 and 2018, and the Rimini Marathon 2019. She was also the first female Maltese athlete to cross the Malta Marathon finish line in every edition of the race since 2014. Josann feels that these aren't simply personal achievements. "I have a lot of support from friends, family and other athletes from STARMAX. My greatest asset is receiving scientific advice from coach Mark Farrugia and moral support from Move Smart City Fitness, Garmin, Hudson, Intersport, House of Sport and Nike."

Mark Lewis

Mark Lewis is a triathlete who has proudly participated in a number of awesome races such as the Ironman and Xterra, with his biggest achievement (and all-time favourite race) being the Malta Marathon. This year will mark his third time participating in the race and fourth time running the 42.2k distance, including the Ironman. In his own words "The feeling of crossing the finish line with my baby girl Hope is beautiful and unexplainable." Mark is regarded as an inspiration by many as sport helped him transform his life completely. 

So here are a few questions that pop up in a runner's mind before the 'Big Day', answered by some of Malta's finest.

What do you eat during the week leading up to a race, and on race day?

Charlton: Typically I eat a balanced healthy diet all year round. I have a rather high carbohydrate diet on most days. Long distance running requires a lot of energy. In the week leading to a race I make sure that I eat a bit extra carbohydrate-rich food such as pasta, to ensure I have lots of energy during the race.

Andrew: Since the Marathon falls on a Sunday, I base the first 3 days on protein, white and red meat, and from Thursday till Saturday on carbohydrates, mostly rice or pasta. It's important to keep hydrated as electrolytes, sodium & potassium play a very important role in regulating your body's water balance during the marathon.

Josann: I eat the usual food which I'm used to eating daily. This mostly consists of a protein source such as meat or fish, with vegetables as a source of fibre, as well as rice, fruit and nuts to supply me with energy while I'm running. This balanced diet continues during the last four days before the marathon, but with a higher emphasis on energy foods.

Mark: During marathon week I usually like to carb up mainly with sweet potato and some pasta. I reduce my protein intake. Eating more carbs than previous weeks is recommended, however I would be careful not to overdo it. Just an extra small portion than usual would serve its purpose and I definitely recommend experimenting with different types of carbs, since what works for me, may not work for another. Make sure you don't experiment with different foods during the week leading up to the marathon. Play it safe.

What does your training schedule look like in the 7 days leading up to a race? Do you still train, and if so how?

Charlton: Yes, of course. I still train, but the training leading to an important race is less intense than usual. The body needs to be fully recovered by race day. I would mainly carry out easy runs in the week leading to a big race.

Andrew: One should start reducing running distance two weeks prior to the Marathon. I still train, but I reduce the mileage by half the usual number.

Josann: Sure, training is balanced during the last week or so, in order to include strength, speed, tempo running and recovery sessions which increase as the race gets closer.

Mark: The training sessions taking place a week prior to the marathon are never intense. The hard work would already be done. Now's the time to trust your coach and believe that you will cross the finish line. The low-intensity running sessions will last between 50 minutes and an hour, and about 4 sessions prior to the marathon (including the last session) would be just a kilometre faster than the marathon pace (not too fast though) to engage both the slow and fast twitch muscle fibres.

How much attention do you give to sleep in the days leading up to the race?

Charlton: Sleep is very important for an athlete. I try to sleep at least 7 hours a day. As an important race approaches, I try to sleep and relax a bit more whenever possible.

Andrew: Rest and sleep are very important factors, not only before a race, but on a daily basis. You need an average of 7-8 hours of sleep per night so try to respect this when possible.

Josann: Sleep is a key element and I try to keep the same routine as much as possible since I hate waking up late and then going to work half asleep. I usually sleep around 8 hours a day.

Mark: Sleep/rest is vital for an athlete… This is when the magic happens. It all depends on the lifestyle of the individual. Everyone would want to rest for a certain number of hours, but we all try our best to cope with work, family, training etc. Ideally 8 hours of sleep is recommended. Patterns may change a bit the night prior to the race, as excitement would always start kicking in.

How do you prepare yourself mentally for the long distance? Do you have any tricks to keep focused during the race?

Charlton: When I am getting ready for a marathon, I make sure that I am focused on the task at hand. It is important to be focused on giving your best. However, it is also important to be relaxed and not stress yourself too much. Excitement is a good sign on race day. But excess stress and excitement can be counterproductive.

Andrew: Never change anything on race day, be it running shoes, marathon nutrition or sleeping patterns. If you normally sleep at 10pm, don't go to bed too early as it might make you anxious and you'll find it harder to fall asleep.

Josann: I try to focus, motivate and encourage myself. I also speak to my coach about issues that would be worrying me such as mobility or stiffness issues, in order to feel at my best physical state on race day. Through mental training, I can focus better on controlling my anxiety levels and emotions.

Mark: Preparing yourself mentally for a long-distance event can be very tricky. You need to respect the race; anything could happen...never underestimate or be too confident. However, if you have been loyal to your training regime, did everything by the book and carried out your coach's recommendations, you can believe that you will do absolutely great in the race. Trust and believe...confidence will then follow.

What's your ritual like on race day?

Charlton: Typically most races take place in the morning. Since I live in Gozo I have to wake up quite early, usually at 4am. I prepare the racing kit and my bag from the night before. Then I take the ferry and drive to the race venue. I always like to be there at least an hour before the start of the race. About 45 minutes before the race starts, I start warming up and stretching, and do a few short sprints to prepare my body for the race.

Andrew: I wake up about 3 hours before the race, drink about 500mls of water, have a coffee, a bowl of oats and banana, and use the bathroom a couple of times.

Josann: I take a shower and prepare my gear on the eve of the race. On the day of the race I usually wake up 3 to 4 hours before the start of the event. I eat a good meal full of energy foods, drink water, get dressed and leave home. I try to be at the venue 1 hour before in order to do a dynamic mobility warm-up before I present myself at the starting line.

Mark: It's best you prepare everything a day prior to the big event. Clothes, gadgets, gear, supplements and, of course, the alarm needs to be set a couple of hours before the start of the race. Knowing that you have prepared everything and having coffee and breakfast in a calm state is the best way to prepare yourself. I love my morning chat with my wife on race day… my number 1 motivator. What she tells our baby Hope always sticks in my head: When you see daddy at the finish shout- Go daddy Go daddy! How can I not cross that finish line then?

Do you fuel during the race?

Charlton: I believe that the human body does not need any energy intake during races shorter than, and including, the half marathon (21.1km). In fact I only used energy gels when I ran my first and only marathon so far in Valencia in December 2019, where I broke the national record.

Andrew: For the Full Marathon I do take energy gels. Not all gels are friendly on the stomach, so try them during a prior long run, and drink water. Don't wait until you get thirsty before you drink, as it may be too late. I once got dehydrated on the 41st km of the Full Marathon (42.2k) and proved critical, as I lost crucial minutes and the first position.

Josann: It all depends on the distance and personal energy levels. For 5 or 10K races, it's not ideal to use gels as these are short distances. However, gels are important for longer races. These need to be incorporated in each race's hydration strategy according to the weather. If it's a hot day I tend to drink more water and take less energy gels.

Mark: Yes of course, fuelling your body is essential during long distance races. Your body will shut down eventually if you don't. It's crucial to not try anything new on race day. Ideally, you would test gels or energy bars during the training sessions. The body would need time to adapt and you can gauge which elements respond best to your body.

Is there any gear or equipment which you consider essential for a race?

Charlton: I believe that feeling comfortable running in your chosen kit is very important. I always race in the same sleeveless vest and shorts. Racing shoes are also very important. And once again, it is important that you feel comfortable in your racing shoes.

Andrew: Definitely my running shoes, catered for the distance ahead, and my GPS watch (Garmin) which helps me keep my marathon pace.

Josann: I wear the usual STARMAX racing kit with my personal sponsors printed on it. I never wear new clothes or new trainers.

Mark: What you wear during the race is not important. What is vital is that you are comfortable in it. Comfortable running shoes, clothes, belt, cap etc. Again, you should experiment with different outfits during the training sessions and not on race day.

How do you go about recovery as soon as the race ends?

Charlton: Typically after a race, I jog a couple of kms as my cool down, stretch and eat a good meal.

Andrew: The day following the Full Marathon, I go to a spa and then go for lunch and dinner with my club mates.

Josann: When the race is over, it's vital that you replenish your body with recovery foods and rest well to recover completely in the following days.

Mark: Every athlete will be eager for those rest days and easy sessions after a big event. This is very important if you want to avoid injuring yourself, to enjoy some time with your loved ones or even plan the next big event with your training buddies.

What are your top tips for runners attempting this challenge for the first time?

Charlton: My advice to runners who are attempting their first half marathon or marathon is to make sure that they have trained well for the distance they are running. It is important to stay well hydrated throughout the race. Do not start the race too fast. Both the half marathon and the marathon are long races, so you have to make sure that you have enough energy up till the end. And above all, enjoy what you're doing. Don't stress yourself too much. Just enjoy the race.

Andrew: Be there on time. Don't start too fast as adrenaline may play bad jokes on you. Stay hydrated and last, but not least, enjoy the experience.

Josann: It is important to receive professional guidance by a qualified coach. Believe in yourself, do your best, and accept any outcome.

Mark: A few tips that I might give although I am not an expert (far from it): 

- trust your coach and your training regime

- find a group of friends that shares the same passion and enthusiasm 

- things will definitely get stressful and sometimes hard to handle, so talk to someone you can trust

- love what you do or don't do anything in the first place

- remember that family comes first, no matter what. They are the only ones who will stand by your side through thick and thin so never take them for granted

- be confident and stay humble

- don't forget where you started from

All athletes have different regimens and routines, so there are no strict rules of what should be done on race day. The message that shows up consistently and which echoed throughout the whole article is that of not trying anything new on race day, be it nutrition, gear, or fuel changes. Maintaining consistency in the practices that have worked for you in the past is key.

You do not need to be a professional athlete to take part in a long distance race. All the athletes featured above hold daytime jobs and are still at the very top of their game. If you're not taking part in the Malta Half Marathon or Full Marathon, there are plenty of other races which are less daunting for new athletes. Why not check out all the other races taking place in Malta in 2020?

Also explore the vast selection of sports clubs you can start training with and the outlets offering a range of branded sports equipment and accessories to get started.