I ran the Seville marathon with ASICS – here’s 5 things I learnt from my first marathon

On 23rd February 2025, I ran my first ever marathon, and it was just as exciting, terrifying and painful as you’d expect. I’ve been running for eight years now, and during this time, I’ve done plenty of training, as well as 10k races, half marathons and trail runs – but a full marathon was something that I had yet to conquer.

That was until ASICS reached out and invited me to run the Seville marathon with them. Having been a fan of ASICS running shoes for several years, I hastily packed a bag full of running gear, laced up my trainers and flew out to Seville for a long weekend of running fun.

Running the Seville marathon was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but the most amazing experience at the same time. As a beginner marathon runner, here are five things I learnt from running my first one.

1. Wear the right trainers

Wearing the right trainers might sound like a given but trust me, it’s important. I tend to overpronate and I have the weakest ankles known to man so I knew that if I was running a longer race than I was used to, I needed good shoes to accompany me.

For my training and the actual marathon, I wore the new ASICS Gel-Nimbus 27 (review coming soon). As I’ve said, I’ve been wearing ASICS trainers for a while now, and I’ve been a big fan of the ASIC Gel-Kayano 29 for years.

I found the Gel-Nimbus 27 to be quite similar to the Kayano in terms of comfort and support. I also spoke to Andi Moll, VP Category, leading Marketing, Merchandising and Product for ASICS before the race, who stated that he’d recommend the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 27 to beginner runners, due to their comfort and cushioning.

ASICS main aim for the marathon was to ‘Feel the Comfort’ – something I definitely wanted to achieve for my first marathon. The ASICS Gel-Nimbus 27 surpassed my expectations and I found them extremely comfortable to wear and lightweight to train in. They held my feet nicely especially around the heel and sides of my feet which targeted the areas that I have the most problems with.

During the race, the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 27 kept everything stable and feeling good – of course, my feet did feel sore after running 26 miles but I hardly got any blisters and my feet bounced back quickly which I can only attribute to having the right trainers.

2. Bring plenty of supplies with you

I always run with a running vest after an unfortunate incident during a race where there was only one water station and I thought I was going to pass out from dehydration! Fortunately for me, there were plenty of water stops during the Seville marathon but having a vest full of water and other supplies definitely got me round.

When speaking with Andi Moll about his marathon must-haves, he recommended bringing gels – I hadn’t trained with them so I went for gummy bears instead – light clothing which I wore in abundance, and plastic bags to keep warm for before the race. So, I took his advice and packed the ASICS Fujitrail Hydration Vest heavily. Inside the vest’s many pockets, I had my phone, headphones, inhaler, a bag of gummy bears, suncream, Vaseline, and most importantly, a hat tucked in the back.

The hat was a lifesaver as it got extremely hot out in Seville and there was very little shade as the race went on. If I hadn’t brought a hat with me or put it on halfway through the race, I would have definitely gotten sunstroke, so I’m glad I’d packed it the night before – make sure you think of everything before race day so you’re always prepared!

3. Have a plan for water breaks

Another recommendation from Andi Moll was to have a plan for each water break, and if you can, stop to have a drink. Following his advice, I came up with a good formula where I’d pick up a cup of water from one side of the station, walk and drink it until I got to the next water table on the other side of the station, which I then drank half of and poured the rest over my head before running again.

This might sound a little ridiculous, but with the heat blaring down, I took as much water as I could get, and the water routine went down a treat. I also had water with me which I sipped on when the weather got roasting. Banana halves were also given out during the race which were an absolute game changer and something I’ll be taking with me for my next marathon.

4. Take it slow and enjoy the sights

For my first marathon, I didn’t have a particular time that I wanted to do – I just wanted to get round without hurting myself! When I asked Andi Moll for his advice for beginner marathon runners, he said to not start off too fast and find a rhythm. He also recommended sightseeing at the beginning, and if you decide you want to smash a certain time as the race goes on, he said to stay consistent until 20K and then pick up the pace. This is exactly what I did and miraculously, it worked!

5. Get out of your head

Running is as much a mental race as a physical one, and I definitely hit ‘the wall’ during the Seville marathon. I was so used to doing half marathons that when I got halfway through, my body was ready to stop. It was a strange feeling as nothing was hurting me and I definitely had more in the tank but my brain wouldn’t let me move!

I fixed this by walking a little where I could and putting some music on to give me some extra motivation. The crowds were amazing in Seville but for stretches where there weren’t as many people, I definitely needed a loud playlist to get me through. In an attempt to get out of my head and back into the race, I just kept reminding myself why I was there and how proud I would be of myself when I finished – which I definitely was!

Running the Seville marathon with ASICS was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had and I’ll definitely be taking these tips with me for my next marathon in two months time – why have I done this to myself again?!