{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "@id": "https://scienceinsport.com/blogs/nutrition/pace-and-fuel-first-marathon#faq",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How should I pace my first marathon?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Start slightly slower than feels comfortable, running the first half conservatively at a genuinely easy-feeling pace. A marathon rewards even or slightly negative pacing far more than a fast start, which almost always leads to a painful fade in the closing stages."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How much should I eat during my first marathon?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Take on carbohydrate from early and at regular intervals, with a practical target of around 60 to 80 grams an hour using products you have rehearsed. Dual-source products like BETA Fuel suit these intakes. Don't skip fuelling when you feel good early."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How do I carb load for my first marathon?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "In the 48 hours before, prioritise carbohydrate at roughly 10 to 12 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day, spread evenly and from familiar, low-fibre foods. On race morning, eat your main meal about three hours before the start, then a small top-up an hour out."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "Why does pacing affect fuelling in a marathon?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Running within yourself early makes it easier for your gut to absorb fuel, since very hard efforts divert blood away from digestion. Starting too fast burns glycogen quicker and makes fuelling harder, so sensible pacing is partly a fuelling strategy."
      }
    }
  ]
}