What to write to someone running a marathon

Send it before, not after. The week before a marathon is the worst week — the training is done, the taper has them restless, and everyone around them has run out of things to say. A card that lands on the Thursday is worth more than one that lands on the Monday with “well done”. Name the months, not the morning: the race is the easy part compared to the five a.m. starts that got them there.

Warm

Friendly, unfussy, safe with almost anybody.

• Go well. The hard part was the training; this bit is the reward.
• All those early mornings, and here we are. Enjoy it.
• Good luck on Sunday. We’ll be the loud ones at mile 18.
• You’ve done the work. Go and collect the medal.
• Have a brilliant race. Start slow, finish proud.

Funny

A joke with affection behind it. Read the room first.

• Good luck. Remember, it’s only 26.2 — the other 0.2 is where the fun is.
• Enjoy the race. The carbs were the best part of the training anyway.
• Good luck! See you at the finish, where I’ll be holding chips.
• You trained for months for a free banana. Respect.
• Go well. Try not to go off too fast. You will go off too fast.

Heartfelt

For the people you would actually say this to out loud.

• I’ve watched you get up at five for months. Whatever the clock says, that’s the achievement.
• Good luck. I’m proud of you already, and the race hasn’t started.
• Enjoy every mile of it — you’ve earned all 26 of them.
• However it goes out there, you did something most people only talk about.
• Go well. I’ll be thinking of you the whole way round.

Simple

When short is the right answer, and it often is.

• Good luck on race day!
• Go well — enjoy it.
• All the best for Sunday.
• You’ve got this. Go well.
• Have a great race.

What to avoid

• Don’t mention a target time unless they told you one. It is a private number.
• Don’t joke about them not finishing. The week before a marathon is not the week for it.
• Don’t send it the day after. The card that helps is the one that arrives before.
• Don’t compare them to anyone else who has run one.