Vancouver Marathon: My First Full Marathon
I just ran my first full marathon at the BMO Vancouver Marathon! Since signing up for my first half marathon, I’ve fallen in love with running. This time, instead of 21, we’re running 42.2 km, which might be my hardest race ever. My only goal for my first full marathon was to finish and have fun. Here’s my experiences at the expo and the race, the race day gears that got me there, and beginner running tips for anyone also preparing for their first 42.2 km!
My First Full Marathon: BMO Vancouver Marathon
This week, I’m ran my first ever full marathon as a beginner runner at the Vancouver Marathon. I only have one goal this race, and that is to make it to the finish line hopefully smiling at the end. I used to really hate running. But January 2025, I decided to sign up for my first ever half marathon as someone who literally never run before. I followed a couch to half marathon program and trained for 4 months straight. Since then, running has become part of my life in the most unexpected way
Now, it’s something I do with my family as well. I ran the Disneyland half marathon with my husband. I ran a 10K with my sister for her first ever race, which was so special. Recently, I ran a half marathon in Honolulu with my whole family. Running became less about the pace and more about the memories. So, when 2026 rolled around, I decided to sign up for a full marathon. This journey has actually been really, really hard. But I’m starting to realize the whole journey leading up to it is what makes it so meaningful.
Marathon Expo Day
I swear marathon weekend is like Super Bowl weekend for us. We did something extra fun and festive and bleached Dom’s hair as well! Whether that is getting your nails to match your shoes, or cooking the right meals for our body the days before the race, making marathon preparation fun for us is always part of it all.
The day before the race, we headed to Vancouver Convention Center for the Expo! I think one of the most magical parts of race weekend is going to the expo. We’ve been training mostly alone for the past few months, but seeing all the runners in one place makes it all feel real.
Getting My Bib
Once at the expo, we checked in and got our bibs. All you have to do is show photo ID and the bib number or confirmation number. Then, you’ll get your bib! Dom, Daryl, and I are all running this race together. My number for this race is 1379. Along with the bib, we also got a free Vancouver marathon T-shirt.
Marathon Lineup and Free Merch
Here at the expo, there’s so many vendors giving out tons of free merch here, from sunglasses to t-shirts. There were stalls where you can also purchase new gear, so we bought new sunglasses and stocked up on gel for race day as well. There were some vendors that had games and raffles you can win as well.
One of the most amazing things that happened to me today was finding my dad’s name next to mine in the marathon lineup. I’ve been complaining all week about running by myself and recently I changed my mindset. Now seeing his name beside mine, I feel like it’s just a sign to appreciate that I get to move my body and succeed at something so difficult.
That definitely put me in a really, really good mood for race day! After the expo, we headed to Minerva’s for dinner, then headed home and watching a course runner’s POV of the BMO Marathon last year with some late night Japanese Chicken Curry at the end the night!
Race Day Gear
The night before the race, I’ve already set out all of my gear. Then, all I need to do is rest before the race and drink plenty of eletrolytes. Big shout-out to my Pilates teachers for taping me up as well! I felt a lot more secure in my knees and my ankles as I ran this race. I have 3 alarms set, so I can be up at 5:30 AM getting ready!
While training, we’ve tested out different gears over time that feel and work the best for our bodies. Since my first race, I’ve found a few new favorites, so this is my updated race gear! If you’re looking for something that’s even more beginner friendly, check out what for my First Half Marathon as a complete beginner!
Lululemon Biker Shorts
I’m wearing the Fast and Free 6-in Biker Shorts from Lululemon, and I really like these shorts. They don’t ride up at all in the bottom. They also have reflective lightings on the side if you’re running at night. And, they have pockets on both sides as well as a zipper pocket at the back.
Aritzia Tank and Bra
For my top, I’m going to wearing the Tumble Tank Top and the Tumble Bra from Aritzia. I love this new buttery yellow color that they have for the summer. I feel like it’s so beautiful. It definitely feel like summer in the 27° heat of the race!
Feetures Running Socks
For my socks, I’m going to be wearing my favorite running socks, Feetures Crew Socks. I’m wearing the padded version tomorrow. These are my holy grail that I highly recommend. I have never had any blisters, and I’ve ran over 2,000 km all in these socks. They’re very, very durable as well. The ones I’ve got a year ago are still in perfect condition and I still wear them all the time!
ASICS Superblast 3 Runners
I’m going to be running in the ASICS Superblast 3 tomorrow. I’m so happy. I feel like my nails and everything that I’m wearing is really matching the overall color, even the sunglasses. I wore my Superblast 2 for two half marathons and this time I’m wearing the Superblast 3 instead.
Salomon Running Vest
For my running vest, I’m wearing the Salomon Advanced Skin 5. This one is able to bring two waters and they have a bunch of pockets for your gels. I’m going to be carrying one water with me as well as six gels, so this will be perfect.
Maurten Gel 100
For the gels, I’m bringing my favorite Maurten Gel 100. This energy gel is also one out of many that I’ve tried that I’ve never had gut problems with. And, it doesn’t taste too bad. So, it’s now my go-to! I had two caffeinated and two regular ones during the race
Dentiste Breath Spray
I was going to bring a disposal toothbrush with me, but I actually really like bringing these Dentist Premium Breath Sprays with me instead. I got this in Korea at Olive Young. Whenever my mouth gets a little bit dry after the gels, I’ll just take it out and spray my mouth. It makes my mouth feel super fresh and brand new again.
Shokz Headphones
I also got my SHOKZ Bluetooth Sport Headphones. These are my holy grail. I love them so much. They’re so comfortable behind the ears and can still hear the traffic. This is really good when you’re on race day because other people will be passing you. There’s going to be so much going on while your’e running. So, I feel like having open ear is a lot safer versus having headphones in my ears. These ones have amazing battery life as well, so it won’t die while I’m running.
Goodr Sonic G Sunglasses
Last but not least, we’re going to be wearing these sunglasses that I got at the marathon expo. These are the Goodr Sonic G. They’re so comfortable and shake proof. I’m so happy with them!
Vancouver Marathon Race Day
Just like that, it was race day! I’ve been looking forward to today but honestly also dreading for the past few months. I was up at 5:30 AM having a quick breakfast egg rice bowl and electrolytes so I won’t be taking my gels on an empty stomach. Then, I did a super fun full race day makeup to prepare that’s sun-proof and glittery. After getting ready, we headed over to Queenie’s for a few last get-ready steps before heading to the starting line.
Race Starts!
As we get to the starting location, the nerves are starting to hit me. I think I triple checked my packing list at least 10 times. TMI, but I also went to the washroom at least 10 times. Make sure to get to the marathon location early because the washroom line up is quite long. We’ve seen lines up to 25 minutes long. So, come early! No matter how prepared you are, race day jitters are always going to hit you.
The Vancouver Full Marathon starts from Queen Elizabeth’s Park, and goes for 42 km along the coast, ending at Downtown Pender Street. There’s plenty of rest stops and rest rooms along the way. The marathon basically had a 6-hour time limit, which may sound like a lot of time. But it makes me a little nervous because, it basically means that you can’t walk the whole way. The weather was really really nice, not too hot and super beautiful. So, it was easy to just have fun. By the end of the race, I was honestly just so, so proud of my body and mind and what it was able to accomplish.
Final Thoughts And Advice For Marathon Beginners
Going into this race, I had a completely different mindset versus the other races I’ve done before in the past. No time goal at all, just finish injury-free and hopefully smiling at the end and still wanting to run in the future. If you’re running a marathon soon, you’re always going to feel really, really stressed out, really nervous, But, trust me, you are going to be okay.
Start Slow
Prior to this race, I talked to a lot of people who’ve done marathons before in the past, and they all gave me the same advice: start slow. I’m so, so glad that I took that advice to heart. I was nervous about time so I went actually 1 minute slower than my normal pace. That made a huge difference for such an amazing race day. Prior to running the full marathon, couldn’t get past 25 km. So, I was nervous about the 30km point. Slowing down and lowering my heart rate made me feel so much better after the 33 km point.
Rest Stations
Another thing that made a huge difference this time during my race was actually taking my time at the rest station. It was so, so hot during race day. For this race, I actually took my time. I would stop every station, drink my water and electrolyte, and fill up my water bottle. Rather than affecting my time, it really prevented me from stopping during the race since I knew I get a real break every 5 km.
Enjoy The Scenery and People
By the way, I also want to give the biggest shout out to Vancouver for showing up that day. I am not kidding, the city really, really showed up. The crowds were amazing. People were handing out free snacks, spraying us with water because it was so hot. Overall, it made me fall in love with the city all over again.
Thank You!
Of course, I have to say a big thank you to all my friends and family for supporting me, for surprising me. I really think they were the reason why I was able to finish the race. Queenie and Yvonne both planned to cheer for us multiple times through the race. Having someone familiar motivating us at the top of every hill was honestly what kept me going!
Of course, a big thank you for you guys for watching me and supporting me. I’m so grateful I’m able to document this whole journey. You guys literally saw me go from couch to half marathon, and now a full marathon!
See More of My Marathon Training Journey!
