What happens when marathon training is complete, but your confidence suddenly disappears?

Amber Whitaker returns to the Bitten by the Running Bug podcast to talk openly about her experience of maranoia in the weeks leading up to the 2026 London Marathon.

Despite completing her training and a 20 mile long run, Amber found the taper brought increasing self doubt and anxiety. Social media made those feelings worse, as her feeds filled with experienced and faster runners whose training, goals and expectations looked very different from her own.

Amber talks to Tim about questioning whether she was worthy of running a marathon, struggling through her final training runs and experiencing anxiety so intense that she considered not starting the race at all.

They also discuss the pressure created by running content online, why comparing yourself with other runners can be so damaging and how everything changed once Amber reached the start line and found herself surrounded by thousands of runners just like her.

An open conversation about marathon anxiety, social media, the strange final weeks of the taper and learning to trust the training you have already done.

For more podcasts go to https://www.sapphirerunningzone.com/podcasts.

Keywords: maranoia, marathon anxiety, Amber Whitaker, London Marathon, marathon training, marathon taper, first marathon, running anxiety, social media and running, marathon nerves, marathon confidence, first time marathon runner, running mental health, marathon preparation, Bitten by the Running Bug, Sapphire Running Zone