I’m running the Chicago Marathon on Sunday! That means this is my race prep week and as a creature of habit I go about it in a very particular way. I’ve decided to share my top five tips for the week prior, day prior, and morning of a marathon. They are tried and true for me, six marathons down and the seventh in a few days! And honestly, these can totally apply to any race!
The week prior
1 – Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I don’t think that this even needs to be stated, and hopefully you are already really good at staying hydrated, but for those of us who feel perpetually dehydrated, I really focus on water intake this entire week. I don’t drink more than a glass of wine or a single beer with a meal or two for a week prior. And I carry my water bottle EVERYWHERE. I have an app on my phone that reminds me to drink water and allows me to track my intake in ounces.
2- Even though you feel like a slug, stick to your taper and take it easy! I always feel like I am doing too little the week before a marathon, but its worth it in the end. You have a plan for a reason so stick to it and be thankful when you have plenty of energy on race day 🙂 Not to mention, less chance of last minute injury AND you can often sleep in longer! I cut out down my weightlifting the week prior and cut it out four days prior…whoo more sleep which leads into…
3- Get plenty of sleep! Take care of your body and your immune system. Nobody wants to get sick the week before the big race! Get lots of sleep combined with your fluid intake and be prepared to feel ahhhmazing. Not to mention nerves can be high in the few days prior and you may be staying in a hotel so its really import ant to sleep well that week while you are still home. Cutting down on workouts should help with that.
4- Think about your race day outfit 😉 Don’t wait until the last minute to think about what you want to wear for race day, not worth getting into a tizzy. If you need to purchase something you have time to go shopping, go on Amaon Prime, or plan to buy it at the Expo. For Shamrock Marathon in March I knew I needed a new fuel belt and planned to get it at the Expo, but for Prague two years ago I needed to buy a pink tanktop so I made a trip to the mall. Or you can always go with whats already in your drawers, just think about it so there aren’t any last minute stresses!
5- Eat a well-balanced diet. Hopefully we are all doing this anyway, but I really think about what I’m putting in my body the week before a race. I try to stay balanced and be a little more strict with my indulgences. Less processed food and more fresh fruits and veggies. I try to cook more or be particular about where I might go out to eat. The celebration of eating whatever the heck you want comes after the race! Be good to your body so you can get through the race and to the brunch buffet!
The day prior:
1- Make a transportation plan for race morning, review the route and water stations, and if you have fans go over their spectating plan. You want to wake up and be confident in where you need to go to get to the starting line, remove any unnecessary stress so you can focus on enjoying the race and the experience. If that means reading the race booklet a million times to memorize the facts, so be it. Know how often you are going to have access to water on the course, bathrooms, gels, etc. If you have fans watching, you want to determine where they can go to best spectate. That way you have an idea of where to look for them as well. And discuss where they’re going to meet up with you after the race. Some races have family meeting areas, some have after-parties, etc.
2- Move around, don’t be stationary, but don’t go overboard – go to the expo, walk-around, maybe even a light jog. You don’t want to stiffen up, but you do want to take it lightly. Some people suggest a jog the day prior, for me I have always been fine just walking around the expo or the city I’m visiting a little bit and resting in the evening. Whatever you prefer don’t spend hours at the expo or, like I did for my first Boston Marathon, walking the entire Freedom Trail. If you want to be a tourist that badly plan an extra day on the front or back end of your trip!
3- Eat a high carb dinner but don’t eat too much! Eat pasta or rice, and enjoy it, but don’t stuff yourself. The last thing you want is to wake up feeling like you didn’t digest anything. Eat a normal amount of calories for a dinner, just in the form of simple carbs complimented with protein and fiber. I always stay away from tomato sauces and anything acidic or spicy too. I do olive oil based sauces with mild ingredients.
4- Charge your GPS watch, iPod, or whatever electronics you need. Plug all those suckers in and make sure they are charging before you go to bed. Then you can start your race with fully charged gear and ensure what I am always trying to avoid on race day – distracting and unnecessary stress.
5- Lay out your race day essentials, including throw-aways if its going to be cold. Put it all out, everything you will need the next day. Your outfit, gels, race bib and pins, kinesio tape, gum, body glide, whatever you need! Then you can wake up and put it all on it without searching through duffel bags in the dark. Take your Instagram photo if you like, and go to bed resting easy.
The morning of:
1- Get up in time to eat at least two hours before the race starts. If you have a sensitive stomach, like me, this is important. Give yourself plenty of time to digest to the point that your stomach will not get upset when you start running. I always have toast with peanut butter and banana 2-3 hours prior. Some people like bagels, oatmeal, or fruit. Hopefully you tested out these meals with your training runs and know what works for you 🙂
2- Drink Nuun or another sports drink, sip water up to 30 minutes before the race starts. You’ve been hydrating but sleep seven hours without drinking and you’ll wake up thirsty. Don’t panic! First I drink a glass of water with Nuun, my favorite electrolyte tablet. Then I have my cup of coffee with a teensy bit of creamer to get things moving (you know what I mean). Then I begin drinking regular water, sipping on it until about 30 minutes prior to race start. Again, these things should be tested with training runs so nothing is new on race morning!
3- Go to the bathroom as many times as possible, just keep trying. Please listen to this advice! If you feel like you need to go…just go! At home or in the hotel before you leave, any bathroom along the way there, and the port-o-john’s once you get to the race area. Just suck it up, pinch your nose, and wait in the line. Nobody wants to have to #1 down their leg or have to stop to #2 during a race. I can proudly say (knock on wood) I have never stopped during a marathon to go to the bathroom, so heed my advice!
4- Warm-up a little, keep your muscles loose! Move around, jump up and down, do some squats and activate those glutes. Jog a little if there is space. Just don’t wake up, go to the start, and take off running without getting your body warmed up a little bit. Especially if the race is on a really cold day.
5- Trust your training, get pumped, and have fun! Believe that your preparation has gotten you to where you need to be. Its too late to go back and do anything differently so you might as well be happy, excited, and confident! You are about to do something awesome. Maybe its your first or maybe its your 31st, but either way the nerves will arise and embrace them! (sometimes they help you go to the bathroom). Laugh, smile, joke, breathe, say a prayer or a mantra, and run your race! Its meant to be a FUN and unforgettable experience! GET AFTER IT!
Now I am going to take my own advice and go drink a glass of water!
-Shaina
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