Best Strategies for the Days Before a Marathon or Long Race

It’s the marathon you’ve been training for. The early morning wake-ups, the Sunday long runs, the extra stretching. Now it’s a week or two before the big day. How do you best prepare? 

In this article, the Great Runs team shares strategies for being best prepared for the big race. We note this is for the every day runner, not those with a coach or a very specific training schedule or regimen. The article is geared toward a longer race, such as a half-marathon or half-marathon – not ultras or trail races. 

There are numerous things to think about: running/tapering strategy, taking care of your body, nutrition, and race day logistics. 

Tapering Strategies

You’ve done that last long run, usually a couple of weeks out from Marathon day. So it’s time to taper, which is finding the right balance between staying in race shape and resting your body between long events. 

If you have a running coach or are on a specific type of training plan, then there is probably a very specific tapering program in the couple of weeks before race day. The general strategy is to run on fewer days, and to keep the distances relatively short. 

Inside of two weeks, don’t run more than 3-4 days in a week. And don’t overdo the distances. You want to stay limber and conditioned, but also give the muscles time to rest. It’s also OK to do a couple of tempo runs, especially if you’re a competitive runner or are focused on finishing the race with a specific time. 

Take Care of Your Body

There are three elements at play here: resting the body after the last ‘long run’, staying in race shape, and preparing for the strain that every runner experiences in a long race. 

A priority in the days before a race is to rest the body. If there’s anything especially sore or strained, time is needed to heal and recover – because you will be ‘re-straining’ it on race day! 

Stretching and keeping the body limber is another priority. The stretching routine might be different from the normal day-to-day, because you’re probably running less frequently and shorter distances in the days before the Marathon. There are numerous websites and training programs recommending particular stretches. We think it’s important to not try anything particularly new or stressful inside two weeks from the race. Routine is an important component of physical and mental preparation! 

Rest and sleep is another important element here. Any coach will tell you that getting proper sleep is a key component of a training strategy. We don’t recommend developing new routines or taking new medications inside a few weeks from race day, given the risk of a poor reaction. The strategy of ‘getting a good night’s sleep’ is simple. Pulling it off is not always that easy. 

These are general guidelines. Individuals might have specific things they need to do or consider, especially if there are any specific injuries or physical issues. 

Eating/Nutrition

The big picture strategy is to eat properly and extra hydrate in the week or so before race day. We advise not changing your eating routine markedly, in case the body reacts differently to new foods. Be careful about items that bloat or might interfere with digestion. Common sense is the rule here. 

In the couple of days before the Marathon, it’s OK to ‘carbo load’ (though there’s new thinking about this), but be sure to not overdo it. Another key preparation item starting 2-3 days before race day is to hydrate. This means drinking more than usual. 

On Race Day

Finally, plan for your race day food/hydration strategy. You will want to put something in your stomach before the race, but don’t risk anything unusual or that might be hard to digest. Think about whether you need to be carrying water (and supplements you use), or are relying on what the event directors are providing. Be sure to know where and how frequent the hydration stations will be. If planning to eat Gu or other types of supplements during the race, we advise to stick with products you are accustomed to. 

Race Day Logistics

Every race is different and will have its own set of unique logistics and requirements. There’s also clearly a difference in logistics between a ‘Marathon Major’/big event than the garden variety Half that exists nearly every weekend in major cities! 

 Here’s a quick checklist to keep in mind for race day:

• Clothing/Weather. Consult the weather forecast, in order to be prepared for whatever temperature or ‘weather’ the day might throw at you.. Prepare with an extra layer or two that you might need before the race but not during it. Also know where you will be able to drop and pick up clothing.
• Number pick up. Know when and where that is. Some big races have number pickup before the event, not day of.
• Parking and transportation. This is very race-specific, but if it’s a big race with a lot of people, give yourself extra time to get to the race location. There could be extra traffic, or parking that’s some distance (or a shuttle) from the starting line. Know what the parking situation is, if planning on driving to the event.
• Hydration and Eating Strategy. See above, for key considerations on race day.
• Race Day Gear. Make a checklist for what you need for race day. There are two categories here:
  • What to wear (both before the race, to stay warm, and during the race)
  • What to carry during the race. 

The items to carry during the race — and how they will be carried — are quite runner-specific. But they can include: weather-specific clothing; eyewear; running belt/pack; phone band or holder;    headband/wristband; extra pair of socks; bandaids (for blisters); nutrition packets; sub block; chafing cream. 

Consult the event web site and make a checklist of the items you need to think about and remember.

Good luck on race day!