how to prepare for your next marathon

October 2, 2022

How to prepare for your next marathon

Tips from a 3.15 marathon runner

The marathon season in Europe started end of September with the Berlin marathon and a new world record, set by Eliud Kipchoge. For some, this was the peek race this year, but many of you are still training for a race, be it a marathon, a half marathon or any other running race you signed up.

I’m not gonna write about training. It’s too late for that. Instead I will focus on some tips what to do the last days before your race. Those little things are the ones, that we sometimes don’t focus on, but can make running a marathon or any other race more enjoyable.

With two weeks out your training is almost over

Well, you still have probably 4-5 runs in your training plan each week but make sure that you drop the volume in this last two weeks. Not the intensity, just the volume. You still want to do some speed work and work on your leg turnover but don’t overdo it. The first of this two weeks your volume should drop for at least 20% and then another 20% the last week leading into your race.

Sleep and recovery

I know life is busy. But still you need to sleep at least 7-8 hours each night. This is the time, when your body recovers the most from running. And with less running you will have more time for stretching, foam rolling and mobility training. If you are doing strength training, skip it this last two weeks.

Hydration and nutrition

Hydration and nutrition should be taken care of earlier than on race day. Stay on top of it at least the last two weeks. Now it’s not the time to make some wild experiments. Only drink and eat what you are used to. Instead of water try to mix in a sports drink to top up the electrolytes and vitamins you burn while running.

Do not change your running gear

Your race day shoes should be already tested and waiting for race day. The same goes for socks, short, singlet, watch … and all the other items you want to use on race day. Sure, you can order some new items from our running store but you should really consider using them after your race.

Gels

When running a marathon you need to replenish the carbs your muscles are burning as fuel. The best way to do that are gels. For a marathon my strategy is to take 5 gels. One about an hour before the start, then on at the 7k mark, one at 17k, one at 27k and one at 37k. But don’t just do what works for me. You need to train this in your longruns and at longer tempo runs. My gel of choice is Maurten . I know they are a bit more expensive but they work great for me and I will stick to them.

The last two days

Concentrate even more on sleep and recovery. If you need to travel it’s best to arrive at the place of your race at least 3 days before the race so you have enough time. Go to the expo as early as possible to avoid any last moment stress and sleep as long as you can. It might be tempting to go out and explore the city you are in but please leave this for the day after your race.

The day before the race go out for a short shake out run, not more than 30 minutes and at the end do some strides. There are some events where there’s a pasta party the evening before the race. Carbo loading is something you should do, but start with it at least 3-4 days out. The last carb rich meal should be the afternoon before the race, so you have enough time to digest.

Afternoon before race day you want to prepare everything for your race. From running shoes to your race gear as well as anything else you want to take with you. Don’t forget to charge your wrist watch the night before your race and set at least two alarm clocks for the morning.

Race day

Stick to the plan you made a few days back. Don’t change anything the last minute, That will only lead to additional stress and you don’t want that. If the race is nearby and you are driving there, make sure you leave home early enough. We can’t control what will happen on the way and you don’t want to arrive to late.

Stick to your routine and don’t let others influence your decisions. Do the warmup routine you always do and don’t be tempted to try out a new drink. It can ruin your race even before it starts.

Get to the start zone you are in in time. Talk to others but stay focused. You have trained hard enough for this race, it’s yours to run.

Start slowly. Even if you think you run slow you are probably running too fast. Rather than looking at your pace, look at your heart rate. Due to tall buildings in cities pace and distance are often not working as they should. I know that the new Garmin lineup of running watches works great but still the data is not accurate sometimes. So concentrate on your breathing and your heart rate and find a pace and rhythm you know you are able to run the whole distance.

If you will keep to the fueling strategy you set for yourself and trained it in your longruns and if you will start conservative to have enough left in your body for the second half, you should have a great race. It will hurt in the later stages of a running race, but you trained for that. Believe in yourself and stay positive until you see the finish line and I can guarantee you will enjoy the race.

More tips

Maybe you need more tips for your next race or even some help. You can contact me by clicking on the button below to get personal support.

I am an ambassador with Top4Running, the number one online store for runners in Europe. If you want to buy a pair of running shoes or other running gear, please use the link below to support the Run and Smile community.

Use the code: Roman for an additional 5% discount.

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