You’ve trained and hard to prepare for a marathon, but what should you do the day before and of the marathon? We’ve got some tips on sleep, warming up, hydration and fuel for your body.
Warming up
Although some runners like to take a day or two off right before a race, others choose to do a short run the day before. This is typically gently and only 3 or 4 miles.
As for literally warming up your body, it’s important to stay warm before a cold race so your muscles don’t get tight and you don’t tap into your glycogen reserves. If you don’t have someone to take your warm-up clothes when you’re ready to start the race, consider choosing old outerwear that you can give away, toss or risk leaving behind in order to collect them later.
Stretching is always important, but you may also choose to do a very short walk right before the race. Warm up at least half an hour before the start of the race but not more than an hour beforehand. Ideally, you should finish your warm-up no more than 10 minutes before the marathon begins.
Sleep
As with any competition, getting a good night’s sleep is important. However, it’s vital not to eat too late before bed so you have enough time to digest your meal and fall asleep.
Hydration
Hydration starts long before race day and the day before the marathon you should stay well-hydrated.
Right before the race starts, take a few sips of a sports drink to get some carbs, but don’t drink so much that it will move around in your stomach during the race.
Fueling your body
The night before the race, eat plenty of carbs—but before 7 p.m. or so. You’ll be getting up early in order to consume a healthy but small breakfast three to four hours before the race to give your body time to digest it.
