By Uta Pippig, Scott Douglas and guest writer Michael Sandrock

A nice soak two days before the marathon can help relax your muscles and mind. Avoid one the day before, because you might feel sluggish, and if you stay in too long, you might miss the start! © Betty Shepherd

A warm hello to all who are participating in the great sport of marathoning! Congratulations on your efforts so far! Wherever you are running, we wish you good luck in your marathon.

You may agree that running a marathon is a threefold process: first comes the commitment to take part in the event; then, after making this sometimes overwhelming decision, you commit to train for the momentous challenge; and finally you can enjoy the most rewarding and gratifying phase of the marathon—the event itself. Throughout the marathon course and at the finish line, you are rewarded with endless memories and satisfaction.

To achieve your personal best, it’s important to take extra-special care of yourself in the final two days before your marathon, when the most challenging aspects of your training and preparation are behind you. To help you relax, enjoy the race, and have some fun, I would like to share with you some short and pragmatic tips. I’ve grouped them below in four categories: training, equipment, nutrition and last minute tips.

Training

Please avoid the common mistakes to which many marathoners (including the professionals!) fall victim during the days leading up to the race. The most common one is to train too much in the days immediately before the marathon. Studies have shown that training in the final days before the race not only won’t help your performance, but may actually harm it by leaving you unnecessarily tired or sore.

So take a break in the final two days or just go out and enjoy a short walk. If you feel you need a run to release pre-race anxiety, then jog an easy 2 to 4 miles on the day before the marathon. If you do go out for a short run, make sure to run very gently the entire time to conserve all of your energy for the big day.

An important tip: Avoid trying anything new before the marathon. Stay away from new speed workouts, weight training, tree climbing or anything else that’s not part of your normal routine. Your goal is to be as fresh as possible for your event. Take it easy and save your energy for race day.

At some point during these two days, treat yourself to a massage to loosen tense muscles and relax tight nerves. If it’s your first massage, make sure to ask for a light and gentle one.

In summary, everything you do in the final two days before the marathon should be geared toward helping you optimize your mental and physical reserves to run the marathon of your life!

Equipment

Your most important decision about equipment will be your choice of footwear. Be sure to wear shoes that you’ve used for at least one long run and some faster sessions so that you know they won’t bother you over the course of 26.2 miles. (Unfortunately, I speak from experience. I dropped out of the 1996 Olympics after getting blisters from a new pair of racing flats.) Please do not wear shoes that are too old—they won’t have enough cushioning to keep your legs fresh throughout the marathon.

On your previous long runs, hopefully you experimented with socks of different thicknesses to find what suits you best. I prefer thin socks with no seam, because seams can cause blisters. Some people ask whether they should use jelly or powder between their toes; I don’t recommend either as both can also cause blisters. Additional tips for your feet: make sure your toenails are clipped well. If you need insoles, wear only ones you’ve used before several times or they too, may cause blisters.

It’s important to wear clothing you’ve trained in and you know will be comfortable. However, the exact clothes you wear on race day will depend on the weather. If it’s chilly at the start, bring an old windbreaker or another kind of top that you can discard along the way. If it’s very cold, you’ll need a hat and gloves to keep your outer extremities warm. For women, essentials to pack include a bra, a singlet, a T-shirt, a mesh T-shirt, and a long-sleeve shirt. I prefer shorts over tights, especially those with a little pocket for a tissue and some money (in case you want to take a taxi home!). It’s a good idea to select clothes made of materials that are light and able to absorb sweat without becoming heavy on your body. Headbands and wristbands, like those worn by tennis players, are also helpful in keeping you dry.

Men often apply small bandages over their nipples to prevent chafing. If you’ve had a bad experience with a rash or inflammation on your upper thighs or upper arms, you may want to apply a zinc oxide cream. Again, make sure to test this treatment beforehand.

Finally, I would like to once more repeat my most important tip: Only wear something you have worn in training or in previous races—something that you will be comfortable in!

Nutrition

As with training and equipment, your first basic rule here should be: Avoid trying anything new. That’s because you don’t know how your body will react. For example, if you don’t typically eat spicy food, avoid it in the two days before your marathon since you don’t know how it will affect your digestive system.

It’s best to eat nutritious, preferably freshly prepared food—especially something you eat on a regular basis. Concentrate on food high in carbohydrates and eat in small amounts throughout the day. The latest scientific research shows that this is the better way to carboload (i.e., store glycogen for endurance). The old idea of eating a huge meal the night before doesn’t make much sense. New research shows that you can pack your muscles with as much fuel by consuming small amounts of carbohydrates several times a day. By eating less food on a more frequent basis, you may also reduce bloating and other problems associated with a large meal.

I recommend six small meals throughout the day. If you don’t go out too fast at the start of your marathon, you’ll burn fat and ensure that your store of glycogen—which is your muscles’ preferred source of fuel for distance running—will last throughout the race.

Pasta is the favorite dish of many endurance athletes (including me). If you follow bike racing, you know that the guys in the Tour de France live on pasta. Sandwiches are fine, too, as well as lentil soup and other healthful foods. I highly recommend muesli and oatmeal, which are both high-carbohydrate foods that are slow to digest and will fill you up while being easy on your stomach. If you usually eat meat, it’s fine to have a little during these two days, but remember that what you really need for your upcoming marathon are carbohydrates. Apples are absolutely great for a snack! Another key part of your nutritional program is to start drinking small amounts of water hourly the day before your marathon.

On race morning, the same rule applies—avoid trying anything new. I recommend eating a large bowl of oatmeal with an apple four hours before your race, and then eat something again two hours before the start of your race. If you’ll be out on the road for four hours or more, some whole-grain toast with nut butter two hours before is fine (by starting the race slowly, digestion shouldn’t be a problem). Energy bars are also a good choice and can be eaten one hour before the start. Just make sure that oats are the primary ingredients for the most long-lasting energy (Odwalla bars are excellent!). For more information on race-day nutrition, see the oatmeal and muesli recipes in our article Kick Start Your Day.

Finally, you might be nervous on race morning, so take your time eating and chewing. The more you chew your food, the easier it will be to digest.

The tips above are some of the ones I followed before my own races. They are based on both common sense and on the experience of my coach, Dieter Hogen, who has been training athletes for more than 30 years. Ultimately what’s important is to forget about the hype and avoid anything complicated; just keep things simple in the days leading up to your first—or next—marathon! You have prepared and trained so well, I hope you now can rest and get enough sleep, which will help you to have a fresh mind and to stay focused. Give yourself a good and fair chance to be mentally and physically at your best on your big day!

Last Minute Tips

• Check out the marathon course two days before the race. If this isn’t possible, go over at least some parts of the course. Jogging a section of the course and driving most of it will keep you more comfortable with what you’ll be facing on race day and can help you plan where to run harder or easier. The hills look different when you see them in a non-race situation. For instance, Heartbreak Hill in Boston doesn’t look so bad, and you will realize that it won’t break your heart if you run a smart race.
• Set a realistic goal and put together a race strategy. Especially important is not starting out too fast. You’ll be super excited at the start, but try to start at your planned average pace or even a little slower to save energy for the latter part of the race.
• Go to the pre-race expo or to one of the clinics to help you get fired up for your big day. There’s always a lot going on during the days before a marathon. Feeding off that excitement can increase your energy level. Just be sure to go easy on the free food samples and don’t let anyone put last-minute doubts about your training in your head!
• Sleep well two days before your race. This will help if you are not able to have a good night’s sleep the night before, then the rule is to go to bed 12 hours before the start of the race.
• Carry sunscreen and toilet paper on your way to the start. You never know when you will need them!
• Recruit some friends or family members to go on the course to cheer you on. They will want you to run well, so take in all their energy and transform it into your own.
• In case things don’t go well have a pre-race strategy to make sure you get safely home. (I hope this is one tip you’ll never have to use!).
• Wear your favorite singlet or something you like or are attached to. It could be a top or shorts you wore in a previous marathon that will remind you of being successful. Many runners like wearing a top that bears their name, their college’s name, or some other personally meaningful words. You can get little boosts of energy throughout the race from hearing spectators shout the words emblazoned on your shirt or singlet.
• Do not fear anything! What’s the worst that can happen? Just be super-excited, because YOU are going to do it!
• Have a really good excuse prepared for your friends and family in case you don’t run well and aren’t able to meet your pre-race goal. There are many options here: you could say it was too hot or too cold, the course was too flat or too hilly, you went out too fast or too slow, etc. When all else fails, you could always just say, “But I did what Uta said to do, so it must be all her fault!”

Finally, I would like to wish everyone: GOOD LUCK AND RUN WELL—I’ll BE ROOTING FOR YOU! Have lots of fun and a great time on the roads!

Wishing you all the best,

Posted April 10, 2007
Updated April 14, 2009