You’ve put in the hard work, effort and determination. You wouldn’t want anything to go wrong! Ensure your race day goes without any hiccups with these marathon race day preparation tips. Here’s everything you need, from the night of the marathon, to when you stand at the start line.
#1 Plan
There is a saying that goes- if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Plan everything – take the race start point as your starting point and work backwards as to what you need to do. Think of everything, from arriving at least an hour before your start time to baggage storage to breakfast.
#2 Travel Plans
Are you going to take the shuttle, or drive, or take the train? Research on how long it will take you to get to the start line, and add some leeway time to unforeseen circumstances. Remember to check road closures and departures of trains or shuttles.
#3 Pack
Photo Credits: Brooks
Lay out your race gear and pack your things the day before as to prevent forgetting things. You won’t want to arrive at the start-line to find out you forgot your socks do you? The more things you leave to race day, the more things can go wrong.
#4 Sleep
Sleep is very important! Sleep affects running performance. Make sure you go to bed early! It may be difficult to sleep due to the nerves but try to get as much shut-eye as possible. Rest as much as possible. Also, set a few alarms to make sure you don’t sleep through your race.
#5 Eat
Eat a good breakfast but don’t eat way too much. Eat 2 hours before your flag-off and eat the same breakfast that you are used to. Do not try anything new on race day! If you have bread and peanut butter before your long runs, stick to that!
#6 Toilet
Try to empty your bowels before you leave your house! A toilet break mid-run is the last thing you would want. Take as many toilet breaks as necessary! You also don’t want to be caught in a long queue, worried that you won’t be able to make it before your flag off time.
#7 Warm Up
Always warm up 15-20 minutes before your run to prepare your muscles for the hard workout ahead. This is to make sure you don’t pull something during your race. Just don’t overdo the warmup such that it becomes a workout in itself.
#8 Relax
You’ve done the work, so don’t worry! Relax, trust the process and enjoy your race! Have faith in your training.
Good Luck!
