- Carb-loading and fueling properly during the race will make or break the last 10K
- Carrying a handheld until mile 18/20 was a game-changer for me
- If you’re traveling, fly into town at least 2 days before the race. TMI, but if you get constipated on planes, plan ahead for that with laxatives and eat fiber upon landing
- Get a hotel or Airbnb as close to the start of the race as possible, even if it costs more. Your anxiety will diminish substantially
- Drive or run the course/parts of the course beforehand if you can, and study the elevation profile
- Pack more gels than you need in case you drop a couple! Happens all the time
- Make sure your stomach can tolerate the sports drink on the course. If it can’t, bring your own or take salt tabs
- You do NOT have to run 20 miles before the race to be prepared for the distance. Total weekly mileage and back-to-back runs will prepare you far more. That said, you may mentally NEED to run 20 miles to feel confident, and that’s ok!
- Don’t worry about quality/quantity of sleep the night before the race. Your nerves may keep you up later than you’d like. Instead, prioritize sleep the several days before.
Nine things I’ve learned about the marathon as a 2:50 marathoner and coach
