Your marathon training is done and you’re counting down the days until you toe the starting line of your marathon. As a marathon runner and long-distance running coach, I’ve seen how bad and good decisions during the days leading up to the marathon can dramatically affect someone’s race performance. Check out these race day marathon tips to make sure you have the best possible marathon experience.
1. Wear your favorite running clothes.
You may be tempted to wear new shoes or clothes because you think they may improve your race performance. However, you need to remember the golden rule of marathoning: Nothing new on race day. Your long runs are your opportunity to make changes to your nutrition, hydration, and race gear.
Don’t make the mistake of wearing new clothes or shoes. You never know if clothes or shoes will rub you the wrong way and lead to chafing, blisters, or other issues. Stick with your tried-and-true favorites so that there are no surprises.
2. Stick to familiar foods.
The “nothing new on race day” rule also applies to your nutrition and hydration. Leading up to the race, stick to your familiar pre-long run meals. Don’t experiment with new foods because you think they may improve your performance.
During the race, eat the same energy gels, bars, or other foods that you used in training. Mile 18 is not the ideal time to find out that a certain food doesn’t sit well in your stomach.
3. Get your support team ready.
Being a marathon spectator is hard work, too, so make sure your family members and friends are prepared for a few hours of cheering and supporting. Share these tips for marathon spectators and ideas for marathon signs with them, so they know what to expect and have everything they’ll need.
4. Finalize your race day transportation plan.
Make sure you know exactly how you’re getting to the race, where you’ll park, or whether you’ll use public transportation. Take a look at the marathon website for recommendations on how to get there and check if there are any road closures that will affect your travel plans.
5. Plan to get there early.
Give yourself plenty of time to get to the race start, especially if you need to pick up your race packet there. You’ll also need to give yourself time to use the porta-potty (lines can be very long), check your bag, and find your corral (if the race has them).
You may also want to talk to other runners who have done the race in previous years (or read reviews on websites) to find out how early they recommend getting to the start.
6. Get all your race day items ready.
You don’t want to be scrambling the day before your marathon to try to find your favorite sports gel or more BodyGlide. Check out this packing list of everything that you’ll need for your marathon and get everything together at least a few days before the race. Feeling prepared will decrease your anxiety about the race, which will help you sleep better.
7. Have a mantra ready.
It’s going to get hard at some point, and you’ll need to be prepared. Have a few phrases in mind that you’ll be able to keep repeating to get through the rough patches.
Make sure your phrase doesn’t contain a negative word, so you can focus on positive thoughts. For example, try not to say, “Don’t stop” because you may just hear the word “stop”. Instead, say something like, “Keep running strong.” See this list of running mantras for some ideas.
8. Think about your finishing pose.
Picture how you want to pose for your photo as you run through the finish. Imagine what you’ll be thinking as a volunteer puts your race medal around your neck. This kind of visualization will help you feel less anxious and more excited about your race.
9. Be prepared for post-race.
Your marathon recovery starts the moment you cross that finish line. Make sure you prepare ahead of time for how you’ll be feeling post-race.
Your body temperature will start dropping as soon as you finish, so put some warm, comfortable in your checked bag or have someone meet you at the finish line with clothes. Your legs may be too sore and tired to drive yourself home or back to your hotel, so make plans for how you’ll get back after you finish.
More Race Day Marathon Tips:
- Mental Tips for Half and Full Marathons
- How to Have a Strong Marathon Finish
- 10 Marathon Mistakes to Avoid in Your First Marathon
Running coach, marathon runner, and fitness writer Christine Luff is an RRCA-certified running coach and ACE-certified personal trainer. Founder of the website Run for Good and author of the book Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, she coaches runners, from beginners to advanced, who are training for races, from 5Ks to marathons.
