You’ve confirmed your entry. You’ve made your hotel and dinner reservations. You’ve checked — and rechecked — the race day weather. You’ve trained, you’re healthy and you’re ready to run a marathon.
Now what?
With only a few short days before the race, you’ve also got plenty of — correction: too much — time to fill the hours. Here’s how — and how not — to spend it:
1. Don’t change your routine.
Whether this is your first or tenth marathon, the best advice is the same: Don’t change anything. If you’ve always used Friday as a rest day before your long Sunday run, for example, stick with that. If you’ve never tried that new spin class at your gym, don’t try it now. Two days before the race is not the time to get in that last run on those beautiful new trails your friend has been urging you to try (hello, twisted ankle hazard!). Don’t have a stretching routine before each run? Now is not the time to start. Got a coupon for a free massage at your local spa that expires tomorrow? Give it to a friend. You get the idea — if you’ve never had a massage, stretched before a run or gone spinning, now is not the time to start. Wait until next week to try new things.
[See: 10 Signs You’re Exercising Too Much.]
2. Do make a race expo strategy.
Feel free to check out the expo; it’s a great way to walk among thousands of people who are about to go through the same experience as you. It’s the perfect place to kill some time, buy official race gear or grab that last packet of gel you forgot to pack. The speakers can be informational and inspiring.
But: You need to take care of yourself as well. Don’t spend the entire morning walking around on a concrete floor. Is there a speaker you want to see later in the day? Go to the expo for your number, walk around, head back to your hotel, maybe get in your last run, eat a healthy lunch, then go back and see the speaker. Take the time to plan your entire day; it will be worth it. You don’t want any surprises this close to race day.
3. Don’t rest too much.
You’ve had three personal bests since June and you haven’t taken a day off since your streak started. Now’s the perfect time to be sedentary for three days — right? Wrong. You have to respect the streak. Your body likes a routine. It seems to be working, so don’t confuse it. Of course, rest before a big race is important, and you certainly don’t want to overdo it, but you shouldn’t be afraid of taking an easy jog Friday and Saturday — if that’s part of your standard workout. An easy run is a nice diversion and it may give you a chance to see a new city or revisit a favorite run you haven’t done in weeks. Those easy 20 or 30 minutes will put you in the right frame of mind for race day.
[See: 12 Psychological Tricks to Get You Through a Workout or Race.]
4. Don’t overindulge.
You’ve heard all about carbo-loading and the importance of a pre-race meal packed with just the right ratio of nutrients. That’s all well and good, but what perhaps more important than the food’s content and size is its familiarity. Race day eve is not the day to try that lobster ravioli at the new restaurant everyone is raving about. Nor is it the day to gorge on the breadbasket you’d ordinarily turn down or order the chocolate mousse “just because you can.” Wait until Sunday. Eat a meal you’re used to — and in normal portions.
5. Do remember it’s still a race.
Yes, this is a race. In case you need to be reminded, you’ll be assigned a number and chip to keep track of time and place. You’ll see clocks at the finish and even witness an awards ceremony after the event. You may not have any hopes of winning an award, but that doesn’t mean you can’t approach the marathon with racing in mind. Switching mental gears from just running to racing will get that adrenaline pumping and help those last miles go by quicker. Here’s how:
[See: Mantras That Get 11 Diet and Fitness Pros Through Their Toughest Moments.]
— Don’t ignore your goal pace splits; any seasoned marathoner or coach will tell you that you need to be patient. Three or maybe five hours is a long time to be doing anything, and if you get excited too early, it could make for an even longer day.
— Still, patience shouldn’t prevent you from competing in the latter stages of the race. See that guy in the yellow hat you’ve been following for 20 miles? Now’s the time to try to beat him to the finish. See your coworkers who have been talking about the race for six months up ahead? Go ahead and pass them. You will be a rock star at the office on Monday.
More from U.S. News
8 Reasons Running Now Will Help You Later in Life
10 Themed Races to Make Getting In Shape Fun
8 Signs You Are Made to Be an Athlete
The Best (and Worst) Ways to Spend the Days Before a Marathon originally appeared on usnews.com
