Last-Minute Marathon Day Tips

Your marathon is almost here. The training is done, the long runs are banked, and right now you're probably somewhere between excitement and low-level panic that you've forgotten how to run.

You haven't. Here's what you need to know for the final week.

Trust the taper

The taper is doing its job. Even when it doesn't feel like it.

Legs feeling heavy and sluggish? Normal. A slight cold coming on? Also normal — your immune system has been suppressed by months of hard training and is now reactivating. The urge to squeeze in one more long run "just to be sure"? Resist it entirely.

I'd rather you arrive at the start line slightly undercooked — healthy, fresh and ready to race — than having squeezed in sessions you didn't need and carrying a niggle into race day. That is a much more powerful place to be.

Your job this week is to rest, stay loose, and show up ready.

Sleep matters more than you think

Two nights before the race is more important than the night before. Most runners sleep terribly on Saturday night — the nerves see to that — so a good night on Friday is your insurance policy.

Don't stress if you lie awake on Saturday. You'll run fine on adrenaline alone. This one is worth repeating: you will be fine.

Carbohydrate loading: keep it simple

In the two or three days before the race, increase your carbohydrate intake. Pasta, rice, bread, potatoes — things you know sit well with you. You're topping up your glycogen stores for the 26.2 miles ahead.

Avoid anything new, rich, or experimental. This is emphatically not the week for a new restaurant. It is absolutely not the week for a spicy curry. Stick to what you know.

On race morning, eat your normal pre-race breakfast.

Whatever you choose, eat it at least two hours before the start. Keep hydrating steadily through the morning.

The pre race Running Show: get in, get out

If you need to, collect your race number. Say hello to your charity stand. Then leave.

Anything you're tempted to buy at the running show is a purchase for after the marathon. Do not spend hours on your feet browsing on Saturday. And absolutely nothing new on race day — not shoes, not insoles, not a vest you saw on a stall that looked good. Anything you do buy is for AFTER your race.

What to wear

Dress for the race conditions, not the morning chill. You will warm up quickly once you're moving, so wear old layers to the start that you're happy to ditch before the gun goes off.

If it's warm: Less is more. A well-ventilated cap keeps the sun off. A buff soaked in water and worn around the neck is a simple trick that works. Sunglasses aren't just about style either — if the sun's in your eyes, you'll tense your face, and a tense face becomes tense shoulders and tight running form. Keep things relaxed.

Be aware your feet may swell a little in the heat too. Lightweight, well-fitted socks will help.

Whatever the weather: Use anti-chafe balm liberally. On longer distances, places you didn't expect to chafe will find you.

Check your kit the night before. Number pinned on. Chip attached. Gels counted and packed. Don't be the person frantically searching for safety pins at 6am.

Getting to the start

Give yourself far more time than you think you need. Factor in travel delays, bag drop queues, toilet queues (always longer than expected), and getting into your pen.

Once you're in, stay warm and save your energy. There's a lot going on — helicopters, TV cameras, thousands of runners, the most incredible atmosphere. Feed off it. But don't let it tip you into burning nervous energy before you've even started.

Your race: run your own

The marathon is you versus the distance. Not you versus anyone else.

That person in the rhino costume who steams past you in the first mile? Don't try to race them. Stay in control, execute your plan, and trust that the people who went out too fast will come back to you.

Work out your kilometre splits in advance. If you're aiming for a specific time, know exactly what pace you need and break the race into chunks. A pace band on your wrist is invaluable when your brain starts to fog after three hours of running.

On your GPS watch: Treat it primarily as a stopwatch. GPS watches aren't perfectly accurate — I did some analysis of London Marathon runners using Garmins a few years ago, and the average reading was 26.45 miles over a 26.2-mile course. You can't stop the race when your watch hits 26.2 if the finish line is 200 metres ahead.

Instead, press lap at the course's kilometre or mile markers to get an accurate read of your pace on each section of road. Set your screen to show total time and current lap time. Keep it simple, and don't let it stress you out.

Don't go out too hard. Even a rapid first 500 metres can cause your heart rate to spike too early, leaving your legs heavy long before the finish. Build into it.

Hydration and electrolytes

Drink to thirst. That's still the best rule, and you don't need to drink at every single water station — especially early on.

If it's warm, think about electrolytes. When you sweat, you lose sodium, potassium and other minerals alongside water. Drinking plain water replaces the fluid but dilutes those electrolytes further — you're not actually rehydrating, you're just watering down your blood. An electrolyte tab in your water helps you replace what you're losing properly.

If you haven't tried them before, test them on an easy run this week. Never experiment on race day.

The tough miles: answer the questions

Somewhere around miles 18 to 22, your legs will start to talk to you.

This is where the real marathon starts. Physically things get harder. Mentally, you'll be asked some questions. You need to answer them.

Think about why you're doing this. Have a few reasons stored and ready — your charity, your family, something that genuinely means something to you. When the going gets tough, those reasons are what carry you through. Focus on your form. Keep your shoulders relaxed, your arms driving, your head up.

Break the last section into smaller pieces. Just to the next water station. Just to the next mile marker. One at a time.

Once you hit mile 24, there's no doubt you'll finish. That's not a question.

After the finish line: keep moving

Cross the line and keep walking. Stopping is the worst thing you can do. A brief walk to collect your bag will help. It brings your heart rate down gradually and makes a real difference to how quickly you recover.

Get into warm, dry clothes as soon as you can. Get some food and a recovery drink in within 30 to 60 minutes. And take a moment to appreciate what you've just done.

Race day checklist

The night before

• Race number pinned to vest

• Timing chip attached to shoes

• Full kit laid out (vest, shorts, socks, shoes, sports bra if relevant)

• Anti-chafe balm packed

• Gels counted and ready

• Travel plan confirmed

Race morning

• Familiar breakfast, at least two hours before start

• Water and sports drink

• Old warm layers for the start

• Sunscreen and lip balm

• Directions to bag drop

During the race

• Drink to thirst at water stations

• Run your own race — not anyone else's

• Break it into sections

• Remember why you're doing this]

Don’t forget to use the Full Potential App for your Race day checklist - App Store | Google Play

The training is done. This week is just about arriving at the start line healthy, rested, and ready to execute.

Trust the training. Run your race. Enjoy every one of those 26.2 miles.

We'd love to hear how you get on — tag us or drop us a message after the race.

Thinking about running a marathon in 2027? Spring marathon motivation doesn't get much higher than race week. [Get some coaching now →]

Download the Full Potential app — App Store | Google Play