With race day less than two weeks away, Im in the thick of the anxiety-inducing marathon taper.
Its funny, the way marathon planning begins to feel like planning a vacation.
Even figuring out transportation to the start line feels akin to prepping for the airport.
Perhaps some fresh kicks, or an expensive new fueling strategy.
However, most running experts advise sticking with what you know to avoid race day mishaps.
This tip can be boiled down to a familiar running aphorism:Nothing new on race day.
My first marathon, I was young and cocky.
This is very different from who I am today: Young and humble.
I wanted to wear the brag-worthy new race shirt that I had picked up along with my bib.
I mean, they weremade for each other, right?
It sounds like a minor detail, but it colored the entire race experience for me.
When youre running a marathon, you want to be able tofocus on the mile youre in.
Not the unbearable chafing going on god-knows-where.
The moral of the story: Your excitement to try something new will lead to some light self-sabotage.
Introducing anything new could lead to GI issues that ruin your race.
Stick to the routine that has worked for you in training and trust in your preparation.
This means sticking to your normal pre-race breakfast and your usual training snacks and hydration.
Dont try new energy gels, drinks, or solid foods right before or during the race.
Heres my full poston proper marathon fueling.
Get your gear ready early
Chafing is so real, and so painful.
Wear the same shoes, socks, shorts, shirt that youve trained in for long runs.
Dont debut a new GPS watch or heart rate monitor.
Plan your course strategy
launch the pace and splits youve trained for.
Resist the urge to bolt out too fast or deviate from your plan mid-race.
Dont try new protein powders or recovery drinks.
