From the August 2004 issue of Runner's World
One Week to Go
Taper. Do no more than 40 percent of your peak weekly mileage, with most of that coming early in the week. Except for your dress rehearsal run (see Tip 11), keep your runs easy. "You should feel like you're storing up energy, both physically and mentally" says Rodgers. If you've done speedwork as part of your buildup, follow an easy run later in the week with some quick 100-meter pickups to remind yourself of how fast and fit you are. On the day before the race, stick with your pre-long-run routine--a day off if that's what you usually do, a two- or three-mile jog if you're a daily runner.
Run a dress rehearsal. Four or five days before the marathon, do a two- or three-mile marathon-pace run in your marathon outfit and shoes. Picture yourself on the course running strong and relaxed. Besides boosting your confidence, this run will provide one last little bit of conditioning and will help you lock in to race pace on marathon day.
Run like a clock. If possible, run at the same time of day as the start of your marathon. This way, your body's rhythms--including the all-important bathroom routine--will be in sync with marathon needs come race day. The more times you can do this, the better, but shoot for at least the last three days before the race.
Set two goals. "Review your training and set one goal for a good race day, and another as a backup plan in case it's hot or windy or you're just not feeling great," Rodgers recommends. "So many things can go wrong in a marathon that you need that secondary goal to stay motivated if things aren't perfect, which they seldom are." Your primary goal is the one you've been working toward during your buildup: a personal best, qualifying for Boston, breaking five hours, whatever. Your secondary goal should keep you motivated at the 22-mile mark on a bad day: finishing in the top 50 percent, slowing only 10 minutes over the second half, or just reaching the darn finish line.
See success. On several nights before going to bed, or first thing in the morning, visualize yourself crossing the finish line as the clock shows a new personal best. Before this year's Olympic Marathon Trials, where Wells placed seventh, she replayed positive mental images before falling asleep at night. "I knew the course we would be running, and I'd see myself out on it running well," she says. "There's a hill in the 25th mile, and I'd say to myself, 'Okay, get up that hill, and then run strong to the finish.'"
Chill out. Reduce the outside stresses in your life as much as possible the last week. "This is not a good time to get married or divorced," Rodgers jokes. Try to have work projects under control, politely decline invitations to late nights out, and so on. Most of all, stay off your feet--save museum tours and shopping sprees for after the marathon, and don't spend four hours the day before the marathon checking out the latest energy gel flavors at the race expo. "Before the Trials," says Wells, "I went to my brother's house and just basically hung out."
Carbo-load, don't fat-load. "During the last three days, concentrate on eating carbohydrate-rich foods, such as pasta, potatoes, bread, fruit and fruit juice, low-fat milk and yogurt, low-fat treats, and sports drinks," says Suzanne Girard Eberle. It's the carbs, after all, not fat or protein, that will fuel you on race day. Girard Eberle says what's important is increasing the percentage of your calories that come from carbs, not simply eating more of everything. (Bummer, we know.) "Since you'll be tapering and expending fewer calories," she says, "you don't have to consume a great deal more food than usual. Rather, make sure your food choices are carbohydrate-rich, not full of fat--for example, spaghetti with red sauce, instead of Alfredo sauce, or a bagel versus a croissant."
Go with what you know. Even if Olympic Marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor appears on your front porch dispensing advice, don't try anything radical this week. Stick to your plan and what you've practiced during your buildup. For example, if you haven't done regular speedwork, now isn't the time to start just because someone told you it will keep your legs "fresh" while you're tapering. At this point, also ignore any "can't-miss" diet tricks from friends. "So much of those last few days is mental," says Wells. "Feel comfortable with what you're doing rather than trying something new and worrying how it will affect you."
