Months ago, we signed for the the Wildwood Trail Marathon. With only 4 day until the race, we came up with a list to help prepare for race day.
Rest - This is probably common sense. But in order to make sure you feel 100% take it easy, go on easy 2 - 4 runs and take a day or two off to rest your legs. We like to do a little run the day before.
Stretch - Yoga is not one of my favorite things but I do like it to help stretch sore muscles.
Hydrate - The week before is when I really start to drink a lot of water. To help, I use the app Waterlogged on my phone, to track how much water I drink and get reminders to drink water throughout the day. Also figuring out how much water you will need in the race is important, especially in a trail marathon because there's not as many aid stations as in a road marathon.
Plan out your essentials - For race day food, I stick to familiar foods (bars or gels). Just because you never how your body will react to something. If I want to try out something new, I usually do it on long runs leading up. For clothing I try to do the same. The 50 Mile Tights and the Berryman Jersey are perfect for race day. They both can fit everything I need.
Be prepared for the weather - We have been to multiple races where it rained the whole way or it rained the night before and the course was so muddy. Checking the weather for the day of and the days before will help you avoid being under prepared.
Don't Think Too Much About It - I have never been one to get super excited before a race. Don't get me wrong I love running but for some reason on the days leading up to a race, I always dread it. Getting to the starting line is always to the hardest part for me. So the best advice I can give is put it out of your mind the week before.
Photo by Phil Goodwin on Unsplash