Marathon Prep Day

By , October 3, 2014 12:07 pm

Originally, I wasn’t supposed to have today off from work – I get every other Friday off, but my scheduled Friday was last week. However, I was working in DC, so I had to move my off day to today. Which ended up being an awesome blessing in disguise, because today has become Marathon Prep Day for Sunday’s race!

Ha ha. I have been looking to Marathon Prep Day for a few weeks. On the agenda:

  • teach strength class (since it’s Friday – this wouldn’t be on a normal Marathon Prep Day agenda) – DONE
  • take a long nap – DONE
  • get a massage (and hope that it helps prevent a bit of DOMS from am workout)
  • paint nails to match race outfit 
  • carb load, probably something that looks like this:

131009RRburger

Not on the list:

  • pack race items (outfit is picked out, I can do that tomorrow)
  • pick up bib (again, tomorrow)
  • run (GAH! Why do I want to run so much during taper? That is another for tomorrow.)

What is your race day prep routine?

I actually do have three things I try to do before a race – take a nap (and distance), eat a burger and fries (if it’s a half or longer), and get a 3 mile run in (the day before). The massage thing is kind of new to me, but I got one before my last marathon and felt like it helped, so why not?!

37 Responses to “Marathon Prep Day”

  1. Have a great race! I had a gyro and fries to help you with the carb loading 😉

    I like to wear some compression socks the day before, drink way too much water and spend as little time as possible talking about the race.

  2. Kiersten says:

    Enjoy your prep day! I just ate a veggie burger and sweet potato fries and a smoothie, so I am helping you carb load in spirit. I hope the race goes great!

  3. bobbi says:

    I like your marathon prep day agenda so much better than mine 🙂

  4. Pete B says:

    I need to get a marathon prep routine together. The day before the 2011 NYC marathon I must have walked 10 miles all over Manhattan including walking around 3 art museums until 10pm. Probably not the best thing to do with a 4am wakeup to run 26.2, but I was excited to be in NYC and wanted to be a tourist. I think I burned off nervous energy a little too much! I am going to try going to movie and a quiet dinner the night before Chicago this year to see if that’s any better!

    • kilax says:

      I bet some walking is good, but yeah, probably not 10 miles! Then again, if I were leaving right after the race, I would do it then, too! When I ran NYC I did a 5K the day before, then went to a comedy show in the city that night. LOL

  5. Heather says:

    I ALWAYS get my nails done. It’s a must and totally ridiculous, I know, but it’s a tradition. 🙂

    Good luck!

  6. Erin says:

    Oooh, I’m excited for your race on Sunday!! Today’s (and tomorrow’s) plan sounds excellent.

  7. Michelle says:

    I almost always have stir fry or some sort of rice pasta the day before, and 2 days before I try to up my carbs as well as I try to normally eat a lower carb diet. Other than that, I set my outfit/gear/fuel out the night before, and that’s it!

    Have a GREAT race! Can’t wait to hear all about it!

    • kilax says:

      Yeah, I learned about carb loading two nights before last year, so you don’t start the race all heavy which makes SO MUCH SENSE. Hee hee. 🙂 Now I am hungry for stir fry! That is a good idea for tomorrow!

      Thank you!

  8. Tiina says:

    You’re going to kill it!

  9. Melanie says:

    I really love that your prep includes a manicure. Have a great race!

  10. Amy says:

    I love that you get every other Fri off. So many offices do that and I love it! And so perfect it worked out to be this week. Enjoy the carb-loading and GOOD LUCK!

    • kilax says:

      I LOVE that schedule. I would do 4-10s to get every Friday off if they allowed it. I am grateful my office has so many work/life balance programs.

      Thanks! 🙂

  11. Beth says:

    I hope your race goes really well! What’s in my pre-marathon routine: resting my legs the day before (ideally) and eating ALL THE CARBS!

  12. Kristina says:

    Good luck with the race!
    I almost always take a nap as pre-race prep. Then again, I try to always take naps…

  13. Have a great race…I’ll be waiting for your update!!!

  14. Amy says:

    Sounds like some good plans to me… Good luck and have a wonderful race – I hope above all that you enjoy yourself!!!

    • kilax says:

      I really did, thanks! It was fun to run the first half with my girlies, and then the second alone – I talked to lots of new people 🙂

  15. I drink less coffee and try to sit still. I used to swear by pizza but moved to protein/potato/veggies. In NYC I see lots of friends and usually walk too much, too!

    Have a great race!!! Look forward to the recap!

  16. Good luck tomorrow! I”m looking forward to hearing how it went!

  17. Chaitali says:

    I hope the race prep day went well! The massage sound like a grey idea 🙂

  18. I always run the day before a big race (well, I run every day, but the day before a race I run 2-3 miles at least). I don’t know if it’s a mental thing or what, but I always feel better at the start line if I’ve gotten the junk out the day before.

  19. jan says:

    Yippee for a Friday off! How timely! Glad you used it to prep well. 🙂 Hope you have a fun race!

    In other news are you running the Naperville 1/2 or full? I feel like you ran it last year, or am I thinking of something else? My friend & I were going to come run the 1/2 but it’s full. 🙁

    • kilax says:

      I am not running it this year, but I did run the full last year. The whole thing is full now, right? I hope you come for another race!

  20. Mica says:

    I’m finally catching up on all these posts. What did you end up doing for marathon prep day? I hope it was fries at Red Robin (Yummmm. Haha). I’m kind of surprised that getting a massage works out so well before the race; I would think it would make you more sore. If it works though, that’s fantastic!!

    • kilax says:

      I ended up getting a burger with fries for dinner two days before the race. The massage was that day too. It seems to work for me, to get it that close! I wouldn’t get it the day before, though! 😉

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