Marathon Week

I'm not the kind of guy to get excited before things. It usually takes me the night before or the day of to get excited, until I started racing.

I feel like the week before is similar to the race day itself. It's an equation of how you prepare, and how you ultimately play out that equation. The day of and the week of the race are for me, the most important for the race; because all of that training you've done to prepare can be flushed down the toilet from bad decision making.
I feel it's a combination of nutrition,routine, tapering, rest, and health,

Nurtition
The week of the race I eat one extra meal of carbs per day.
The day of the race, I stick with what I've been eating before Sunday LSD's. Oatmeal w/maple syrup. (I've switched what I've eaten, it ends up messing w/ my stomach during the race. Really terrible.)

Routine
The week of the race and the weeks prior, I've tried my gels to see how my stomach reacts, and worn my camo pack for a lot of runs. I use a camo-pack, only because I know I'll get the fuel I need, and it only gets lighter as you go.
Every race I lay out my breakfast, clothes and gels the night before. It's never failed me.

Tapering
Week of the race I'm careful to watch my pacing on my runs , fitting in some race pace, but caring more about rests than runs. The work has been done.
Morning of the race, I try and keep extremely loose, throwing some dynamic stretching in, and doing a bit of light jogging before hitting the start line. Today, I should feel terrific and ready to handle the world!

Rest
Week of the race, I'm trying to make sure I get hours. No exceptions. Especially the 2 nights prior to race day.
Race day, not sure. It's Boston, maybe I'll sleep, or look around. I'm just going to enjoy the view!

Health
I've come into races injured, and I'm miserable. The week before the race, now a days, I'm usually in good shape. But any tight muscles, I work em' out, and stretch a lot throughout the week.
Morning of, I'm keeping as healthy in terms of my race on that day. I have everything I need to keep me healthy. Food, warm clothes prior, Gatorade, sometimes a phone.


I can think of it all right now, because it's started! I can't wait. I'm ready.

Enjoy the outdoor adventures!
D