The Final Week

Other than the bit of faster running on Tuesday and a few minutes at marathon pace on Thursday simply ticking over with some 30-minute runs in race week is enough for most people.

Many runners like to do a really short jog 15-20 minutes maximum on the day before the race, but you know what will be right for you!

Don’t be tempted to use all that extra time to fix the decking at home or add some gym classes – this week is all about recovery.

You don’t need to go crazy on a huge carb load. As you cut back your training if you keep your nutrition similar to your biggest training weeks you will naturally store more as glycogen. In the final few days before the race an extra portion of carbohydrate (about a fist size) with main meals can work well.

Keep sensibly hydrated all week with 2-3 litres of fluids, perhaps including some electrolytes.

See if you can get to bed a bit earlier this week – extra sleep will really help your body recover that bit better before race day.

Stick to your routine and what is familiar in race week, don’t get caught up with trying new products or kit at this stage.

Warn your familiar and friends you might be a little irrational this week! It’s normal – give yourself time to reflect on all you have achieved. Aim to draw out 5-10 really key positives from your training, write them down and reinforce them in your mind. Nerves are totally normal but it’s important, no matter how well your training has gone, to recognize what you have done not worry about what you missed.

Plan your race day logistics well in advance – collect your race pack from registration on Saturday between 10:00-18:00, check you know what time and where the buses leave from to transport you to the marathon start and get your race kit ready including shoes, race number and pins, spare laces, vaseline, hat, gloves, old cloths, bin liner, toilet paper, food for after the race etc and plan where you will meet your friends and family afterwards.

More on how to taper here and how to prepare for the final 24 hours here. 

Tom Craggs is England National Team Coach and one of the UK’s most in demand coaches, coaching runners from beginners right through to GB elite athletes including some of the UK’s most well-known runners. Tom’s training advice can also be found in Runners World, Women’s Running and the Telegraph on a regular basis.