Day Before a Half Marathon: The Ultimate Preparation
The day before a half marathon can make or break your race day experience.
As a 16-time half marathon finisher, I’m here to guide you through the critical 24 hours before your race. Drawing on my personal race experience, I’ll share insights and strategies that have helped me get to the finish line successfully.
Whether tomorrow is your first or fifty-first half marathon, you can learn something new. Now, let’s get to it!
What to Eat the Day Before a Half Marathon
One of the most confusing elements of running, especially for new runners, is what food is appropriate before race day.
Nutrition is essential for half marathon success, so it must be done correctly. For sustained energy on race day, focus your diet on complex carbohydrates, such as grains, brown rice, and sweet potatoes.
You’ll also want to include lean proteins, such as chicken or tofu, to help support your muscles and aid your post-race recovery.
Healthy fats are also essential for continued energy and mental clarity. Avocados and nuts provide healthy fats that are part of a well-balanced diet.
As a runner, you likely know that hydration is important. You must be on your hydration game the day before a half marathon. This means drinking plenty of water and including electrolytes. I always rely on Nuun to help me before race day.
You should avoid eating anything new the day before a half marathon. Trying new foods is a recipe for disaster, leading to gastrointestinal distress. This also means limiting high-fiber foods that will send you to the porta-potty throughout your race.
Be very intentional about your pre-race dinner. It must be a well-balanced, familiar meal. You should also eat at least 2-3 hours before bed. This will help you get a restful night’s sleep before the race.
A small snack, like a banana, can curb your hunger before bed.
If you train right and find what your body responds to best, your balanced dinner should help you have a great race day.
How Much Water to Drink the Day Before a Half Marathon
Hydration is key for any athlete. The day before a race is your final chance to get well-hydrated to help you get through the 13.1 miles.
You should sip water as needed throughout the day. Pay attention to your thirst and take small sips of water all day.
The best way to tell whether or not you’re well hydrated is based on your urine color. You want to pee a pale yellow for optimum hydration status. It’s too dark, and you’re dehydrated, too light, and your body isn’t holding on to necessary minerals.
Electrolyte beverages, such as Nuun Hydration, are a great option to mix throughout the day to keep your body hydrated. If the day before race day is hot and you’re sweating, you’ll need more minerals from electrolyte drinks.
Water and electrolytes are key. If you’re a coffee drinker, take it easy the day before your half marathon. I would likely still have one cup of coffee to avoid the caffeine withdrawal headache.
But be aware that caffeine and alcohol will lead to dehydration.
Throughout the evening, pay attention to your thirst level. Drink when you feel thirsty, but don’t drink so much that you’ll wake up every 30 minutes to use the bathroom.
Proper Sleep The Night Before Your Half Marathon
Quality sleep the night before a half marathon is ideal, but it’s unlikely for many runners, especially first-time half marathoners.
Don’t sweat it. This is entirely normal. However, you should at least aim to get the proper amount of sleep headed into race day.
This means you should prepare to be in bed to get anywhere from 7 to 9 hours of sleep. The week of the race is the time to set a regular sleep schedule if you haven’t already. This includes creating a pre-bedtime routine.
Light stretching, meditation, reading, or listening to calming music can help your body get ready for sleep.
You also need to ensure that your sleep environment is optimized. The room should be dark and quiet, and you should set the room to a temperature that will allow you to sleep comfortably.
Proper rest leads to mental sharpness and will help your muscles recover better. Anything you can do to make your pre-race sleep better is a must.
What Activities Are Okay the Day Before Your Half Marathon
As you head into race week, you might be experiencing Taper Madness. You feel antsy and anxious and want to move around more than you should.
So, what activities are okay to do the day before your marathon?
Easy, low-impact activities are acceptable. This means light stretching that doesn’t stress the muscles out. A short walk is also acceptable, but keep the pace slow and the distance short.
A short shakeout run is also acceptable if your legs feel up for it. This is not for every runner, but I’ve always enjoyed a 2-mile or less shakeout run the day before a half marathon to get my legs moving.
Ideally, you want to stay off your feet the day before a race as much as possible. This helps your body rest and conserve energy for your race.
Keep your muscles relaxed and avoid fatiguing them before the big event. You must balance being well-prepared and ensuring you don’t overwhelm yourself with sitting and lying down all day.
Just remember that within the next 24 hours, you’ll be up and running to accomplish a great goal!
How to Mentally Prepare for Your Half Marathon
You must work on mental visualization to fully prepare for your half marathon.
Mental work can help you reach the optimum headspace the day before the race. Visualize yourself running the course and doing well. See yourself crossing the finish line with confidence and a big smile.
Using a mantra or positive affirmations during the race often helps me push through hard times. The night before the half marathon, write down some powerful mantras to have handy during the race.
Don’t avoid the reality that things can go wrong. Instead, mentally prepare yourself to overcome any challenges thrown your way.
Use the evening before the race to sit and meditate or work on deep breathing exercises. In addition to helping you become mentally stronger, these exercises can help you relax and get a better night’s sleep.
At the end of the day, now is the time to trust in your training. If you put in the effort, know you did your best, and prepare to celebrate your successes when you cross the finish line on race day.
What You Need for Race Day
Having everything you need for race day doesn’t have to be stressful. If you’re traveling for a race, use a half-marathon checklist to ensure you have all the details accounted for.
The following are the things you’ll need to succeed on race day.
1. Race outfit
The night before the race, lay out your race-day outfit. This includes pinning your runner’s bib to your shirt and double-checking you have everything from the proper clothing to your necessary accessories. Always make sure you have the right running socks and running shoes!
2. Bib & Timing Chip
If you want to be sure you can complete the race with credit, your bib and timing chip are essential. The Runner’s bib will allow you to run on the course; the timing chip is usually attached. This is the way you’ll have your official race time noted.
3. Fuel
If you’ve trained and found that you need fuel to get through the 13.1 miles, ensure you’ve got it and a way to carry it effortlessly. Do not try any new fuel on race day. Sure, things can go well, but things could also go very wrong!
4. Protection from the Elements
You might need sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a running rain jacket, gloves, or anti-chafe balm. Whatever the elements throw at you, you should be prepared.
5. Fitness Tracker/Smartwatch
If you like to track your mileage or pace, the night before the race is the time to charge your tracking device. One time, I forgot my Smartwatch at home on the charger the morning of my race, so I also recommend writing yourself a note you can place on the door that you’ll leave through in the morning.
6. Every Race Detail
You need to know the start time, where the start line is, where you need to park, and whether there’s a shuttle to or from the start/finish lines. Don’t leave anything up to chance. Have a solid game plan headed into race day.
Properly preparing for the half marathon will allow you to get to the start line easily. This means you can focus all your energy on success and having fun.
What to Know About the Weather
Race day weather can be funky. In fact, my first half marathon in 2013 turned out to be the rainiest race I’ve experienced in over a decade.
To be well-prepared, be informed about the weather without becoming consumed with checking it. You’ll want to note the temperature, humidity, wind conditions, and chance of precipitation. You’ll also want to know the UV index to ensure you have plenty of sunscreen to protect your skin.
If the weather is cooler, dressing in layers is helpful. Be sure you have your bib pinned to a layer you won’t throw away, but use layers to your advantage to stay comfortable before your body fully warms up.
Should race day be rainy, you’ll want proper waterproof gear and items to change into after you finish. Make sure you wear clothing designed for running in the rain to limit the rain collecting in your clothing and becoming heavy.
If the weather drastically changes from what you’ve trained in, reassess your goals.
For instance, training in the cold temperatures of winter to race in the warm or hot temperatures of spring can gravely affect your performance. Rather than running the pace you planned, you may need to pull back for your safety.
Conversely, if race day is much cooler than the training runs you experienced, you may be in for a quicker pace than expected.
You can’t control the weather on race day; you can only adapt to it. Having weather expectations for race day before it arrives will make all the difference.
FAQ:
Each runner will have something that works best for them. However, reducing your mileage and run intensity in the final two weeks before your half-marathon race is generally a good idea. Cut back running altogether in the final 2 to 4 days before race day. You can do light stretching and go for a walk. The day before the half marathon, you can do a light, easy shakeout run to get your legs back to the running motion.
Running the day before a half marathon is perfectly fine, so long as you pull back on distance and intensity. Ideally, you’ll limit time on your feet the day before the race, but an easy 1 to 2-mile shakeout run can help release any pre-race jitters you have and help your legs prepare for the action of running. The rest of the day, take it very easy. Do light stretching, stay off your feet, and don’t try to partake in new or dangerous activities (like rollerblading!).
The day before your half marathon, you must stay well-hydrated. You want to be sure your body has all the essential minerals it needs, but you don’t want to overdo it. Everyone is a little different, so there isn’t one number you’ll aim to hit in fluids. Instead, focus on your thirst, have some electrolytes (my go-to is Nuun), and don’t drink so much that your body is flushing all the minerals and you’re peeing clear.
The night before a race, sticking to a familiar meal is important. It should be a well-balanced meal. Aim to consume complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats. Items like whole-grain pasta, chicken, and a handful of nuts can round off a good pre-race dinner. Avoid overly heavy things and limit fiber so you don’t experience gastrointestinal issues at night or on race morning. Remember to eat early enough to give your body time to digest before sleeping. If you’re still hungry before bed, something light like a banana or yogurt can help tie you over until morning.
Final Thoughts: The Day Before a Half Marathon
The day before your half marathon is exciting and confusing. You’ve put in all the work training for months, and now you’re nearing the finish line.
Remember to trust in your training and stick to what you know. Now is no time to try a new workout, fuel, or sleep schedule. Hone in on the things that worked well for your body during training.
Some races go by quickly, so be ready to take it all in. Look at the spectators and their funny signs, enjoy the race atmosphere, and celebrate your massive success of finishing a half marathon.
