24 Hours To Race Day

What should I eat the day before the marathon?

We're putting gasoline in the tank for that long drive. I think carbo-loading is a little bit out of whack in America today. It's overemphasized, but it's still a very important thing. I simply tell my athletes: You're staying off your feet the day before, but have the pancakes in the morning, have the white starches for lunch, sit down to that lasagne and garlic bread about 12 hours before your race goes off, and you're then going to have yourself in good position to be well-dieted for your race day.

When should I have my last large meal before a marathon?

When you're almost done, except for your sleep cycle. You're really taking something in all the way up to your sleep cycle. Then you're going to get your 8 hours of rest prior to running. And so that's the only time you're not really taking something in. I like the evening meal about 12 hours before you run, but it's okay to have that extra piece of pie, or that ice cream you've always putting off with the topping on it, a couple of hours before bed time.

How much sleep is needed the night before the race?

Here again, depends on the individual, but usually you still need seven to eight-and-a-half hours of rest. It doesn't have to be all sleep, but if I'm going to race at eight o'clock in the morning, I know I've got to be there at six, so I'm going to be going down around nine o'clock. I'm going to take my book, and I'm going to read a little bit. I'm not going to sleep that whole time. What you don't want to do before a race is go to bed too early. All you're going to do is wake up at two in the morning and stay awake until your alarm goes off.

What is the 'race expo'?

Every marathon has a health and fitness expo prior to race day. That is usually a location in a convention hall or auditorium that displays all kinds of running apparel, running gear, running food intakes and lectures on how to run and eat properly and train properly. They sell the products for that race. That is usually the place where you need to go to pick up your bib and your goody bag that they give you prior to race day.