The Two Days Before The Marathon...You can’t sleep You should expect nerves to disrupt your sleep on the night before the marathon, so aim for a long night’s sleep two nights before it instead. On the night before the race, eat early, and relax

People are still telling you you can’t do itThe Two Days BeforeYou can’t sleepYou buy new shoes or clothing You have family obligations You feel sluggish on an easy runYou aren’t thirsty enough to drinkYou don’t know what to eatRace DayYou have no appetite

to take it easy. Stay supple, sleep lots, and if it's a long race, bias your food towards carbohydrates and away from fats. The same level-headedness goes for race day. The more you plan - from what time you'll get up, to how fast you'll run your first

pace plan and ideally written it upside down on your race number where you can see it Got plenty of sleep Stayed off your feet Eaten well and kept your fluid levels topped up Decided exactly where to meet your friends or family after the finish

Start racing faster"To improve your time, you're going to need to run faster throughout the race, not just at the finish. Many racers start too slowly and then end up running too quickly

on sleep. Don’t stay long at the pre-race expo. Remember: during this final week, you can’t under-do. You can only overdo.The Final HoursFeeling calm, confident and in control is your misson on race morning. Here's how to come by the three Cs: Be sure your

1. Sleep well"In reality, trying to sleep well the night before a race never works," says triathlon coach Rick Kiddle (www.rickkiddle.com). "The best sleep will be the night before the night before. Many athletes can survive with little sleep

at the start can also contribute to your sluggish feeling.Another tip is to make sure that you’ve had enough sleep in the build-up to the run. Concentrate on getting plenty of rest in the week beforehand, and especially two nights before the race. And don

and Physical Fitness found that it's the sleep you get two nights before a race that matters. The study found that athletes' VO2 max (an indicator of aerobic fitness) wasn't adversely affected after one sleepless night; it was lowest two days after sleep

sleep – an extra 30-45 minutes a night. Having difficulty nodding off – and then struggling to get up the next morning – could mean that you are over-training. As you’ll see in our schedules, you will benefit from having an occasional easy week – usually