Counting down to London, race day is fast approaching. Six weeks to go. Less than six long runs remain. Only a handful of sessions. It will come around quickly if we’re not careful.

Have you got everything in order? You haven’t?! OK, deep breath with me, ready? huuuuh-haaaaah we’ll get you sorted in no time, but don’t wait. Time is of the essence, lest you want to be scrapping around on race week hunting for the perfect gel or race top.

Follow this checklist and you’ll be hitting the line and ready to roll.

Shoes

Training shoes: Do the maths, will you have enough life in them for this last push? Most every-day trainers are recommended for 500-800 km (300-500 miles). Don’t want to be running on knackered shoes and pick up a niggle before the big day.

Do they fit? Finger’s width between your longest toe and the end of the shoe, please! Free the toes, prevent discomfort.

Race shoes: Be comfortable in your shoe of choice for the big day. Don’t save a new pair for the start line, work them into your schedule now so there are no surprises!

Kit

What are you wearing? Do you have enough pockets for your gels and fuel? Will you be carrying your phone? Check you have a well fitting race-fit that you are used to running in. 

Fuel

Jenny takes three gels per Long Run on average. Jenny has four long runs remaining before the London Marathon. Jenny also needs six gels for the race. She has 12 gels left in her supply. Does Jenny need to buy more gels to make sure she doesn’t hit the wall? 

Yes, Jenny needs another box of Maurten… Be like Jenny, stock up now (see, who said those maths problems from primary school have no practical applications??)

Gels? Drink mixes? Chews? Food? Plan out your fuelling strategy and practice in training. Most accepted guidance is that you need 30-90g of carbs/hour to adequately fuel for a distance event like a marathon.  That means about two gels per hour depending on your source. Practice, practice, practice!! Ensure it sits well with your GI Tract, and you like the taste, else you might be seeing it again later in the race…

Logistics

Plan your travel now! Like we have to tell you that… but seriously. Need a hotel? Need transport? How about post-race accommodation? Lock it in now so you can focus on the running and not be bogged down by details!

Training

Regardless of how things have been going for you during your training, 6-weeks out is not a time to be drastically changing how you train for this race. If you’ve missed some sessions or had some time out with illness or injury, the worst thing you can do is try to chase the missing mileage and feel the need to make up for lost time. Instead, gradually get back on track with your plan and modify where needed. Chasing your training can lead to injuries or general fatigue that will leave you feeling like race day is a chore rather than a joy.

Similarly, don’t go adding in any radically different training methods at this stage. There is so much information out there online touting the benefits of [x] training method as “the secret”- often coming from people with large followings but who aren’t qualified coaches. We shouldn’t need to tell you this, but avoid adding in anything wildly different to what you are currently doing. It’s not worth the risks and the gains are often negligible.

Health and Wellbeing

Injuries and Illness are both part and parcel of the risks we run (hah, get it) in training. As you enter the last few hard weeks of training, the chance of occurrence increases. Nutrition is easily neglected in a busy life and training schedule, but it’s incredibly important to eat enough calories to recover from your training. We often see people vow to “eat healthy” in the lead up to the marathon and drop away important calories, leading to problems. Eat balanced, but eat enough! Stay on top of your sleep, rehab and maintenance and don’t ignore the first whispers of anything. A day or two of missed training now is better than pushing through, making something worse and missing the race.

Race day stress can be mounting up as you get closer to the big day. Don’t worry! Make sure you lean into any non-running, non-marathon related hobbies you have. Take the stress off of the running - letting it consume you is potentially detrimental to every facet in your life!

All the best - come see us for any last-minute supplies!

- Runlimited