Marathon Race Day: Fuelling, Pacing and the Taper

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Months of training come down to one morning. Most marathon disappointments happen not because of a lack of fitness, but because of mistakes in the last two weeks and on the day itself: too much training, too little fuel, and starting too fast.

The taper: the final two to three weeks

Research on tapering suggests that reducing training volume substantially over about two weeks, while keeping some intensity, generally improves performance. In practice:

• Three weeks out: a final long run, then start reducing.
• Two weeks out: cut weekly volume by roughly a third. Keep a short race-pace session.
• Race week: cut volume by about half or more. A few short, easy runs with a little race-pace running.

Feeling sluggish or restless during a taper is normal. Resist the urge to “test” your fitness.

Carbohydrate loading

Your muscles store carbohydrate as glycogen, and a marathon can use up most of it. In the 36 to 48 hours before the race, sports nutrition guidelines suggest eating about 10 to 12 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 60 kg runner, that’s 600 to 720 grams a day.

• Base meals on rice, puttu, idli, appam, chapati, bread and bananas.
• Reduce fibre, fat and spice slightly so the extra carbohydrate fits and your stomach stays calm.
• Don’t eat a huge meal the night before. Spread it over two days.

Race-morning breakfast

Eat a familiar, carbohydrate-rich breakfast two to four hours before the start. Many Kerala marathons start very early, so set an alarm and eat even if you’re not hungry. Something you’ve tested on long training runs is the only right answer.

Fuelling during the race

Guidelines suggest 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour for long endurance events, and up to about 90 grams per hour for well-trained athletes who have trained their gut to tolerate it. A practical approach:

• Take a gel or equivalent every 30 to 40 minutes, starting around 30 to 45 minutes in.
• Take gels with water, not with sports drink, to avoid an overly concentrated mix.
• Use only products and amounts you’ve practised in training.

If you need them, look at energy gels (Amazon.in, opens in a new tab) and practise with them for weeks before race day.

Pacing 42.2 km

• Pick a realistic goal from a recent half marathon using our race time predictor, then adjust down for heat and humidity.
• The first 10 km should feel easy, almost too easy.
• Aim for even pacing. Banking time early usually costs much more later.
• Check in at halfway: if you feel strong at 30 km, then you can push.

Racing in the heat

If race morning is warm and humid, slow your goal pace from the start, drink at every station, and cool yourself with water over your head and neck. Watch for signs of heat illness and stop if you feel dizzy, confused or stop sweating. See Running in Kerala’s heat and humidity.

Find your next marathon: marathons in Kerala.