With only a few weeks to go until race day, most of the bulk of training is done, but now its time to fine tune the details to set you up for a successful day out on the race course.

Nutrition and Hydration
The race will have water and Gatorade Endurance (lemon lime flavor) at the aid stations, spaced out every one to two miles along the course (20 total aid stations).

There will also be Maurten 100 gels, with or without caffeine, located at aid station 10 (13.6 miles), 14 (18.2 miles) and 18 (mile 23) and bananas at aid stations 15-17 (miles 19.3-22.3).

Do not wait until race day to see if your stomach likes lemon lime Gatorade or the consistency of Maurten gels. If you plan on utilizing these products on race day, practice with the race course nutrition during a long training run that has intervals of similar intensity as you will be running on race day. This allows you to see if your body tolerates the on course nutrition and allows you to train your gut so you don’t suffer gastrointestinal distress on race day.

Mixed drinks can be tricky on race courses. If a race uses a mix of powder and water (which many races do), they can sometimes be pretty heavily concentrated. I would recommend taking both a cup of water and a cup of the Gatorade at an aid station, then alternating sipping on each to dilute the mixed drink slightly. A “trick of the trade”: pinch the cup so it forms a little spout and drink from that rather than attempt to take the liquid in as one normally does when drinking out of a cup. This will help slow and control the amount of liquid that enters your mouth, but also limits it splashing all over your face and clothes.

Maurten gels don’t have much flavor or aftertaste, although the caffeinated ones linger a little in the mouth. They are a hydrogel, meaning they are the consistency of something similar to grape jelly with a watery coating. The Maurten gels on course will have 100 calories, 25 grams of carbohydrate, and contain very little to no electrolytes. The caffeinated ones will have the equivalent of a cup of coffee per serving. While studies show the performance enhancing benefits of caffeine, not all bodies react similarly to taking it in before or during a race. I would highly recommend practicing with it before race day to see if it feels beneficial to your body. The key for taking gels – or any nutrition in training and racing- is to take it in regular intervals before you hit a crashing low. If the body runs out of stored glycogen to burn, it will resort to catabolizing muscle for energy, thus decreasing the body’s ability to perform.

*NOTE: if you want to sample the nutrition products that will be available on the race course, or try a few different ones in the next week or two, you can order online from The Feed. The Feed offers competitive pricing, fast, free shipping, and allows people to only order only one or two gels, chews, or drink mixes rather than having to purchase an entire container or case. 

What to Wear
Similar to nutrition, training in what you plan on racing in will help you see if you feel comfortable in a specific pair of shorts, shirt and shoes before race day. You will be able to determine if a sports bra causes chaffing or shoes result in blisters with wear for an extended period of time.

Some people’s hands and feet swell when running long distances in cold or hot conditions, so knowing if a shoe fits a little too snug or not is key to keeping the feet happy and moving forward.

Camelbacks and any type of hydration backpack are not permitted while running the Chicago Marathon so all nutrition and hydration must either be carried by hand or worn on a waist belt. Wearing toss-able layers (i.e. a sweatshirt that can be donated and dollar store gloves/socks on the hands.

If raining, cutting a hole in the bottom of a large trash bag and wearing it over the head leading up to the start of the race can help keep the body warm and dry) to the start line is a great option if the morning is cold and/or wet. Dry-wicking base layers and socks pull moisture away from the body and help the body regulate temperature rather than cotton which holds water and can chill or overheat the body.

Bubble Wrap
You have done the training: the long hours of pounding the pavement and interval sessions. Trust the process. Nothing you do in the next few weeks is going to suddenly going to make you a faster athlete, so don’t try to cram in a bunch of miles to make up for the ones you’ve missed over the past 4 months or decide to add a new high intensity strength training routine in to your mix.

This is the time where notoriously, little aches and pains randomly pop up. The best way to prevent or combat those niggles is to really focus on taking care of your body. Gentle stretching, yoga, breath work or foam rolling while watching tv at night will not only help tight muscles relax, but allow the parasympathetic nervous system to activate. When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, heart and breathing rates slow, the body is able to digest vital nutrients, and its relaxed state stimulates recovery and boosts the immune system.

The caretakers that we are often feel guilty for taking time for ourselves. Don’t! This is one time, specifically, that you should focus on you. You have worked hard for months training and fundraising. Now is the time to prioritize your sleep, focus on a nutritionally dense, balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, good carbohydrates (whole grains, brown rice and legumes) and lean proteins, and doing the little things every day that will help get you to the start line healthy. Learn to say no to things that will drain your energy reserves. They will still be there once you cross the finish line.

Control the Controllables
The reality is, none of us know exactly what the conditions will be on race day, but being able to control what we can control -things like preparing and practicing nutrition, what we will wear, and most importantly, our attitude- will help calm the body, the mind, and prepare it for the best race experience we can have.