The work is done. The miles are logged. The long runs are behind you, and the training cycle is complete. As runners love to say: The hay is in the barn. Here is your race day checklist for marathon morning.
The morning of the marathon isn't about building any more fitness; it's about execution. About arriving at the start line calm, prepared, and ready to honor the months that brought you here.
Here's the checklist for race day: practical items, yes, but also reminders of the mindset that carries you through 26.2.
1. Kit, Tried and True
Race-day gear should never be new. Lay out what you've trained in: your race day shoes which you have had at least a big session or two in, shorts that won't chafe, socks that don't slip. Safety pins on the bib, laces double-knotted. No surprises, no experiments. Comfort is speed. Remember: Nothing new on race day.
2. Fuel to Carry You
The marathon isn't just run, it's eaten and drunk along the way. Maurten Gel 100 every 25–30 minutes. Maybe switching to Gel 100 Caf for the second half. Solid 160 at breakfast if nerves leave you wanting something light but sustaining. Drink Mix 320 the night before, Drink Mix 160 or 320 in the bottle you sip pre-race.
These are the tools that keep the wall at bay, that turn the impossible stretch between mile 20 and 26 into something manageable.
Fuel is not optional. It's a lifeline.
3. Breakfast, Familiar and Simple
Don't reinvent the wheel. Stick to what you've practiced in training: toast with peanut butter, oatmeal with banana, a Solid 160 bar. Eat early enough to digest, but not so early you're left hungry again. Wash it down with Maurten Drink Mix and water. Steady carbs, steady nerves.
4. Warm Layers, Easy to Shed
Start lines are strange places. Cold winds, nervous chatter, long waits. Wear layers you can toss just before the gun. Old sweats, thrifted fleece, gloves that can be left behind. The goal isn't to look good; it's to start warm and save your body's energy for the miles ahead.
5. Watch, But Don't Worship
Your GPS watch is a tool, not a prophecy. Check it, but don't let it dictate every breath. Trust the rhythm you've trained into your body. The marathon is too long and too cruel to survive a reckless attack or forcing a pace up a hill.
6. Mindset, Packed Quietly
Perhaps the most important thing you carry can't be pinned or pocketed. It's belief. Belief in the training you've done. Belief in your ability to endure. Belief that, when the marathon asks its inevitable question: Can you keep going? The answer will be yes.
A Final Note
The marathon is a beautiful experience. Your race morning is the gateway into it: the last chance to set yourself right before the miles and the magic unfold.
So pack your kit. Prepare your fuel. Eat the breakfast you know, sip the mix you trust, lace the shoes that carried you here. Then carry yourself to the line with patience, courage, and conviction.
Because on marathon morning, the checklist isn't just about things. It's about readiness. And with Maurten in your pocket, you're ready.
Written by Sean Hamilton
