The 30-Day Race Day Countdown: Your Complete Guide

The countdown to race day brings a unique cocktail of nerves, excitement, and questions. What's really happening to your body during taper? Should you squeeze in one more long run? How do you handle those phantom pains that suddenly appear?

Drawing from decades of experience and my personal journey completing all six World Marathon Majors, I've created the ultimate 30-day race countdown guide that transforms pre-race anxiety into your secret weapon for success. This comprehensive roadmap breaks down exactly what happens physiologically and psychologically during each phase of your final month before race day.

We begin with the "Peak and Polish" phase (days 30-21), where you'll execute final key workouts while learning why your aerobic fitness adaptations peak 10-14 days after your hardest efforts. Then we navigate "Taper Town" (days 20-14), revealing why tapering can improve endurance by up to 11% and those heavy legs are actually a good thing (hint: each gram of glycogen stores 3-4 grams of water—that's not bloat, it's your race-day fuel!).

The journey continues through "Prep and Protect" (days 13-7), where you'll discover the critical Day 10 threshold—the point after which additional hard workouts can only hurt, never help. Finally, we reach race week itself, your time to "Calm and Conquer" with carefully rehearsed routines and visualization techniques that transform nervous energy into race-day power.

This episode isn't just a timeline; it's your companion through the physical and mental rollercoaster that defines this magical window between peak training and your victory lap. Whether your goal race is your first or your fifteenth, these science-backed strategies and practical tips will help you arrive at the start line not just hoping for the best, but truly ready to celebrate the culmination of all your hard work.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Marathon Countdown
• 2:01 Peak and Polish: Days 30-21
• 9:24 Taper Town: Days 20-14
• 18:22 Prep and Protect: Days 13-7
• 23:34 Race Week: Calm and Conquer
• 27:21 Race Day Strategy and Mindset

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Hey there, friend, welcome back to Extraordinary Strides. I'm your coach and host, christine. I'm a level two RRCA certified run coach. I'm also an ACE certified health coach but, more importantly, I'm a runner just like you. I'm ridiculously passionate about all things running, but what really makes my heart beat a little faster is helping people run stronger, live bolder and go for those extraordinary dreams. Now, if we haven't met yet, hello, I'm so excited to have you here.

Speaker 1: 0:29

In addition to coaching hundreds of athletes of all levels, I've also completed all six world marathon majors and, as of the airing of this episode, I'm 30 days away from earning my seventh star at the Sydney Marathon. So trust me, when I say it, I get it the nerves, the doubts, the weird phantom twinges in your calf. Trust me, I've been there and I want to help you walk, run and, of course, move into these final 30 days with clarity and confidence. I thought, huh, wouldn't it be cool if runners had a resource to kind of walk them through exactly what to do and what not to do during this magical window between peak training and race day, like what's really going on with your body, what should we be eating, what should we be avoiding and what to do to keep us from spiraling into taper madness or giving in the urge to do just one more long run. This episode is going to be that resource. It's a full breakdown of the 30-day countdown to race day what to expect, what to prioritize and how to manage the physical and mental roller coaster like a pro, whether you're running your first marathon or your 15th. This guide is rich with the insights that well that I've gleaned over the decades and, of course, it's got some really fantastic science-based tips and a lot of information from everyday runners as well. It's presented in a way that's simple, strategic and encouraging.

Speaker 1: 2:01

We're going to break down into four weekly phases. We're going to start off with, of course, peak and polish days 30 to 21. Then we're going to move into that taper down and trust days 20 to 14. Prep and protect days 13 to 7. Are you getting closer and closer? And, of course, the final countdown for calm and conquer of race week. We're going to cover things like the actual timeline your body needs to adapt to workouts Hint, it's not the week before your race what the heavy legs during taper actually means and a little spoiler it's really a good thing why you don't want to sleepwalk through your nutrition or stress management in the final week and a few things you really, really don't want to do, like trying a brand new gel the morning of the race.

Speaker 1: 2:49

Well, if you've ever wondered how to feel ready and not just hope for the best, this episode is for you, so let's get right into it. Why I think that this is super important is because each day brings us closer to our goal, not just in the miles that we're running, but in our mindset, our muscle memory and our mastery. This final chapter of our training is where the science of adaptation, the art of mindset and the joy of being prepared all converge. You're not just tapering, you're truly in that transformative state. So we're going to start with our guide, broken into these weekly arcs and science-backed strategies, with, of course, days 30 to 21, peak and polish. Where I'm at right, this very instant as the airing of this episode. Of course, this is your final opportunity to solidify fitness and sharpen your tools. You're still training with purpose, but the intensity is shifting.

Speaker 1: 3:41

This space is about rehearsal, readiness and reinforcement. Now if you're wondering okay, well, what does that mean to me? Like, what exactly am I doing besides a whole lot of miles? Well, what you're doing physically is you're executing final, key workouts and you're likely going to be tapping into that longest, long run during this phaseicing race day, fueling pacing and gear strategy, and you should be logging quality rest, initiating that mental prep that you need. Little pro tip. Your aerobic fitness adaptations peak about 10 to 14 days after your hardest workouts. That means anything you do now is about solidifying, focusing on race specific effort and simulations. So, in plain speak, this is your chance to train smart, not hard. Fitness is built. You're reinforcing it, you're not reinventing it.

Speaker 1: 4:37

Your goals for this phase is run with intention, like I am not kidding. This is something that I ask my athletes to do during their warmup is to really focus what they're looking to get out of that specific workout. Get familiar with marathon effort. Easy is effective here, my friend. That's what we're looking for. Dress rehearsal is also super important. You're going to use these long runs to practice everything, and I do mean everything. Your wake up ideally would be practiced your fuel before you even leave to get started, so that breakfast or however, you're getting your pre-run fueling in, what you're going to wear, your hydration, what you're taking with you to the actual race, even like what you're going to help say to yourself, or your mindset, your playlist. All of these things are really important to kind of hone in here during this time so that, when race day is in place, you just hit that routine, you just tap right into it. Of course, your recovery is right around the corner with that taper phase, so what you're doing here now is prioritizing recovery habits to set the tone for taper Now.

Speaker 1: 5:49

Pro tip number two your body rebuilds stronger during rest, not workouts. I'm going to say that for the folks that I know don't like to hear the word rest considered a four-letter word and not a good one. Your body rebuilds stronger during rest. This is where those gains become locked in, so support it with sleep, protein and hydration. Okay, now we talked about what you should do, right. Let's talk about what not to do during this phase.

Speaker 1: 6:19

This is not a great time to introduce a whole lot of new flashiness of your workouts, so if you've been considering maybe even side-eyeing some different fitness classes or different workouts, this isn't a great time to do that. It's also not a fantastic time to introduce brand new gear. It is a great opportunity, though, that if you've been training in a specific type of gear and you know that works for you to be breaking in that gear if you're planning on getting something that's newer for race day. So if you've been training in a specific pair of shoes and you know you're going to wear those shoes on race day, this is a great opportunity to again break in the newer pair. But we don't want to necessarily try something completely out of the gate, completely out of the blue, again locking in the fact that you may be racing in drastically different weather than you've been training in. So, taking that into consideration, your base layer of what you're training in is likely going to need to be the base layer of what you run your race in.

Speaker 1: 7:16

This is also a time not to have some drastic diet changes. There is always that little bit of that little devil on your shoulder saying well, I could probably race so much stronger and look so much better in those marathon photos if maybe I lost just a few pounds before my race. My friend, I need you to definitely focus here where your nutrition is paramount. This is not a great time to be cutting calories or trying a new, brand new diet. Please hone in on your fueling your body for the best performance and you still have quite a bit of training runway to go. This is also not the time to try to prove that you are going to absolutely unequivocally PR your race day by setting PRs every single time you tow up to your training workouts. Please be mindful that there is a process to this. I also don't want you to neglect your rest. So if you're skipping recovery now, it's going to delay that peak that we're looking for. Please do be mindful of that.

Speaker 1: 8:14

Again, there's an entire process that we are learning to really rely on in that routine that we're trusting in ourselves. So we're going to talk a little bit about that with our mindset, because this is a great time to write or refine your race day mantra, visualizing hitting that reset after hard moments in a run. Now that's going to pay off in later miles. So if you have a training run where there's some stickiness, there's a little bit of requiring of grit to push through, I want you to really reflect on that and learn how to hit that reset, because you're going to want that mindset to translate to those latter miles of race day. Additionally, this is a great opportunity for you to reflect on your wins, schedule some time for you and yourself and a nice little date. Maybe during that recovery, up some salt bath, or you really do reflect on all of the wins throughout your training season, what's brought you thus far, because confidence is a form of preparation, and I want you again to trust in yourself, find that gratitude of how far you've come, because that's going to take us right into our next phase, days 20 to 14.

Speaker 1: 9:21

We are counting on down here. So with this we are officially in taper town. I want to welcome you. Taper is officially begun. This is where you reduce your volume. You're going to maintain structure, so it doesn't mean everything automatically falls apart, but you're going to release that fatigue. You're allowing your peak of all of those miles to really help you rise to that next occasion, of course, which is race day. Now, what's happening physically here, and why it's so important that we honor taper town, is because we have that muscular and neural fatigue is going to decrease when we really prioritize that rest. Those glycogen stores that we've been tapping into, run after run, workout after workout, they're going to start rebuilding. Now that doesn't mean that you are going to glycogen stores here, are going to translate to Ray States, to a little bit further out, but you're going to start to rebuild if those carbs are adequately increased. So again, if you have been considering a strict diet to get you to race day, this is not that time, my friend.

Speaker 1: 10:22

Minor aches may surface a little bit and that's due to shifting inflammation. They tend to be normal Now you should know the difference between actual pain and like a little bit of a niggle or an ache. So take that into consideration, knowing your body. But there is a lot of that. It also you have more time on your hands. You aren't running quite as much, so you may be tuning into more of those aches than you were during your training. Now, this is a pro tip is to remind yourself that tapering improves endurance by up to 11% and increases peak strength by about 5%. And this only happens when you are prioritizing that rest and it helps to meet that structured low volume effort. So it takes a little bit of a balancing game, my friend. Here and this is something that I want to remind you that does not mean you're getting lazy. You're not losing all of your fitness. You are actually actively working on getting faster. So taper is a performance science at work. Again, this is where that trusting. The process is going to be absolutely pivotal.

Speaker 1: 11:24

Your goals for this phase, for those three weeks out, is to maintain frequency but lower volume, insert short bursts like strides or light intervals to retain muscle tension and start a slight uptick in carb intake, especially post-run. So again, this isn't carb loading at this phase, but just a little bit of hey you know, maybe a little bit of a full baked potato instead of half a baked potato. So just being a bit more mindful of that slight uptick of your carb intake. Now, each gram of glycogen stores about three to four grams of water. I want you to process this, because this is where a lot of athletes start to panic about the weight on the scale. So this isn't bloat, it's energy. I know I want you to reframe that. Yes, it is water retention. You may feel a little bit more of that fluffiness, but that heavy feeling is actually your engine topping off what it's going to need for race day. So I want you to keep that in mind.

Speaker 1: 12:28

Now, again, during this phase, you're going to have that rest and recalibration. This is a perfect time to practice that wind down routine. At night you also may not find that you're as physically tired as maybe you were during peak miles or earlier in your training season, or maybe there's a lot more going on as you prepare for race day, especially if it's a runcation. You're traveling, but it is pivotal for you to prioritize that and to get that routine down, really lock it down so potentially blue light blockers, calming music, consistent bedtime. Of course, this is also a great time to consider that with that rest, you're doing that recalibration a little bit. So maybe you need to track your hydration. You need to make sure you're tracking your height, your electrolytes, and that you're tracking your sleep, that you're really getting in enough rest, you're getting enough of the supportive aspects of your training to really pay off for you. You're also going to potentially start looking at shifting your fiber intake around this time gradually, to reduce GI distress on race week.

Speaker 1: 13:32

Now, I'm a big believer that fiber is one of the best things that we can incorporate into our diet, but taking into consideration that if it takes your body a little bit longer to start to process a lot of that, those little tiny changes, this might be a time to do so. So thinking more of this is a great opportunity. Remember I said a little uptick in the carbs. Maybe you add in a little bit more rice, a little less raw kale. Just tiny little tweaks here Definitely more sleep. Tiny little tweaks here Definitely more sleep, less second guessing.

Speaker 1: 14:04

Now, my friend, we need to definitely talk about what not to do here. I think I've already alluded to a little bit, but let's go ahead and really drive the point home. I do not want you to unequivocally do not cram in extra runs, to quote, unquote make up for anything. All this is going to do is increase injury risk and delay recoveries. I know that sometimes our training doesn't go as planned and we want to feel ready, we want to feel confident. So we think that if we maybe make up that workout that we missed two months ago, that it's going to make or break us. Trust me, it's going to potentially break you before it will make that race day.

Speaker 1: 14:42

So please do not add in extra runs into your training. Also, don't try to sweat out taper anxiety with extra effort. So a lot of athletes are prone to wanting to go a little faster. Test that speed a little bit more during this time, unless if it's actually thoughtfully inserted into your training. Do not do that please. I want you to really learn how to manage that anxiety, that taper madness, with all the other tools that we're going to talk about in terms of mindset. But do not try to just leave it all out on the road or on the asphalt. This is not the time to do so. We'll have a race coming up to do all of that.

Speaker 1: 15:22

I also don't want you to deviate again from that gear or that nutrition you've already tested. So take that into account that while we're making minor little tweaks of inserting a little bit more carbs, a little less fiber, it shouldn't be a drastic change in your nutrition, especially not with what you're doing on the run. So your before your run, your during and your after should be really well locked in at this point. So let's get started on that mindset and what we can anchor us during this time where there tends to be a little bit more anxiety sometimes ramping up. So you're gonna reflect again on those training wins that I told you to do in that first phase right, that peaking and polishing. We're really gonna continue to reflecting on our training wins throughout our training season. We're going to flip through our log.

Speaker 1: 16:04

This is a wonderful time to revisit all the training that you've done, actually, physically, like. I'll actually go and look through my training journals, my journals. I'll go through some of the data that's on Garmin and really relive those proud workouts and then remind yourself how you got through those tough workouts as well and then really begin that mental rehearsal. This is where we get to visualize. Visualize your start line, how strong and ready you feel, visualize the actual different points of your race course. Nowadays there's so many wonderful POV type race course information you can find, so potentially go visit YouTube during one of those race days. Find that course. If you know yourself and know that it won't create additional anxiety for you.

Speaker 1: 16:47

But if knowing ahead of time does help, it's a wonderful opportunity to kind of put yourself visually there, feel yourself racing strong during the different aspects of your training, of your race day and, of course, visualize that super strong, like even your fist, pump arms in the air of victory finish line. I just did it myself here at the microphone. And don't forget to visualize the sticky points, those sticky points of that 26.2 or that 13.1 or 6.22, whatever it is that you're racing for, that you know that during your training you really you encountered and you learned how to push through it. Now this is also where I want to remind you this is super normal for you to start questioning your readiness. It's super normal to think that you haven't done enough. This means that you care and that readiness isn't just a feeling. It's a result of the work that we've already done. So at this point, I want you to just really lean into self trust. Self confidence using meditation, using visualization, using our mantras. Maybe it is just talking it out with somebody in the running community. Hello, you're always welcome to talk it out with folks in the community page.

Speaker 1: 18:04

With that said, we're continuing to really honor and protect ourselves our mental wellness during this time, our physical wellness during this time. So, as we shift into days 13 to 7, just two weeks out from race week, is prep and protect. This is the week that's going to tie it all together. The beautiful little bow, my bow, is going to be pink. It's going to be sparkly. Your bow can be whatever you want it to be, but you're reducing that load and you're protecting your energy. You're protecting your confidence. You're protecting your body, physically, and your focus.

Speaker 1: 18:38

What is pivotal during this week is that your peak recovery is going to continue. That's what really, physically, is going to be the number one like this, is the star of the show. Your mental focus may waver a little bit. That's totally normal, again, if you're feeling a little bit of just a fogginess. So tech in with yourself on those tools that we've talked about and using it. Your energy may fluctuate a little bit during this time, and the reason why that's happening is because while you've decreased the volume and at this point you're starting to decrease that intensity as well your nervous system starts to shift a little bit. It's not quite sure as exactly what's going on, so you may have some energy fluctuations.

Speaker 1: 19:28

So what's really important at this point is to really lean into that sharpness, knowing that it returns when fatigue drops faster than fitness. Let's say that again Sharpness returns when our fatigue drops faster than our fitness. That's probably why you'll start to feel fresh, but possibly also a little jumpy. You're like itching to add in a little bit more miles. You're itching to do a little bit more, have a little bit more of an intense run. Again, let's practice restraint, my friend. So to really give you like a plain scenario, you're going to feel like a puppy getting to want to go out on, jump on any leash, go for a walk, run it out. That's your body recharging, that's letting you know that you're really getting ready for race day. So if you're feeling that little bout of anxious energy, don't just lean into it by going and working it all off, continuing to really trust the training and trust the process.

Speaker 1: 20:22

So your goal is going to be maintain that rhythm or lean into your structure that you have. Try not to skip your runs during this time. There's a tendency sometimes to do that as well, like, oh well, you know, I already did what I did. At this point, it doesn't matter quite as much. Don't skip them, because we still want that structure, you really want that rhythm.

Speaker 1: 20:41

Avoid overdoing mobility or strength. So if you're having that little niggle or that little ache, that kind of comes into play, you can't stretch it away. You can't, like foam, roll it away. So be mindful. You should, of course, continue to add in your mobility, you should continue to do your strength training, but don't overdo either of these at this point. This is also where we're going to keep our nutrition super simple. Do a little bit of KISS, keep it super simple. A little bit of higher carb, a little bit of lower fiber. So again beginning to shift away from super heavy greens and fibrous grains right about now is really pivotal.

Speaker 1: 21:20

Something I also want to drop into this specific aspect is day 10, 10 to race day 10 days left. That's it. There is nothing you could do at this point from a workout perspective that is going to enhance your specific performance meaning you can't go out and do a long run during this, after this timeframe. You can't go out and do a long run during this, after this time frame. You can't go out and do an intense speed session after this time frame and it actually make a physiological impact of your training in terms of enhancement. It can.

Speaker 1: 21:50

However, if you start to again doubt me at all and start adding in too much speed or too much push or additional miles during this time, that will likely hinder your performance more than it could ever help, and I really want to drive that home, because I hear a lot of folks still have that desire to add in more on race week or even two weeks out, and I'm telling you it's not worth it At this point. The dishes are done, my friend, just go ahead, clean up the kitchen, turn those lights off and go relax on the couch, because there's no point of trying to focus on adding more. More is not less during this time frame. All right, my friend, which again I just got right into what not to do. So this is not the time to overthink last minute race tweaks. I really, really, really cannot drive it enough.

Speaker 1: 22:39

I need you to trust your training at this point. I don't want you to change up your routines too much or stay up late watching race previews or weather updates. Now, again, you can visualize, you can have a good idea of what potentially may happen. You can check the weather from a perspective of what you're going to wear, having a couple of different options that you need to pack with you. But there is no point whatsoever of becoming obsessed with the weather. Social media communities during this time can be a little bit scary because a lot of that mass hysteria is starting to kind of come into play. So potentially, avoid or mute some of those specific race groups that are. You know they're all starting to get that anxiety and the reason why is because during taper our brain is interpreting that taper related stillness as a threat. So again, I want you to calm it with rituals and structure, not feeding into all of that mass hysteria. But with that.

Speaker 1: 23:34

I said my friend, I am so excited we are in phase four, that final week, the final countdown. That's the only time I'm going to do that, because I don't want to hurt your ears ever again. But this is where we're going to hone on into phase four of calm and conquer. Now this is the final approach. Your job is to guard your energy, support your peak, preserve your calm. You're not doing less, you're doing only what matters. And again, depending on your race like specifically for me with Sydney you may be even doing some travel in between. So, taking that into account as well, what's happening physically here? What's really important, what's really pivotal, is that your glycogen levels are peaking, your legs are absorbing rest and they're regaining that sharpness, and you may feel emotionally sensitive or a little mentally jittery. So it's a great time to potentially be reducing some of that caffeine towards the last few days if it's giving you a little bit too much amping. These are signs that your nervous system is preparing for performance.

Speaker 1: 24:38

Now your goals for this phase Reduce training to short, relaxed efforts, finalize your packing list, confirm your race day timing. Maybe you're already doing some travel, so focus your energy that you have on that, keeping your meals simple. Again, going back to that kiss, keep them super simple low fiber, high in carbs. Use your rehearsed routine for race morning, breakfast and bathroom habits, and I really what I want you to do is use them all week long, leading up to race day, if at all possible, so that you do just feel like it's automatic. You can tweak anything you need to tweak. Make sure you have everything on hand that you need to have Now.

Speaker 1: 25:16

What I really also want you to consider during this time is that you worked super hard to get here, so don't get so caught up into all the different aspects of the angst that you aren't really capturing the beauty of all of the work that you have done leading you here to that pivotal race day. So I've already led right into what not to do. I don't want you to try anything new. So no new foods, no new shoes, no new gear. It's not a chance to try a new delectable cuisine of wherever you're traveling to. As much as I want you to enjoy yourself, you're going to wait till after the race.

Speaker 1: 25:50

Of course, I don't want you to over hydrate as well, and I know that sounds really kooky, because for the majority of the conversation I've asked you to hydrate, but what I mean by that is don't just take in plain H2O, because it can flush out your electrolytes. So we want you to really balance. You're looking for your urine color to be a light to pale yellow. If it's running clear, you're likely over hydrating with too much water. If it's running too dark, then you're a little under hydrated. So, looking to balance that hydration as well as possible and I don't want you to let those race day nerves derail your plan.

Speaker 1: 26:27

So continue to lean into that routine, that mantra, those visualizations, that meditation, that mindset focus to really get you to that start line. So with that, we're going to talk about how you're going to really focus that mindset. So listen to me, my friend, you are ready, you are more than capable and of course you're a little nervous, but that's not a sign that you're underprepared. It means you care about what you're about to embark upon. You have worked very hard to be here, so be deliberate in what you expose yourself to. Again, avoid any of that negative social noise, any of that comparison. This is where you're going to focus on your breath, any calming technique that you have utilized to get you to this point you're going to really employ and lean into that Because, my friend, we're officially here, race day.

Speaker 1: 27:21

It is show time. You're going to wake up early, Of course, you're going to have that breakfast that you've practiced. You're going to move through your warmup and gear check calmly, cause of course, you laid out your flat runner the night before. You're going to tow on up to that start line and you're going to know that you arrive with everything that you need. Remember, you are trained, you're ready, you're a runner. Now is the time to just lean into enjoying this. The marathon or the race has been run already in all the countless miles and workouts and mobility sessions and strength training before you got to this point. Here is your time to celebrate. It's your celebration lap If you're racing hard that day, even when it gets tough, knowing that you're leaning into finding that joy of all of that hard work culminating to such a strong performance today.

Speaker 1: 28:14

Now, when it gets hard during the race because, invariably, no matter how much joy you are seeking, it will get a little hard I want you to return to the basics. You're going to focus on your breath, you're going to relax your shoulders, you're going to repeat your mantra and you're going to remember why you started, because the work is done. Now it's time to just run your race, my friend. So a few little reminders and don'ts Don't change things up that day, just lean into your routine. And then I want you to remind yourself to start slower than you think. It takes about 20, 30 minutes for your body to fully warm up.

Speaker 1: 28:50

You also it's. You're here for the long run, literally. So if folks are passing you, no big deal, you'll pass them later. Trust your strategy Absolutely. Execute your strategy here. Smile even when it gets tough, breathe through when you want to stop, and remember that every single step is a celebration. You truly have earned every single mile. This race is your reward and, my friend, you have officially been armed with everything that you need to move you through these last 30 days with power, precision and, hopefully, a little side of peace. Your race is not a test. It's a celebration of every single thing you've done to get you here.

Speaker 1: 29:30

Now, my friend, if this episode was helpful, I want you to please do me a favor save it so you can come back to it whenever you're 30 days out from your big goal race, or share it with a friend who has a race coming up soon and hey, if you're interested in taking your training to the next level with custom coaching and support, I'd love to chat with you. You can use that text feature right there in episode notes. Send me a message, include your name and your phone number and I'll reach out to schedule a 15-minute consult. Call, no pressure, just a fun, friendly chat to see how I can help you crush your goals. Now until next time, keep showing up, keep running your race and remember you are not behind, you are not late these 30 days. You are right on time. Let's go.