What you should do the week before your marathon

I love the fall for so many reasons, and one of them is that marathons are in full swing. So many of my athletes have been training all year for this "A Race," so it is exciting to see what they accomplish. One question I often get from my marathoners is how they should be changing eating the week of the marathon. Here are a few tips to keep in mind during the 7-day countdown:

1. Know the course
I really hope you didn't wait until 7 days out to check the course, but I suppose now is better than race morning. Check the course online so you know where the aid stations are and what they will be handing out at each station. At which mile is the energy gel? Are the products being handed out ones that you have trained with and know you tolerate? If not, you need to come up with a plan B. You shouldn't be using ANY new products on race day. Know the course - and know it as soon as possible.