You’re getting ready for a marathon and you want to nail your nutrition in the final week before race day? Looking for recipe ideas for the week before your marathon? You don’t want months of marathon training to be ruined by digestive issues or a weak carb load. So we’ll walk you through it step by step:
- What to eat 10 days before the race
- How to succeed with your carb loading
- The hydration to prioritize
- The ideal meal the day before and on race morning
- A meal plan for the final week before the marathon
- Our anti-digestive-trouble tips
The goal is to hit the start line full of energy, with a calm stomach, and ready to perform at your best.
Contents
From Day -10 to Day -3: balanced eating and a gradual gut reset
During this taper period, your training load drops. The aim is to arrive fresh, while topping up your energy stores as much as possible.
Keep your diet balanced and varied
- Starches: al dente pasta, rice, potatoes
- Lean protein: fish, white meat, eggs
- Cooked vegetables, ripe fruit, or fruit compote
- Omega-3 rich oils (canola/rapeseed, flaxseed, walnut)
- Walnuts, almonds (small amounts)
For hydration, drink water regularly, herbal tea, and a little sparkling mineral water like Rozana or Saint-Yorre. Avoid going overboard with coffee and alcohol.
Cut back on fiber: fewer raw veggies, whole grains, and legumes. This gives your gut a break and lowers the risk of digestive issues during the race.
Supercompensation tip: between Day -6 and Day -4, slightly reduce carbs (more vegetables and protein). That can make carb loading even more effective from Day -3. It’s not mandatory, but it’s a nice bonus for maximizing glycogen stores.
Meal and recipe examples from Day -10 to Day -3
- Lunch: basmati rice + fish fillet + steamed zucchini + a drizzle of olive oil
- Dinner: semi-whole wheat pasta + mild homemade tomato sauce + parmesan + applesauce
- Snack: very ripe banana or plain yogurt
You’ll find our full recipe table at the end of the article.
From Day -3 to Day -1: carb loading
At Day -3 before the race, starting Thursday if you run on Sunday, this is when you fill the tank. Focus on low to moderate glycemic index carbs:
- Steamed potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Brown basmati or semi-whole grain rice, buckwheat, quinoa
- Ripe bananas, fruit compotes
- A little honey or maple syrup
Keep limiting fiber: no raw veggies, no legumes, no strong spices.
To avoid: puffed cereals, rice cakes, industrial sweets and candy.
If you do a short “sharpening” workout at Day -3, remember to eat carbs right after (your recovery window is about 4 to 6 hours).
Meal and recipe ideas from Day -3 to Day -1
- Lunch: roasted sweet potatoes + chicken breast + steamed carrots
- Dinner: semi-whole grain rice + omelet + zucchini soup
- Snack: pear compote + spoonful of honey
The day before the race: simple and effective
No stress. You keep doing what you did the days before. And most importantly, you don’t stuff yourself. You don’t need multiple servings. One plate is enough because that plate already includes a bigger portion of carbs (and fewer vegetables).
- Complex carbohydrates
- Easy-to-digest cooked vegetables
- Not too much fiber, no spicy foods
- No new foods on the menu
Example of an ideal dinner: basmati rice + ham (or chicken fillet) + carrot soup + applesauce.
Avoid heavy meals, overeating, and too much fat.
Race morning: keep energy high without upsetting your stomach
Your breakfast should be eaten 3 hours before the start (for example 6:00 a.m. if the race starts at 9:00 a.m.).
Some runners prefer something lighter 2 hours 30 minutes before, that works if you’re used to it and keep the breakfast light.
Effective breakfast ideas
- Tea, herbal tea, or a mild coffee
- White bread, sports cake, or homemade pancakes
- Jam, honey, or maple syrup
- Ripe banana or fruit compote
- A little ham or tuna (if you’re used to it)
To avoid
- Fruit juice (it’s acidic)
- Raw fruit (harder to digest)
- Dairy products (can be hard to digest for some)
- Whole grain bread
- Dried fruit and nuts
Drink a little every 30 minutes (max 0.3 to 0.5 L per hour). Don’t overload on water, it won’t help and it will just send you to the bathroom. If you want, take a fruit compote 15 minutes before the start to top up carbs, 2 to 3 sips are enough.
Find our recipes for the week before a marathon
Here’s a list of simple recipes from Day -7 to race day.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| Day -7 | Homemade pancakes (100 g white flour + 1 egg + 150 ml plant-based milk + 1/2 tsp baking powder) + applesauce + tea/herbal tea | Basmati rice + grilled salmon + steamed zucchini + canola oil + ripe banana | Al dente pasta + mild homemade tomato sauce + cooked green beans + pear compote |
| Day -6 | 2 slices white sandwich bread + salted butter + jam + banana compote + mild coffee | Steamed potatoes + roasted chicken fillet + steamed carrots + flaxseed oil + applesauce | Al dente pasta + grilled turkey fillet + butternut squash mash + apple-cinnamon compote |
| Day -5 | Semolina cake (fine semolina + plant-based milk + light vanilla sugar) + ripe banana + light tea | Semi-whole grain rice + plain omelet (2 eggs) + steamed zucchini + walnut oil + pear compote | Slow-cooked ratatouille (eggplant, zucchini, peppers) + mango compote |
| Day -4 | 2 slices toasted white bread + honey + pear compote + herbal tea | Steamed sweet potatoes + cod + well-cooked broccoli + ripe banana | Fine semolina couscous + grilled chicken + steamed zucchini + applesauce |
| Day -3 (start carb loading) | Toasted white bread + honey + applesauce + light tea | Steamed sweet potatoes + grilled chicken + cooked carrots + spoonful of maple syrup | Rice + plain omelet + blended zucchini soup + banana compote |
| Day -2 | Semolina cake + ripe banana + herbal tea | Quinoa + turkey fillet + steamed zucchini or carrot soup + spoonful of honey | White pasta + olive oil + parmesan + applesauce |
| Day -1 (day before race) | White bread + honey + compote + mild coffee/herbal tea | Basmati rice + grilled chicken + steamed zucchini + ripe banana | Basmati rice + ham + carrot soup + pear compote |
| Race day (morning, 2h30 to 3h before) | Toasted white bread (2 slices) + honey/jam + apple or banana compote + mild coffee/herbal tea 👉 Savory option: 5 to 6 spoonfuls of white rice + ham | N/A |
Golden rules:
- No new foods in the final week, stick with meals and ingredients you’ve already tested in training.
- Reduce fiber gradually (less raw veggies, no legumes, cooked vegetables only or soups).
- No spicy dishes in the last 3 days.
- No alcohol (you’ll have time for a beer after!)
If you follow these steps, you’ll reach the start line full of energy with a calm stomach. Your body will have the glycogen stores it needs to chase your time goal, or simply enjoy your marathon and run strong all the way to the finish.
Have a great race!