You’ve done the hard part: weeks of long runs, intervals and discipline. The final week won’t make you any fitter, but it can cost you a lot if you reach the start line with half-full stores or an upset stomach. Here’s the day-by-day meal plan, from D-7 to marathon morning.
In short: from D-7 to D-3, eat normally and in a balanced way while your training eases off. Carb-loading starts on D-2 (D-3 if you’re aiming for more than 4 hours): 8 to 12 g of carbohydrate per kilo per day, with less fibre and fat. A simple, early dinner the night before, breakfast 2.5 to 3 hours before the start, and nothing new.
Why the week before the marathon matters so much
A marathon costs 2,500 to 3,000 kcal, while your glycogen stores hold only 1,600 to 2,000. Fueling during the race makes up part of the gap, but it’s the level of your stores at the start that pushes back the “wall” at km 30. Carb-loading can delay fatigue by about 20% in events lasting more than 90 minutes (Hawley et al., 1997). For the full protocol and the science behind it, see our guide Carb-loading: the complete protocol.
Two phases, two approaches
| Period | Training | Eating |
|---|---|---|
| D-7 to D-3 | 2 or 3 short easy runs, a few strides | balanced, 5 to 7 g of carbohydrate/kg |
| D-2 and D-1 (and D-3 if aiming for 4+ hours) | rest or a very easy jog | carb-loading, 8 to 12 g/kg, low fibre and fat |
| Race day | the race | breakfast 2.5 to 3 hours before, fueling during |
D-7 to D-3: balanced, without overdoing it
There’s no need to eat more “to build up stores”: your training is dropping, so your stores are already filling. Aim for a balanced plate at every meal:
- a starchy food (pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, couscous);
- a protein (eggs, fish, poultry, dairy, pulses);
- vegetables, preferably cooked from D-4;
- a piece of fruit or a dairy product.
Example day: wholemeal bread, quark and fruit in the morning; chicken, rice and green beans at lunch; a handful of dried fruit and a yoghurt in the afternoon; salmon, potatoes and courgettes in the evening.
D-2 and D-1: carb-loading
Carbohydrate becomes the base of every meal, and you cut back on anything that slows digestion. For a 70 kg runner, 10 g/kg means 700 g of carbohydrate a day.
Go for: pasta, white rice, couscous, peeled potatoes, white bread, low-fibre cereals, ripe bananas, fruit purée, fruit juice, honey, jam, rice pudding, maltodextrin drink.
Example day (70 kg):
- Breakfast: 150 g baguette, jam, 1 banana, a glass of orange juice.
- Snack: 2 cereal bars and 500 ml of sports drink.
- Lunch: 150 g pasta (dry weight) with tomato sauce, a little ham, bread, a fruit purée.
- Snack: 500 ml of maltodextrin drink and some rice cakes.
- Dinner: 120 g rice (dry weight), a little chicken, bread, a rice pudding.
- Evening: a fruit juice and two crispbreads with honey.
That’s about 700 g of carbohydrate. Adjust the amounts to your weight.
What to cut out in the final two days
- pulses, cabbage and raw vegetables;
- wholegrain cereals and breads;
- cream sauces, lots of cheese, cured meats, fried food;
- spicy dishes;
- alcohol;
- any food you’ve never eaten before a long run.
Dinner the night before: a smart pasta party
Eat early, ideally around 7 to 8 pm for a morning start, so you have time to digest before bed. A big plate of pasta or rice, tomato sauce, a little chicken or fish, bread, and a sweet dessert (fruit purée, rice pudding). No “last big feast”: your stores have filled over two days, not in one dinner.
Race-day breakfast
Have it 2.5 to 3 hours before the start, with about 1 to 2 g of carbohydrate per kilo: white bread or toast with jam or honey, a ripe banana, rice pudding or fine porridge oats, a hot drink. If you’re racing in the afternoon, replace it with a carbohydrate-rich lunch about 4 hours before the start. A small sugary snack (a banana, a few dates, a gel) 15 to 30 minutes before the start can top you up.
Hydration: the invisible factor
- Drink regularly all week, about 2 litres a day, more if it’s hot.
- During loading, glycogen stores water: a weight gain of 1 to 2 kg is normal.
- On race morning, drink in small sips and stop 45 to 60 minutes before the start.
- Limit yourself to two coffees or teas a day in the final week, without stopping abruptly if you’re a regular drinker.
Mistakes that ruin the week
- Starting carb-loading on D-7.
- Eating more fat “for energy”.
- Doing one last big session on D-3.
- Trying a new gel, a new drink or an unfamiliar restaurant the night before.
- Panicking at the scales.
Ograal adapts all of this to you
In Ograal, when you add your marathon to the calendar as a race, with its duration and your start time, the app builds your week: balanced meals during the taper, carb-loading in the days before, and breakfast and fueling calculated from your weight and pace. For details, see How our plans are calculated.
Create your free Ograal account
Frequently asked questions
When should I start carb-loading before a marathon?
On D-2 for most runners. If you’re aiming for more than 4 hours, start on D-3.
Can I eat vegetables the day before a marathon?
Yes, in small amounts and cooked (carrots, courgettes). Avoid raw vegetables, cabbage and pulses.
How long before the start should I have breakfast?
2.5 to 3 hours before, with a small sugary snack 15 to 30 minutes before if you feel you need it.
Sources
- Burke, L. M., et al. (2011). Carbohydrates for training and competition. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(Suppl 1), S17-S27. DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2011.585473
- Hawley, J. A., et al. (1997). Carbohydrate-loading and exercise performance. An update. Sports Medicine, 24(2), 73-81. DOI: 10.2165/00007256-199724020-00001
- Thomas, D. T., Erdman, K. A., Burke, L. M. (2016). Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(3), 543-568. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000852
