What to Do & Eat the Night before your Marathon/Half Marathon
With a little pre-planning and a solid nutritition plan, you should wake up nourished and ready for race day! Several things to keep in mind the day before:
Carb up! Be sure to eat plenty good, complex carbohydrates (65-70% of calories should be carbs). Be sure not to stuff yourself the night before – too much “loading” can lead to too much “unloading” during the race. Also, don’t eat anything new that you haven’t tried before!
Stay Hydrated! Drink plenty of water the day before. Urine that is a light yellow is a good indication of proper hydration. Avoid drinking alcohol (alcohol actually dehydrates you).

Feel free to go for a short run the day before. It may help to keep your body loose and/or help with pre-race anxiety. A slow paced 20-minute run should be plenty.
Trim those toe nails. I have lost plenty of toe nails over the years. Keep your toe nails neat and short so that they don’t hit the front of your shoes.
Have your running clothes and gear ready and organized the night before.
A quick check list for most runners includes:
Race bib (number) and safety pins
Race timing chip (if it’s not part of your race bib)
Running outfit, hat, shoes and socks
Wristwatch or Garmin
Your race fuels, such as energy gels (whatever you’ve been training with-nothing NEW)
A product to prevent chafing, such as petroleum jelly or Body Glide if needed
Sunscreen

Plan breakfast ahead of time. Oatmeal and bananas are always a good option. Have your food the night before because you can’t always assume certain foods will be available to you the morning of the race.
Try to get a great night’s sleep. Don’t stress out if you have a sleepless night. The excitement of the race will give you plenty of energy.
Set your alarm to get you up early. You will want plenty of time to relax, eat breakfast, do your morning bathroom duties, and get focused on the race. If you are staying at a hotel, request a wake-up call just in case!
You can have a great race if you just do a little pre-planning! Runners – On your mark, Ready, RUN!!!!!
Jill Purvis – Everythingantiaging.com