It’s here. Race day. You’ve put in loads of training, so plan on having a good time, no matter what. But first things first.

• Eat. You should have tried various breakfast items before your long runs and know exactly what you’ll be eating. Make sure you eat at least two hours before the start of the race. At two hours out, drink about two cups of liquid or sports drink.
  
  
• Drink. Take water with you to the starting area. Most races have water available, but there could be long lines and it’s just as easy to carry your own. Keep sipping.
  
  
• Drop off your drop bag and go to the bathroom. Put petroleum jelly or Body Glide on areas that are likely to chafe (you should know where you tend to chafe from all of your long training runs).
  
  
• If it’s chilly, put on the old t-shirt or sweatshirt you packed. You can either take it off right before the start, or wear it until you’ve warmed up a few miles into the race.
  
  
• With 15 minutes left, drink about a half-cup of liquid.
  
  
• When the gun goes off, TAKE IT EASY! The most successful runners run a race with negative splits, which is running the second half slightly faster than the first half. An even pace is fine, too. But it’s a recipe for disaster if you start out even 10 or 15 seconds per mile faster than you plan on running the entire race. It never works to try and “bank” time; you’ll likely end up losing much more time in the final miles. Another way to think about it: run your first mile in the same pace you think you’ll be running the final mile.
  
  
• Drink at every water station, even if you don’t feel thirsty. By the time you DO feel thirsty, you’re probably already on the road to dehydration. But by the same token, don’t go nuts and guzzle it at every stop. Lately some marathoners, especially women and beginning endurance runners, have suffered and even died from hyponatremia, a condition where you take in too much water and not enough salt. Combine that with the fact that you’re sweating out sodium, and your body suffers an electrolyte imbalance that can cause seizures, coma and death. Still, hyponatremia is rare. If you drink some sports drink, which contains electrolytes, at every stop, you should be fine.
  
  
• Walk through the water stations, too. Many runners stop at water stations, and if you plan on running through them be aware that you might have to dodge people all around you who are suddenly stopping. It’s easier to stop with them. In addition, it’s much easier to drink your water or sports drink when you’re walking than running, when it tends to slop all over you, no matter how careful you are. Finally, it gives your legs a bit of a break to walk even a handful of steps before resuming running. If a water station is filled with water cups tossed on the ground, take care; these can be slippery.
  
  
• Remember to smile when you cross the finish line.