Race week rewards a boring plan, not a bold one. Hold the routine early, then let carbohydrate emphasis build gently and fiber drop as the start line nears, with sleep protected the whole way.
Confirm the routine, change nothing yet
Check that breakfast, hydration, and the race-morning meal are already dialed in from training.
Eat the same balanced plates the team has used all season, nothing new gets tested this week.
Confirm hydration, then shift the plate
Day 5 is a hydration check: bottles finished on schedule, and steady energy through the workout.
Day 4 starts a gentle carbohydrate increase, not a loading protocol built for adult marathoners.
Hold the carbs steady, lock in dinner
Day 3 holds the same carbohydrate emphasis as day 4 while sleep becomes the top priority.
Day 2 is for finalizing the exact pre-race dinner, a meal the athlete has already eaten many times.
Familiar food, protected sleep, quiet morning
Dinner the night before is exactly the meal planned on day 2, lighter on fat and fiber than usual.
Bedtime gets protected against pep rallies and late logistics for the final two nights running.