Great North Run: 24 Hours Before the Race

September 9, 2026

The time has come; it’s the final 24 hours before the Great North Run! Here are a few tips to try before and during the race.

The day before:

Keep moving, consider a light 15-20-minute jog in the morning the day before the race.
Check the weather forecast for race day. Wear whatever is going to keep you cool and comfortable.
Pack your kit bag with everything you need on race day – safety pins for your race number, warm clothes, toilet paper, Vaseline, snacks, gels, fluids and your phone.
Avoid spending all day on your feet! It might be tempting to spend the day sightseeing but try to keep walking to a minimum to give your legs plenty of time to rest.
Snack on small meals throughout the day and stay well hydrated.
Avoid alcohol, there’ll be plenty of time for that once you’ve crossed the line!
Eat your last main meal at 6-7pm and snack on easily digested carbohydrate snacks afterwards if needed.
Get to bed early. If you find it hard to sleep, don’t worry race day nerves are normal. Try to stay in bed, rest, read and relax.

Race morning:

Now is the time to remember those runs that went well during training and the cause and reason for why you’re running.
Wake early, shower, and take a few moments to breathe deeply, relax and stay calm.
Eat the race day breakfast you have practised in training 1.5-2 hours before your start time. Good choices for a breakfast can be toast, bagels, oatmeal, cereal, fruit, small amounts of peanut or almond butter, low-fat cheese, low-fat milk, or a fruit smoothie.
Hydrate normally. Drink as you normally would and avoid forcing large amounts of fluid immediately before the race.
Keep your kit simple and wear the shoes you ran your last few long runs or half marathons in and make sure any clothing has been worn and washed a few times before you race in it – don’t try anything new!
Take a carbohydrate-based snack (for example a banana, an energy bar or energy gels or chews) and sports drink to snack on between breakfast and your start time and be prepared in case of a delayed start.
Hand your kit in and have an old tracksuit or previous race foil blanket on to stay warm. Head to your pen 20-30 minutes before you are due to start. In the final minutes take your old kit off.

During the race:

Run at the pace you have practised. It’s very easy to get carried away by the atmosphere and adrenaline.
After building into your target pace you should then look to lock into the km or mile splits that became familiar to you in the marathon pace sessions and longer runs.
Don’t try to bank faster miles and get ahead of the schedule. This is a sure way to guarantee hitting the wall in the final third of the race and you are using up those carbohydrate stores too quickly.
You could try running a touch under your half marathon pace in the first 5k, then at your planned pace for the middle 10k and then for the last 6km, throw the kitchen sink at it!
Sip on a sports drink and/or water occasionally in the race. You don’t need too much and be sure to not over-drink on the way round.

Good luck from everyone at Physiotherapy Matters, look out for our blog on top tips for recovery after the Great North Run.

If you do have aches and pains post race that do not seem to be easing after a few days then get in touch via email info@physiotherapymatters.co.uk or call 0191 285 8701.

Great North Run: 24 Hours Before The Start