For an 18-week program, 18 marathoning tips... a couple program-specific, but most are tried-n-true that I've settled on over many years of training and 30+ marathons...

#18. Get With The Program:  Any Marathon Training Program comes with lots of support materials, personnel and guidance.  Take the time to read and understand all of the program materials, attend the free clinics, talk with the organizers, share thoughts with veteran participants and learn, learn, learn.  A lot of experience has been gathered together for your use and benefit.  Taking advantage of all these program assets is the best way to start on your road to marathon success.

#17. Equip Thyself:  Still running in last years shoes?  Chaffing problems with your clothing?  Early evaluation of all your running gear -- shoes, socks, shorts, singlet, jogbra, nip guards, body glide, sunglasses, lip balm, hat, water bottle, etc. -- is key to ensuring success during your long runs and upcoming marathon.  Allow yourself time to experiment and to adjust to anything new, but do it EARLY in your training... we don't experiment on marathon day [more on this later].  As shoes go, it's the NUMERO UNO piece of gear, and, the right shoe for you is *unlikely* to be the right shoe for your neighbor.  Face it, we're all unique individuals when it comes to running shoes.  Take advantage of your local running shop's gait analysis [and discounts] to help determine what is right for YOU.

#16. Do The Leg Work:  There are a lot of ingredients that go into a successful marathon experience, but there's no substitute for doing the work.  Just like school homework, logging the miles isn't always fun, but the more assignments we get under our belts, the better prepared we'll be come race day, our big final exam!  If you're new to marathoning, follow the program schedule like a road map, it's been prepared to help take the guess work out of what direction and which turns will best get you to your marathon success.

#15. Stretch It Out:  It's pretty simple, tight muscles BAD, loose muscles GOOD.  Regular stretching helps loosen the muscles, increase flexibility, and helps prevent injuries.  Program materials are nicely prepared with good stretching exercises, get familiar with all of them and incorporate them into your marathon training each day.  Group leaders can help you with any questions you may have with any of the exercises.  I've a good friend who ran 12 marathons and a few triathlons in each of two successive years.  Crazy you say??... although that's certainly arguable, one thing is not... every day, several times a day, he religiously incorporates regular and methodical stretching into his routine and runs injury free.  The text books all support it, the program supports it, my good and perhaps crazy friend swears by it, you can bet it's worth all the attention it gets.

#14. You Are What You Eat:  So, what?, does that make me a Cheeto??  Let's face it, we all like to eat, it's one of those legal activities that has no governmental quantity restrictions, and we each have our individual penchants for certain foods.  Truth is, however, that, like most things, there's a direct cause-effect relationship associated with consumption.  What we consume, how much, and when have a direct bearing on nutritional value, body weight, emotional well-being, and physical performance.  The most easily understood of these effects is body weight.  In general, when calories consumed are more than calories burned, we gain weight.  Successful marathoners are leaner for good reason.  Marathon training is very tough on the body, and so, given that the average runner foot-strikes the ground over 30,000 times during a marathon, imagine the work+stress advantage that 5, 10 or 20 fewer pounds can have on the body and performance.  Imagine owning an obscenely expensive sports car... What grade of fuel would you use?... How much would you put in the tank if you were only racing it down a drag strip?... Would you pack the trunk and passenger seat with all your old school books and dirty laundry?  Ok, so most of us don't own obscenely expensive sports cars, but we do own our bodies, arguably more valuable than any car ever made.  I'm personally not a fanatic about particular foods or nutrition -- I believe in balance in all things -- but I believe we all know what's generally good for us and that too much of the things that are bad for us are, well... bad for us.  You wanna be a better marathoner?... Eat like a better marathoner.

#13. Do X Regularly:  That's "X" for Cross Training.  Running -- marathon training in particular -- stresses certain parts of the body more than others.  Just as work-life balance is good for our emotional and psychological well being, so is physical balance good for us.  Cross training balances physical stresses on the body and can afford us a mechanical and mental break from the seemingly endless miles of marathon training.  One idea... a day or more each week, substitute an easy run day, or two, or three with a swimming, biking, life cycle, rowing, or elliptical trainer workout.  These are all no-impact cardio workouts that can help maintain fitness and ease some of the running stresses put on the body.  Three years ago I was knocked out of running for four months with a tibial stress fracture caused from overtraining.  By incorporating a swimming, biking and elliptical training regimen, I was able to maintain cardio fitness over the four months of recovery, and then comeback to run a PR marathon three months later.  Balance.......

#12. Don't Let ANYONE Tell You It's Easy:  Make no mistake, marathoning is tough and deserves every bit of respect it can get.  We're all capable of completing a 5k tomorrow without any trouble... we could stay up, eat whatever we want, be ill-prepared in many respects, but still go out and finish the race.  Marathoning is different.  To run the entire distance, we must get EVERYTHING right.  Physical training and preparation, fueling, rest, equipment, emotions, etc.  The demons are waiting out there for us and we need to be armed with every weapon we can get our hands on.  Each week of additional miles, each new lesson learned about which foods and fluids work best, each increase in flexibility, each recovery from a setback, they're all new and more powerful weapons that we master along the way.  But to do battle on marathon day, we will need each and every one of them at the ready.  Respect all aspects of your training to be best prepared on race day.  Get yourself a support system of fellow runners, friends, and family... rely on them to help keep you motivated during your training, help you through any difficulties along the way, and cheer you on to victory as you click-off every mile of your marathon.

#11. Speed Kills... Time:  If you're an experienced marathoner, looking to set a PR, or looking for that Boston qualifier, you'd best incorporate some speedwork into your program to gain that edge.  Not always fun, but a sure way to push the envelope a bit, expand your comfort zone, and increase your abilities.

#10. It's All About The Journey:  Yes, you've got a goal, and you're focused... a good thing.  But the marathoning experience is much more than crossing the finish line.  Don't lose sight of the many life-enriching experiences along the way: friendships made, hurdles leaped, lessons learned, stories told, tears shed, laughs shared, and strengths gained.  You're preparing yourself for something extraordinary... remember how you get there.

#9. When The Body Speaks... Listen:  Little aches and pains can be the precursors to much bigger problems.  Stretch regularly and be ultra sensitive to any changes in the way you feel throughout each day and throughout your training.  Nagging pains or discomforts should be treated seriously and early before they become race-stopping issues.  Tired?... you're asking your body and mind to deliver for you, give them the regular and sufficient rest they need to be sharp and prepared for each training session.

#8. Rituals:  As you progress through the weeks of training, settle on *your* own formula of what works most successfully for *you* on the weekend long runs.  Especially later in the program, when we're getting into the really long mileage, it's time to zero-in on *your* marathon formula so that you're ready come race day.  What you eat the night before, how much sleep you get, what you eat for pre race meal, etc.  Find your formula and stick to it, it will be your signature and your way of personalizing your experience.

#7. Have a Plan:  Know what you're going to do before you do it.  Look back on your previous marathon, recent training results, and/or long run efforts and use those experiences to map out your race plan.  Be realistic about your physical abilities and program your responses to the expected inputs in order to attain the race result you're truly capable of.  What will you do at the race start when those around you are taking off like it's a 5k?  What will you do at mile 20 when building fatigue starts messing with your mind and body?  Repeatedly visualize yourself executing your plan in the race so that you're prepared physically *and* emotionally.

#6. Have a... Plan B:  Even the best laid plans get dashed when things go south mid race -- cramps, heat-related stress, blisters, dehydration, illness, etc.  When this happens, have a fall-back plan at the ready into which to program... slower pace, walk-run, walk, etc.  It may be devastatingly disappointing at that moment, but allowing the mind to shift into a lower gear can have a profound effect on the experiences you salvage and take away from the event... this may surprise you in uniquely positive ways much more than you think.  Remember the *journey*, there are many more days ahead and many more marathons, so look for the positives around you at that moment and use them to your advantage.

#5. Charge The Batteries:  All the miles in the world will do little if your body and mind are not fully rested and prepared come race day.  Those few days leading up to the race are key for packing necessary and precious glycogen into the work-preparing muscles and for getting the rest you need to be sharp.  Carbo-load according to your own proven methods, minimize stress agents from your schedule and be sure to get sufficient sleep two and three nights out.  Race eve is typically a toss-n-turner, so be ready for it by being well rested from the two nights before.

#4. Catch a Movie:  Marathon weekend can be an incredibly high generator of stress: race packet collection, airport pick-ups, dinners with friends, spectator logistics, race worries, etc.  Allow some time the day/evening before the race to get your mind away from the event stressors for a while.  Go catch a movie, go sailing, go play a computer game with your kids, whatever, just allow yourself time to relax and be.

#3. Soak It In:  The complete marathon day experience is packed with fun, exciting, and unique sensory inputs: expos, posters on telephone poles, fellow runners with stories, helicopters buzzing overhead, stretching against trees, colorful outfits, spectators cheering, runners in costumes, bands playing along the route, etc.  Allow yourself some departure from your race focus to experience some of these moments and internalize them, Zen-like... enjoy them for what they are in the full context of your total race experience.  That *journey* thing again.........

#2. Run YOUR Race:  The operative word being *YOUR*... don't run your buddy's, partner's, neighbor's, or rival's race.  There's an immense quantity of excitement at the start of the race, with runners going out like shot out of a gun, fast and furious... be careful not to set sucked along.  Control-control-control... you've made a race plan, stick to it, and run *YOUR* race.

And The #1 Marathoning Tip...

#1. Don't Do **ANYTHING** Different on Race Day!  This goes for the days leading up to race day as well.  For those who have been to Disneyland, you're familiar with the Jungle Cruise... a boat, seating 20 or so passengers, that cruises along a simulated jungle river, narrated by the captain.  Along the route, hippos pop-up but get shot by the captain... crocodiles emerge with jaws gaping but are quickly avoided... head hunters appear out of the jungle but careful steersmanship eliminates them as a threat.  The captain invariably brings the passengers back to port safely.  A second, third, or twenty-sixth ride on the Jungle Cruise returns exactly the same experience... the hippo always pops-up at the same place!  You've trained, you've experimented with clothing and nutrition, you know how to avoid blisters, you know how much sleep maximizes your effectiveness, you've discovered the little things along the way that work for YOU in uniquely positive ways.  Stick to these things that have been proven to work... DON'T EXPERIMENT NOW... and deploy these proven methods just as if you're on the Jungle Cruise.

Lastly, have fun and enjoy the hell out of your marathon... remember, it's all about the journey!!!