We are now down to one week to Boston.

If this isn’t your first rodeo, you know what to do. If you are giving it a go for the first time, here are a few last minutes tips.

One Week to Boston

This is the last week of your taper. If you ran more than you should have last week, cut it out! You should have run your last long run over the weekend. You just need to run a few short easy runs this week.

This week is about resting your legs. Do a few easy runs at or below your marathon goal pace. At this point in the game you can’t improve your fitness, but you can certainly hurt your self.

The two weeks of taper give your body time to recover from what you have put it through over the past few months.

With all of this time on your hands you will feel lazy. Expect to feel lazy.

Watch some of those movies or shows on your DVR or binge watch something on Netflix. You’ve earned some lazy time.

You’re about to kick your own ass, so you absolutely deserve some ass in chair time!

What to do One Week to Boston

You should have all of your clothes picked out by now. If something is too tight or loose, fix it. Some of us have actually lost weight during our training. Not me, but maybe you. So if those shorts are falling off of your now skinny ass, you need to choose a different pair.

If you buy any new clothes, god forbid!, wash and wear them two or three times. You don’t want to get to Framingham and realize there is a seam or tag ripping a hole in your skin. Framingham starts at Mile Five. So that would be 21.2 more miles of skin ripping agony if you make a mistake here.

Clip your toe nails. Super important. You don’t want to run with long nails which may tear your socks or rub against your shoe toe box. If you happen to cut a nail too closely, you have a few days for that mistake to heal up. Get those clippers out!

Pack your drop bag and go bag. The BAA will give you a drop bag and a go bag at the Expo. The drop bag is an 18″ x 19″ clear plastic bag for all of the clothes and stuff you will want after the race.

You won’t get these bags until the Expo, but start getting your gear together. Don’t leave anything for the last minute.

Don’t put anything valuable in your drop bag. Nothing ever happens, but it can. I’d keep my car key or hotel key card in my running belt or a pocket. You don’t need your wallet, but you should tuck your ID and some cash in your running belt or pocket.

I always include some food in my drop bag and a long sleeved shirt. You will get cold after the race and you only get so much food at the end of the race.

Your “go bag” is a one-gallon clear plastic bag that the BAA will let you bring on the bus out to Hopkinton. The last time I ran they didn’t provide this bag, so I’m really happy that they provide these now.

The BAA web site says this bag is only for food and drinks, so don’t stuff it full of other items. If you want to bring sun screen or anything else, try to get it into your running belt or a pocket.

Anything that you bring to Hopkinton will either be carried back to Boston by you, tossed in the trash or donated to charity. The BAA no longer returns bags to Boston.

If you don’t like bagels and coffee, your go bag should have whatever you like to eat before you run 26.2 miles.

Yes, you will need sun screen. Even if the skies are overcast our tender winter skin is going to get fried over four plus hours of running.

I also like chap stick with an SPF built in. It always wears off after a few miles, but I hate dry lips just a mile or two into the race. That’s just me, but you might want to consider it. I bet you can pick up half-a-dozen chap sticks at the Expo.

Don’t walk in the dark

With one week to Boston you don’t have time to recover from stupid mistakes.

Don’t walk around your house in the dark. If you step on a Lego or ram your foot into a chair leg or doorway you could be screwed.

You should be wearing slippers or a pair of clean shoes that your spouse will let you wear around the house.

The other night I came home from my Tuesday night club run and made this mistake. I dutifully took off my running shoes and shut off the front hall light. I was in total darkness! I’m pretty good with walking around my house in the dark.

But I knew I was taking a stupid risk. One that I should know better than. Except for that one time, I always wear slippers or shoes in the house. You should too.

Boston Marathon 2018