The week before a race is when runners get strange. Suddenly everyone is loading pasta like it is a competitive sport and buying supplements they cannot pronounce. Most of it is noise. Race-week eating is about arriving at the start line rested, hydrated and unstressed, and boring food does that best.

In the early part of the week, eat normally. Your training volume drops during the taper, so your appetite may dip slightly, and that is fine. Focus on balanced plates: carbohydrates, protein, vegetables, nothing extreme in any direction.

The last 48 hours

Two days out, shift the balance toward carbohydrates. Rice, bread, potatoes and pasta top up your glycogen stores, but there is no need to force-feed. Slightly larger portions of familiar carbs beat a mountain of spaghetti the night before.

The day before the race, eat your last big meal at lunch rather than dinner, keep dinner light and early, and skip anything new, spicy or greasy. On race morning, repeat the breakfast you have tested in training. Hydrate steadily all week instead of chugging water the night before. Your legs will thank you for the unremarkable menu.