I have run The Honolulu Marathon 23 times, and each year as I come into the last week of training, I begin to question myself. Have I prepared enough? Are my time goals realistic? What should I wear? What should I eat? How much should I run this last week?

I am sure I'm not the only one with these questions.

Because you are tapering off in training and doing less, that does not mean you are getting out of shape. Instead, your body is preparing itself and gathering strength for the marathon.

It is the training that you have done in the past few months that counts, not the last week. If you have done the proper training in the months leading up to the marathon, don't worry. Be confident and trust what your training has done. Remind yourself that you're physically and mentally prepared.

SET REALISTIC GOALS

Set your finishing goals by looking back at the type of workouts and paces you were running. If you have been able to run some tune-up races at your marathon- goal pace, and that pace felt fairly comfortable, then that should give you an idea of what kind of time goal to set.

If you have done several three-hour runs and been able to do some training at faster than your goal pace, then that will also give you an indication if your goal is realistic.

One of the more common mistakes I see people make is using new shoes, clothes, socks and other equipment.

Common sense tells us that it is a bad idea. Wouldn't you feel safer wearing something that you have already worn in training that you know is comfortable and will not give you any problems? Why risk chafing, blisters, joint pain and other problems?

Don't try anything you have not already tried in training.

DIET TIPS

In terms of diet, the last few days prior to the marathon should consist of a high carbohydrate diet.

Beginning on Thursday, you can begin carbo-loading.

Eating a higher percentage of complex carbohydrates will fill your muscles with glycogen, which will be your main source of fuel for the marathon.

Complex carbohydrates are found in foods like breads, cereals, pasta, rice, potatoes, beans, fresh fruits, and vegetables. About 70 percent of your calories should come from carbohydrate sources.

You also want to keep yourself properly hydrated. Drink mostly non-caffeinated liquids and limit your alcohol because of its diuretic effects.

Sportsdrinks are excellent because they have electrolytes (sodium). Water is good, too, but be careful. Drinking too much can over-dilute your body and flush your system of sodium that you will need for the run. Don't be afraid to salt your foods (if you are not on a prescribed salt-restricted diet).

Don't worry about gaining weight. Because you are filling up your "gas tank" with fluid and carbohydrates, you're likely to gain a couple pounds this week. Having your body's energy reserves at full capacity will do more for your race than weighing a little less. You'll lose those pounds by the finish line anyway.

You may feel a little sluggish and out of condition during marathon week. I attribute this feeling to your body telling you that you are supposed to run hard soon. In other words, it is going "cold turkey" and only a hard run will get it back to feeling good.

If you feel like this, resist the urge to go out and run hard to test yourself. What you can do instead is to pick up your pace for about 20 seconds during your midweek runs. This will help "wake-up" your muscles. Do this about four to six times in the middle of your run.

Others may feel too good because of tapering. Again, be careful about running too much or too fast during this last week. There should be no stressful workouts. Just run easy to maintain tone and keep calm.

REST, SLEEP

If you have a hard time sleeping the night before the marathon, don't worry.

You may have a restless sleep because of nervousness and the fact that you have to wake up early for the 5 a.m. start. Getting a good night of sleep on Friday is more important than Saturday. Try to sleep in on Saturday morning, and don't spend the whole day on your legs.

A sleepless night before the marathon should not affect you if you were able to sleep well throughout the week and especially on Friday.

Your last week of training is something you should look forward to after all the hard work you have done. It is a time to get a lot of rest and do minimal training.

Making sure you feel healthy and strong for the marathon is what is most important. The simplest advice is what my wife tells me each year: "Keep your routine normal and don't stress out."

Jonathan Lyau is a 12-time kama'aina winner of the Honolulu Marathon. He will be writing a series of articles leading up to The Honolulu Marathon.