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Marathon Training Program:
Race Day
By Anne Stein
Whether you're participating in the world's largest race, or a local race with a few hundred athletes, you'll want to be as well prepared as possible for the big
day. We've outlined race-week and race-day tips that should help make the most of your training and ensure a successful race experience.
Race Week
Training: This isn't the time to do long, hard runs. If you've been training regularly, reduce your volume about 30 percent. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
before the race, warm up, then do some steady, short efforts that bring you up to race speed but not for a long period of time. Take Thursday and Friday off
altogether, though if you must train, just do 20 to 30 easy minutes. Repeat that easy effort on Friday. Saturday, the day before your race, exercise enough to
break a sweat...just 15 to 20 or so of easy minutes should do it.
Sleeping
You're not the only one who won't get a good night's sleep the night before the race due to nerves. Concentrate on getting some good rest the entire week,
especially Friday night. You'll feel better on race day.
Eating/Drinking
Try not to skip meals race week, and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate throughout the week, especially one and two days before the race. Don't eat a late-night meal the
night before the race, or you'll feel too heavy and possibly have an upset stomach race day.
Equipment
At least one to two days before the race, check out your gear. Do you have comfortable clothes to race in? Avoid cotton if you can, and try synthetic tops and bike
shorts that wick away sweat and keep you cool.
The Expo:
Walk around and get into the spirit of the race. You?ll most likely make a few new friends as well as see some old ones.
The Night Before
Pack your stuff. Make a list, and check it twice. Feeling nervous? You're not alone. We suggest making a list of your strengths or writing down phrases and
words that trigger positive thoughts, such as "When I run I have a fast, strong legs, " or "When I run, I'm relaxed and calm." Use whatever images you can to
relax and feel good about the race and avoid dwelling on your doubts.
There's no perfect plan: In other words, something will probably go wrong. Think about how you'd deal with each situation so you don't panic if and when it
happens. Some help may come from the psychology page.
Race Day
Know where you're going, and give yourself time to get there. True story: A German triathlete, who'd qualified for Hawaii Ironman the year before, entered Mrs.
T's in order to qualify again. (He'd been injured, and it was his last chance.) The morning of the race, he called a cab and the cabbie wasn't sure how to get to
the race site. Neither the athlete nor the cabbie spoke particularly good English, and neither knew Chicago very well. The athlete arrived just as the transition
area was closing. He was allowed to set up his bike, but he didn't have time to get a pump and inflate his tires properly. He was stressed out, and his
equipment wasn't ready to go; he missed qualifying by about a minute.
Other Pre-Race Preparation: Warm up and stretch. Go for a short jog, enough to break a sweat and get the blood moving to your muscles. Stay warm
in-between the time you warm up and the time you start your race. Throw on a sweatshirt or warm fleece jacket that you can hand off to a friend before you start.
Another tip is to buy gardening gloves (the cheap white kind), or wear socks you wouldn't mind losing, or wear a plastic trash bag in the beginning of the race.
These things can easily be thrown away and forgotten.
Relax and Wait
Whether you have one hour or several between check-in and your race start, you'll want to stay calm and relaxed. Use the time to warm up, then find a quiet
place to read or listen to music. Warm up and stretch again before you start your race. Sip on water, but don't overfill yourself. Just before your race, take in
about six to 10 ounces of water or fluid replacement drink. Experiment before race day with your nutrition needs to avoid under- or overeating.
Race Day
By Anne Stein
Whether you're participating in the world's largest race, or a local race with a few hundred athletes, you'll want to be as well prepared as possible for the big
day. We've outlined race-week and race-day tips that should help make the most of your training and ensure a successful race experience.
Race Week
Training: This isn't the time to do long, hard runs. If you've been training regularly, reduce your volume about 30 percent. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
before the race, warm up, then do some steady, short efforts that bring you up to race speed but not for a long period of time. Take Thursday and Friday off
altogether, though if you must train, just do 20 to 30 easy minutes. Repeat that easy effort on Friday. Saturday, the day before your race, exercise enough to
break a sweat...just 15 to 20 or so of easy minutes should do it.
Sleeping
You're not the only one who won't get a good night's sleep the night before the race due to nerves. Concentrate on getting some good rest the entire week,
especially Friday night. You'll feel better on race day.
Eating/Drinking
Try not to skip meals race week, and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate throughout the week, especially one and two days before the race. Don't eat a late-night meal the
night before the race, or you'll feel too heavy and possibly have an upset stomach race day.
Equipment
At least one to two days before the race, check out your gear. Do you have comfortable clothes to race in? Avoid cotton if you can, and try synthetic tops and bike
shorts that wick away sweat and keep you cool.
The Expo:
Walk around and get into the spirit of the race. You?ll most likely make a few new friends as well as see some old ones.
The Night Before
Pack your stuff. Make a list, and check it twice. Feeling nervous? You're not alone. We suggest making a list of your strengths or writing down phrases and
words that trigger positive thoughts, such as "When I run I have a fast, strong legs, " or "When I run, I'm relaxed and calm." Use whatever images you can to
relax and feel good about the race and avoid dwelling on your doubts.
There's no perfect plan: In other words, something will probably go wrong. Think about how you'd deal with each situation so you don't panic if and when it
happens. Some help may come from the psychology page.
Race Day
Know where you're going, and give yourself time to get there. True story: A German triathlete, who'd qualified for Hawaii Ironman the year before, entered Mrs.
T's in order to qualify again. (He'd been injured, and it was his last chance.) The morning of the race, he called a cab and the cabbie wasn't sure how to get to
the race site. Neither the athlete nor the cabbie spoke particularly good English, and neither knew Chicago very well. The athlete arrived just as the transition
area was closing. He was allowed to set up his bike, but he didn't have time to get a pump and inflate his tires properly. He was stressed out, and his
equipment wasn't ready to go; he missed qualifying by about a minute.
Other Pre-Race Preparation: Warm up and stretch. Go for a short jog, enough to break a sweat and get the blood moving to your muscles. Stay warm
in-between the time you warm up and the time you start your race. Throw on a sweatshirt or warm fleece jacket that you can hand off to a friend before you start.
Another tip is to buy gardening gloves (the cheap white kind), or wear socks you wouldn't mind losing, or wear a plastic trash bag in the beginning of the race.
These things can easily be thrown away and forgotten.
Relax and Wait
Whether you have one hour or several between check-in and your race start, you'll want to stay calm and relaxed. Use the time to warm up, then find a quiet
place to read or listen to music. Warm up and stretch again before you start your race. Sip on water, but don't overfill yourself. Just before your race, take in
about six to 10 ounces of water or fluid replacement drink. Experiment before race day with your nutrition needs to avoid under- or overeating.
| © Copyright 2007, Cristin Reichmuth, M.A.. Material provided on this web site is for educational and/or informational purposes only. This web site does not offer either online services or medical advice. No therapeutic relationship is established by use of this site. If you have comments or questions, please contact: info@bodyandmindsolutions.com. |
| Race Day |
