We will start out with the Do's
Go to bed early you probably will not sleep much or even very well but by being in bed your body moves into relax mode.
Eat a light dinner the night before, if your race is on Saturday eat your BIG pasta meal on Thursday and a light meal on Friday night.
I made the mistake of consuming a HUGE burger and fries meal the night before my last half and was miserable the morning of.
Lay out what you are going to wear the night before. You should have already found comfortable socks, shoes and running gear prior to the day before. These should all be items you have trained with and now how they feel and fit your body. Nothing worse than running in new gear the day of your big race. Put your socks IN your shoes if your not wearing your shoes to the start line, put on your shirt and pin your bib on the night before. If your running in Nashville plan on some sort of rain gear, every long race this year has had rain.
Do some light yoga and stretching before you get dressed it will help loosen you up and calm your nerves.
There are so many more do's but you have to find what is right for you. It is the don'ts that can cause you problems and hinder your race.
Do Not's
No new anything the day of the race, foods, clothes, shoes, socks, wear what you train in. What your body is use to.
No pedicures at least two weeks prior to a race. You are going to be asking those rough ugly feet to do so much the day of the race. Let them have the callous' it will prevent blisters.
No massages the day before unless you have experience with getting them the day before a race. Deep tissue massages can make your muscles sore and unwilling to co-operate the next day.
No big heavy meal the night before
No new gu, sports beans or electrolyte replacement products. Why you ask? Digestive problems are one thing you do NOT want to experience your first time running long distance.
Remember this is your race, for you! Have fun, enjoy and best of all that feeling when you cross the finish line is like no other in this world. Besides you will be part of the 1% of the worlds population to do this.
As always,
FCR
One more step, One more mile, One more finish, My race for me
hey! saw your link on facebook! I'm running this weekend!! It will be my FIRST half marathon! I'm so excited!! I started my blog just for this race lol... you can check it out at http://zanetaruns.blogspot.com
ReplyDeletethanks for the dos and donts!! very helpful! I was going to have a massage tomorrow but didn't have the time... glad i didn't ;)
Hello Lynne!
ReplyDeleteI do have one comment to make --
Your statement about eating the "BIG pasta dinner" TWO nights before the race, I feel, is incorrect.
I have been running for several years now, completing several half and full marathons (in addition to many smaller speed/sprint races as well).
For any athlete participating in a distance and high endurance event (ie: half or full marathon) the carb load is very important. Carbohydrates are the fastest-burning fuel for your body. In order for your body to function as an ultra-efficient machine, you MUST supply it with an appropriate amount of fuel. If you consume your "carb-load" two days before the big race, you've already expended your fuel supply. Throughout the years, most long-distance runners have always included a HEALTHY carb-load the night before a race. That is actually where the tradition at major marathons of the "pasta dinner" originated.
In your reasoning of why NOT to consume a big meal the night before the race, you DID NOT carb-load -- you did a FAT load. A cheeseburger and french fries provides you with a high level of fat and empty calories. Fat is very slow-burning, thus will make you feel very heavy and sluggish the next day, instead of "speeding" up the body's system.
Now, every athlete's body will be slightly different, so the best advice is to do what works BEST for you in your individual case. However, the rule of thumb is that carbohydrates are the perfect racing fuel, and you should never start your engine with an empty tank!
I just wanted to make this clarification so that other runners who may be reading the blog keep their minds open about the various options.
As a seasoned runner, I do appreciate your blog and know that it provides much-needed motivation to many women out there who may think that they are not cutout for running, so keep up the good work. =)