Preparing for the RACE

With a 5K this weekend and a Mud Run in June, here are some BEFORE THE RACE guidelines to help get you race ready!!


Rest

• Get lots of rest the night before, aiming for 8 hours sleep.
• Make either day before or two days before a complete rest day for the legs.
• If you do train on the day before, make it a very light workout on the legs.

Nutrition

• Begin hydrating on the day before.
• Eat meals high in carbohydrates for lunch and dinner the day before. Selecting the "right" foods is an important area of experimentation.
• Avoid foods with excessive protein/fat content all day Saturday.
• Drink about eight ounces of water the morning of race, prior to your run.
• Eat a light snack the morning of the race prior to your run. This is also an important experimentation area in regard to food selection.
• Drink lots of fluids while running. Be sure to stop for water frequently throughout the run. For runs longer than 60 minutes, you MUST drink sports beverages (such as Gatorade, PowerAde, etc.) at every two to three mile interval. Drinking on the run requires careful planning of the route (making sure there is water frequently available along with places to stash sports drinks).
• Consider trying gel carbohydrate replacement products. Be sure to chase these supplements down with water to avoid stomach cramps and insure absorption. A final thought: Please dispose of gel and energy product wrappers properly by throwing them away in trash receptacles or placing them in your fanny pack. Let's all work together to keep the environment clean!
• After the run is over, continue to drink fluids (water, sports drinks, and/or juice products are all great choices).
• As soon as possible (ideally within 15 minutes), grab something nutritious to eat to replace your depleted glycogen stores. Research indicates that to avoid muscle fatigue the next day, carbohydrates should be eaten as soon as possible following long duration exercise.

Shoes, Apparel, and Accessories

• Make sure that you are training in shoes with low mileage wear to maximize absorption of shock.
• Wear Cool-max or synthetic blend socks, singlet, and shorts that wick away moisture/perspiration and won't cause chafing to enhance your comfort level.
• Use Body Glide, Skin Lube, Vaseline, or similar products (on feet, under arms, between thighs, nipples, etc.) to eliminate or reduce chafing and/or blisters.

Things to Consider While Running

• Run at a conversational pace by starting out slowly to conserve glycogen.
• Running at an easy pace reduces the possibility of incurring an injury.
• Stay loose by shaking out your arms and shoulders regularly.
• Carry your arms close to your waist or hips to conserve energy. Also avoid unnecessary arm swing, particularly laterally across the body.

After the Run is Over

• Drink and eat.
• Stretch thoroughly.
• Do some light cycling, walking, etc. later in the day to loosen up your legs. 

Source: marathon running