The Week Before Your Marathon or Half Marathon. The week before your marathon or half marathon is a time of final preparation. Here is advice to get to the starting line in good form. Training the Week Before the Marathon or Half Marathon. Your final long distance training walk should have come two weeks before your race. The weekend before your race should have been at reduced mileage, known as tapering. This gives your muscles a chance to rebuild and restore rather then stressing them with increased mileage. Your longest mileage day a week before a marathon should be 1. During the week before your marathon or half marathon, continue to get in shorter fitness walks or runs (if you are a runner or run/walker) of 3. You want to stay limber, but no hard training or difficult hills and stairs. Diet and Carboloading the Week of Your Marathon. The week before your race, eat a healthy balanced diet. ![]() Current thinking in sports training is that excessive carboloading is not needed. This is no time to change your diet dramatically. Avoid foods that give you gas or loose stools, especially in the two days before your race. Avoid alcohol and high- caffeine energy drinks in the two days before your race, to help prevent dehydration. Read the Race Instructions. ![]() Read the race instructions thoroughly. Where do you pick up your race packet and what hours and days is it open? Do you need your registration number or verification and ID? Can somebody else pick up your packet or do you have to pick up your own? How will you get to the starting line and home from the finish? What transportation concerns do they warn you about? Will you be shuttled to a distant starting point? ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
Healthy Diet; What Foods to Avoid the Week Before a Half. Marathon Training; Half. ![]() Is there a gear drop? Some races have been eliminating this in the name of safety concerns, so don't assume there is one. If there is, where is it and where is the gear pick- up and what hours will they be open? What on- course support is there for water, sports drink, toilets? Where can your family and friends view your race and cheer you on the course? What are the time limits and logistics if you fall behind? Are there any rule restrictions such as no headphones, no strollers or pets, no walking poles? If you are part of a team or charity marathon group, verify any meetings or social activities you will have before, during or after the race. Get A Good Night's Sleep (Yeah, Right!)Clear your schedule the week before the race to give yourself the best chance of getting several nights of good sleep. Sleep is when the body rebuilds and restores muscles. Sleep is sports training! Eliminate any late- night plans and avoid early- morning ones as well. Avoid alcohol, caffeine after 1. If you are traveling, take along ear plugs and a sleep mask. Top 1. 0 Ways to Get a Good Night. Many of us toss and turn the night before the race and make it through just fine. Coordinate With Companions. If you are racing with a companion or group or sharing a ride to and from the race, finalize all plans and time schedules early in the week. Be sure you have all contact information for them, especially if you are traveling. If you are providing the ride, gas up the car and make sure it is in working order early in the week. Check the Weather Forecast. What you wear on race day depends on the forecast. Plan for it being at the top of the predicted temperature. But be ready for it to be chilly while waiting for the starting gun. If there is any chance of rain, be prepared with a rain poncho, trash bags or other lightweight rain gear. Get Your Gear Ready. The first rule is nothing new on race day. That means that everything put on or in your body should have been tested in your long training days. If you are traveling to your race, you need to be extra cautious when packing. Make a packing list to make sure all of your race gear and clothing make it into your luggage. Even better, bring your race shoes and clothes with you in a carry- on so they don't have a chance of becoming lost luggage. Nothing's worse than discovering your tried- and- true shoes or shirt was left behind or is traveling the world without you. But even for a hometown event, you don't want those items still in the laundry pile the night before the race. Prepare Your Race Clothing. Early in the week before your race, inspect and launder your entire race outfit. This will ensure they are ready and can pack them or lay them out for race day. Socks: Are your socks holding up? You don't want to wear socks with holes or worn areas that will become holes during the race. If you need a new pair of the same design, now is the time to rush to the store to get them. Shorts, Running Skirt, Pants or Tights: Which pants or shorts will be best for the weather on race day? Go with the top prediction for heat and choose based on that. Your legs will be hot by the final miles. If it's going to rain, I find that wet legs are better than wet pants, and I choose shorts. Underwear: Choose what worked best on your long training days. Shirt: Check the weather prediction and choose a top that will work best for the highest temperature prediction. You will heat up during the race and staying cool is a priority. Make sure there are no loose seams and launder your shirts early in the week. Deciding to wear the shirt they give you at packet pick- up is a bad idea, but if you do, launder it first to get rid of any irritants. Sports bra: Launder your favorite sports bra and check for any loose seams. Hat: Choose your hat based on the weather prediction and what worked best during your long training days. You may want to wash it to remove sweat from the brim. Sweatbands: If you wear a sweat wristband or headband, launder them. Costumes: If you plan to wear a costume, be sure it is also race- ready. Sparkly and Fun Race Gear. Warm- Up Gear: If you plan to wear a trash bag or disposable shirt as a warm- up, make sure you have it packed and ready. If you plan to use the gear drop for your warm- ups, know what the procedure is from the race instructions and the location of the gear drop and pick- up. Prepare Your Racing Shoes. Your race shoes are of top importance. It's too late to make changes unless they are literally falling apart. If you are traveling, bring them in your carry- on luggage to make sure they make it to the race with you. To get them race- ready, remove the insoles and make sure any grit is shaken out of the shoes. You might want to rinse and dry the insoles. If you use any soap, be sure it is all removed in the rinse. Check the laces to make sure they aren't frayed and about to break. Replace them if they are. Prepare Your Other Race Gear. Lay out and inspect everything else you will be bringing along on race day. Now is the time to replace or recharge batteries. If you are traveling, make a packing list to make sure everything comes along with you. Pack: If you are going to wear a pack during the race, check the buckles and straps. Make sure everything you plan to take along fits in it securely. I had my cell phone fall out in the first half mile of the marathon once. It's best to use the pack you used on your long training days, to avoid any surprises. Water bottle or hydration pack: Rinse and clean your bottle or the water bladder and let them dry. Be sure to put the bladder back into your pack a couple of days before the race. I made that mistake and left it behind twice. Sports watch: Is it running well? If you plan to use any of its race timing features, do you know how to do it without the manual? Sunglasses: Are they clean, temples tightened? Set them out or put them in your pack the night before, as you are likely leaving for a race start before dawn. Cell phone/music player and headphones: Are they fully charged and do you have your recharger with you if traveling? Have you loaded your race mix of music? Pedometer/GPS/Heart Rate Monitor: Fresh batteries/recharged. Drill yourself to know how to start them at the starting line. Snacks and Sports Drink: If you plan to carry your own energy snacks and sports drink (or powder to add to water on the route), set them out beforehand and make sure they get into your pack. Foot Prep, Chafing Prep and Blister Kit: Make sure you have what you need to lubricate or tape up your feet the morning of the race, and your take- along blister treatments are packaged and make it into your pack. Medications: Set out any race- morning medications you use and fill up any take- along pill box with pain medication, anti- diarrhea pills, etc. Sunscreen and Lip Balm: If traveling, pack along your favorite and tested brand. At home, set these out so you remember to use them race morning. Safety Pins - Race Bib Number - Timing Chip: If traveling, pack along four safety pins for your race bib number (pin these to your race shirt so you don't forget to bring them or where they are.) If your race uses a shoe timing chip, attach it to your shoe the night before the race so you don't forget it on race day. Hair Control: Pack or set out any hairbands, bobby pins, scrunchies, or other hair control devices so you aren't searching for them on race morning. Nothing new on race day, this isn't the time to try out a new race hairstyle. Roll With the Surprises. With all of the best- laid plans, something will go wrong. Having everything prepared the night before the race lets you roll with the surprises on race morning. I've had my headphones break, my cell phone fall out of my pack, my walking partner forget his timing chip and bib, race morning diarrhea, and been stuck in a 3. Luckily - not all for the same marathon or half marathon! And in each case, I made it to the finish line under the time limit. Next: Race Day Prep for the Marathon Race Day Guide to the Starting Line.
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November 2017
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