You have put in the months, weeks, days and hours of training. You’ve endured injuries, inclement weather and really painful chafing. You have persevered and have completed your marathon training. Whether this is your first marathon or 10th, here are three race day tips to help you run your best race.
Warm up
Hopefully throughout your training you have gotten into the habit of warming up before your run. Why is this so important? Warming up helps to prepare your muscles for movement and therefore can help prevent unwanted injuries. A good warm up also prepares your body to perform at its best. The key is to not overexert yourself, keep it moderate. A good warm up would include a few minutes of jogging, followed by some dynamic stretches, which are different from static stretches in that they involve movement and are not held for a long period of time. Some good dynamic stretches for runners include walking lunges and leg swings.
Don’t forget about your post-run cooldown! Click here for our 4 essential post run stretches.
Fueling and Hydration
A large part of training for a marathon or any long distance race is learning how to fuel and hydrate properly during your run. This not only includes the food you have right before your race, but also during. It is important to be consistent with your training. If a smoothie two hours before your long run has worked in the past, do the same on race day. During your race, make sure you remember to drink water and refuel as needed with easily digestible and accessible foods such as gels, gummies and sports drinks.
Lastly, if it is a hot day or you are a big sweater, you might want to consider electrolytes. These help prevent muscle cramps, dehydration and can reduce muscle fatigue.
Don’t Try Anything New
One of the most important things you can do on race day is not try anything new! Although it might be tempting, this is not the time to wear your brand new runners or try out a new sports drink. The last thing you want is your race to be derailed by GI issues or painful blisters. Stick with what you know and what has worked for you during your training.
Last but not least, relax, have fun and be proud of yourself.