Hello Team
I can’t believe that the last event weekend is here! It has dbeen an amazing season. Watching you guys transform into RUNNERS has been awesome.
You should be resting and really taking it easy before Sunday. Make sure you sleep well over the next few days as sat night may be filled with excitement and you may not rest a lot.When you go to the Expos don’t walk around too much.
NJ runners, tomorrow you should run for 20 – 30 mins on your own if you can. Definitely stretch a lot. Rest is super important so really focus on that.
Vancouver, you will have a group run and stretching session there on sat.
RACE PLAN
The basic plan: TO FINISH
You've run enough long runs to know your EASY pace. Take that easy pace and apply it to your race distance. If your easy pace is 11:00/mile then you know that if you reach Mile 1 in seven minutes you MUST SLOW DOWN!!! Alternately, if you reach mile 1 in fifteen minutes, you could add a few steps in to your stride and pick up the pace.
Your hydration and nutrtition plan stays the same on race day:
6-8 ounces of fluid every 20 minutes
First gel - at 1 hour
Subsequent gels - every 30-45 minutes - so that means if you're out there for two hours and thirty minutes you're going to take at least THREE GELS.
You should have a light breakfast about 2hrs before the race, (the bigger the breakfast the more time you must give to your body to process it) If for whatever reason you didn't have breakfast you should try to have a gel 10-15 minutes before the event with water and maybe one more 30- minutes into the run. Don’t Try Anything New on race Day….. Stick with your usual breakfast and stick with whatever you have used to fuel doing runs. If you use Power gels don’t try GU on race day. Stick with the program that you have used during training.
If running Vancouver, it may rain in the AM so wear alternate shoes until its time to check your bag.
If you have a time goal in mind click on this link http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/pacecalculator/1,7823,s6-238-277-398-0-0-0-0-0,00.html and enter the mileage and time you would like to finish and you will see what your pace should be. You can also enter the mileage and your pace and you will see how long it should take you to finish the race. Each mile will be slightly off because of hills etc but this gives you some idea of where you should be at on Race day.
MARATHON RACE PLAN:
Divide the marathon into three parts:
1) Miles 1-10
2) Miles 11-20
3) Miles 21-26.2
1) Miles 1-10 are your warm up, a really long warm up. The start is going to be a little crowded, so conserve your energy by being patient, resist the urge to weave around people. The race will stretch out. Remember to hydrate and eat as you normally would during a long run. Use this time to see how you're feeling this day.
2) Miles 11-20 Now the race begins, and you're going to focus on hitting your pace and running a consistent pace.
3) Miles 21-26.2 - RUN BY FEEL, you feel good, go for it, it's a 10K, about two loops of Prospect Park. If you were smart during the warm up, did your nutrition and hydration plan like you practiced through out the season, these last few miles will be slightly faster than your marathon pace goal.
So let's look at a sample race plan:
Marathon Goal- 4:00 (pace- 9:10/mile).
Miles 1-10: 9:20 pace (9:10- 9:30). To ensure consistent pacing we will use a +/- 10 second window, meaning, during the first 10 miles will NOT be run faster than a 9:10. Since this is a warm up it is OK to run slower than a 9:30- crowds at the starting line, a much needed porta-potty stop, nerves, etc… If you find yourself running faster than a 9:10 what do you need to do, that's right, SLOW down!!!!! A few seconds gained during the warm up phase will cost you minutes at the end!!!
Miles 11-20: 9:10 pace (9:00-9:20). As I said before, this is where the race begins. This is where you need to make your first decision based on how you felt and paced during miles 1-10. Do you feel great? Or does you feel so so? Do you focus on your estimated marathon goal or do you continue with your pacing from miles 1-10?
Since YOU will feel great you will now focus on your estimated marathon pace. As above, that is a 9:10. Again, you will pace consistently using the infamous +/- 10 second window making sure you don't run faster than a 9:00, and no slower than a 9:20 The race continues……
Miles 21- to the "big" finish: 9:10 or under. There is NO holding back now. You will now run completely by feel. You will continue to be consistent with your pacing, perhaps increasing the pace gradually over the last few miles until you cross the finish line of your very first marathon, YEAH!!!!!!! Or, your best race ever!!!
So why do we use a +/- 10 second window? Well, our goal is to ensure consistent pacing throughout your marathon. It is nearly impossible to hit the same pace/mile for 26.2 miles. If you can stay within 10 seconds of your goal pace you are doing great in my book.
HALF MARATHON RACE PLAN -
Divide the race in to three parts:
Miles 1-5
Miles - 6-10
Miles - 10-Finish
Miles 1-5: Add 10 seconds/mile to the estimated pace- 10:00. We use a +/- 10 second window to ensure consistent pacing (9:50 – 10:10).
Since this is a warm up it is OK to run slower during this first third - crowds at the starting line, a much needed porta-potty stop, nerves, etc… If you find yourself running faster than a 9:50 what do you need to do, that's right, SLOW down!!!!! A few seconds gained during the warm up phase will cost you minutes at the end!!!
Miles 6-10: Run at estimated pace- 10:00 (9:40-10:00).
Find your groove and stick with it!
Miles 10-finish: Run by feel. If you’re feeling great, go for it. If you’re not, hang in there cause the finish is less than a loop of Prospect Park away.
See you all tomorrow night in the park and after for some race tips from the coaches -
TIPS
1. Be prepared.
Part of being ready for your race is obviously making sure you do the proper training. But you can do other things to help feel better prepared for your race, which can lower your pre-race anxiety levels. For example, many runners like to study the course map so they know exactly what to expect. If you know that aid stations will be at every other mile on the course, you'll feel less anxious about staying hydrated during your race.
If you're traveling to a race and you're anxious about forgetting an important race item, start packing early and usea check list to make sure you're not missing anything. Waiting until the last minute to get ready will increase your anxiety.
2. Expect the unexpected.
Preparing for the unexpected can also bring your anxiety down to a manageable level. I always tell my runners to practice running in all kinds of weather: rain, snow, sleet, heat. So if rain is in the race day forecast and you've already run in the rain, that's one less thing to be worried about.
3. Develop pre-race rituals.
Rather than trying to fight performance anxiety, elite athletes use pre-race rituals to help them manage it. They might listen to music on an iPod, pray, meditate, or go through a specific warm-up. Work on developing your own pre-race rituals and do them before every race, so they become familiar and relaxing.
4. Try deep breathing.
When you're anxious, your breathing becomes shallow. Try breathing deeply from your belly. You'll feel an instant calming effect and you'll also help prevent side stitches.
5. Use visualization.
Visualization is a technique used by athletes to improve their focus and reduce performance anxiety. A couple of weeks before your race, begin visualizing yourself starting the race, running in it, and crossing the finish line. Picture what you'll be wearing, who will be watching you, and how you'll feel when you hear people cheering as you cross the finish line. Why does this help reduce performance anxiety? You'll be eliminating -- or at least minimizing -- the fear of the unknown, which is a huge cause of stress. By imagining yourself running your race, you're familiarizing yourself with what might happen, as well as how you may react.
6. Run without expectations.
Setting high expectations is one of the biggest causes of pre-race anxiety because you put a lot of pressure on yourself to meet a certain goal. Put your expectations aside and just focus on running your best. You'll feel much more calm, which may actually help you run a great race.
Do's & Don't Prior to the Half & Full Marathon
1. DON'T stress over things you cannot control (a good example is that the weather will be what it is ...prepare for anything and make the most of whatever is thrown at you). I have trained in the heat, the cold, the rain, thunderstorms .. you name it. If you trained for things you cannot control, you have NOTHING to lose!
2. DON'T try anything new. (that means food, shoes, supplements, drugs, etc.) You've made it this far, don't try to change the routine
3. DON'T walk around the house barefoot in the dark. (you don't want to break a toe or get a major bruise or fall down the steps or something)
4. DON'T think that your "race day magic" will allow you to run 20-30 seconds per mile faster for the entire 13.1 miles. (it won't happen, stick to what you trained for)
5. DON'T forget to take some time to be objective about your fitness and be prepared to adjust to race day conditions. Remember that I said in number 1 that things will be what they will be, so be flexible. Not every race is the perfect race as much as you want it to be.
6. DON'T fail to thoroughly plan logistics, this includes travel, packing for the race, etc. Know where you are going, how to get there, the packet pickup time, where bag dropoff is, etc ... (Running around at the last minute only makes the nerves worse).
7. DON'T think negative thoughts. Remember that you DID the training, and you have to remember to always TRUST YOUR TRAINING! You did the miles and the workouts, and if you feel you've accomplished something, you have, and believe me, you'll be fine!
9. DON'T obsess over those aches and twinges that seem to be coming out of nowhere for no reason. You're body is in repair mode during taper, repairing all the muscles and ligaments for many weeks of pounding the pavement, its natural to feel achy.
10. DON'T go on a diet thinking that you can lose a couple pounds in time for the race. Remember that you still need calories for recovery during this time, and its too late to lose those pounds!
MORE TIPS
Also consider bringing a mid to fine point permanent marker to write your key checkpoint times on your inner arm as well as any mantras/motivational messages on the other arm – that way they’re right there when you need that extra push.
Some of my favorites:
· Quick feet, strong legs, you can do this all day long.
· Run smart, finish strong
· I can, I will.
· Just Keep Moving.
· Relax. Run.
· Drop shoulders, swing arms.
And don’t worry, you’ll be surprised how easily that “permanent” ink washes off after 26.2 miles…
· Be mindful of dodging other runners, you’re adding unnecessary mileage.
· High fiving random fans are great - but you’re also wasting energy – keep that energy for your friends. A simple thumbs up to the crowds will do just fine.
· Smile when you see the photographers – no looking down at your watch as you cross the finish line.
Almost every runner experiences pre-race jitters or performance anxiety at some point. And it usually doesn't go away as you become a more experienced runner. In fact, some runners put even more pressure on themselves as their race performances improve. Follow these tips to successfully manage your race performance anxiety and use that pre-race nervousness to your advantage.
We are so proud of you all and can’t wait to celebrate with you. Good Luck and everyone how we do it in BK!!!
