Race Week Preparaton & My Tips for Running a Successful Marathon.

This Sunday I'll be running my 10th marathon in Huntington, WV and every day this week I'll be preparing myself mentally and physically to get to finish line at 100%.

Over the last 3 years, I've accumulated a reasonable amount of knowledge thru reading heaps of articles and books, and listening to multiple lectures by various veteran runners. Yes, I realize that every marathoner is different and that we all do things our own way so, the point is probably moot. But besides the obvious “carbo-loading” and plenty of sleep, I’ve come up with some of my best advice for the week leading up to a marathon and tips for running a successful race.

#1 - Start thinking about and focusing on your race as soon as you finish your last long run. I’ve found that this technique dramatically enhances the excitement leading up to a race and gets you “pumped” to run. If you start to focus on the marathon a week in advance, you will have more than enough to time to iron out the details of the race. You can begin to formulate a plan for any traveling, clothes you may need, your meals prior, and any other little things you may forget if you were to only start focusing on the race one or two days before.  I started using this technique somewhere between marathon 3 and 4 and so far I’ve had no complaints. I realize that some runners like to have a calm relaxing race week, so that they are mentally rested for the marathon. That being said, I understand that this tip may not be for everyone.

#2 – Trust the taper. Many runners, novice and veteran, get it into their head that the 2-3 weeks leading up their race, when they cut their weekly miles and “take it easy” (known as a taper), will be detrimental to their fitness and their ability to finish the marathon. There is a perception that all of the hard work they have put in will be lost by the day of the race. This is not true at all! All of the those 16, 18, and 20 mile long runs do improve your fitness & stamina but, they also take a toll on your body! A runner needs at least 2 weeks minimum for their legs to recover from an 18+ mile run. By trusting the taper and allowing your body to fully recover, you will toe the starting line at “maximum capacity” with your tank “topped off” raring to go. Trust the taper, all of that recovery will come in handy towards the end of the marathon.

#3 – Eat as clean as you can. What I mean by eating “clean”, is making the choice to eliminate all the processed foods and extra additives from your diet.  Basically, you are choosing to eat whole, unrefined foods like grilled chicken, green leafy salad, steamed veggies, or unseasoned brown rice.  I’ve found that eating good clean, straight from the farm, food I feel like a million bucks on race day. Most likely as a marathoner, you’ve already drastically changed your diet from before you started your training, but we all have our times of weakness. It’s easy to think “It’s okay to eat this fried chicken; I’ll just run it off in the morning.” Wrong, race week is not the time to cheat on your diet.

#4 – Stretch, stretch, and stretch again. The week leading up to a marathon I will take 30-45 minutes out of every day to stretch virtually every muscle in my body. I do this to ensure I am every bit of loose and nimble for the race. I’ll be sure to stretch out my hamstrings, calves, and quads like every runner should but, I’ll also focus on loosening my hip-flexors, groin, IT-band, and lower back. Additionally, I’ll get a good stretch out of my neck, shoulders, and abs. Trust me, there is nothing better than feeling relaxed and loose on the day of the marathon.

#5 – Don’t sweat the small stuff. As I said in my last post “I can’t change the events that have happened to me, I can only change myself” Runners all know that things happen at the marathon that are out of their control. No parking on race day, you forget your running socks, they don’t have the right kind of Gatorade on the course; the list goes on. My experience is that you can’t allow the little things to derail you on race day. If you forgot your running socks, oh well! You can always buy a new pair at the expo or pick up a pair at Wal-Mart the night before.

I used to run with a fuel belt, a velcro belt that has two or four 8oz. bottles attached to it so you can carry fluids with you on the course.  My 3rd marathon, the Museum of Aviation Marathon in Warner Robins, I remembered to bring my belt with me but totally forgot ALL the bottles that attached to it. At first, I was pissed! I threw the belt to the ground and cussed like a sailor till I was blue in the face. I didn’t know what to do and was worried my race was totally ruined. However, with a little brain-storming with my wife Ashley we formulated a plan. We came to the conclusion that I would run the race by stopping at every aid station and drinking plenty of Gatorade and water. The race went off without a hitch. I wasn’t hindered by stopping for water or by not having fluids with me at all. In fact, I ran a personal best at the time and haven’t run with my fuel belt since.

As I said, every marathoner is different and that we all do things our own way so, you are welcome to take my advice and “run” with it or not, the choice is yours. One last tip I can give for running a successful marathon is this: Have fun. No matter how sore your legs may be or how out of breath you may seem, you have to remember to have fun and be happy. Put a smile on your face, and laugh at the funny spectators signs because, after you cross that finish line after 26.2 miles you’ll appreciate the experience even more.