It’s generally acknowledged that a training plan is needed before taking part in an event. But what about the practicalities? We’ve pulled together running tips for training before, during and after a race.
Tips before:
- Fuel your race: You’ll be burning fuel a lot more than on an average day when you’re running, so it’s important to eat and fuel more. Choose healthy, slow releasing carbs such as sweet potatoes, whole grains, beans vegetables. For longer races you want to be fueling at least 3-6 days before. Shorter races 1-2 days before.
- Sleep: Studies have shown that better sleep is associated with better endurance, pacing and metabolic rates which are all crucial for running your best race!
- Clothing: Train in what you will be running in on the day. New pieces of sportswear are exciting, but on the day anything that is uncomfortable or digging in may throw you off your game.
- Warm up: Your warm up needs to be dynamic and get your heart rate up. This prepares tissues for the activity ahead and gets blood flowing to your muscles.
- Get there early: Pre-race can be a hassle, lots of people everywhere, queuing for bag tags, queuing for race numbers, finding somewhere to leave your bag. It can get a bit overwhelming, so get there early to avoid these stresses.
- Cross training: Cross training will help enhance your performance whether that’s cycling or swimming. Even better is being extra prepared and making sure you have great all-round strength from the tiny intrinsic muscles in your feet to your core.
- Make sure you taper before a race… you don’t want to be running the distance or close to it a couple weeks before the race. You should have gentle and easy runs before.
Tips during:
- Most runners do not need to fuel during a 5k or 10k race, as they are too short to burn through your carbohydrate stores. Anything longer than 75 minutes will burn through your energy stores, so you will need to top up that fuel with gels and then after that every 40-50 minutes top up for longer half and full marathon races. Fuel with either gel, sweets, chews.
- Start slow!!! It is very easy to get swept away with the crowd and adrenaline and to start faster than you usually would. Start even slower than you think you need to; it will prevent you burning out too quickly.
- Stick to the same fuel as your training. If you’re doing a longer race and need to fuel, do not change your type of fuel on the day. If you have been training with gels, stick to the exact same gels. The same goes with any nutrition on the day of the race, like your breakfast.
- Have fun! Its a big day with lot’s of adrenaline and friendly crowds cheering you on!
Tips after:
- Don’t just sit down after and crash – walk it off for a bit and do static stretches.
- Sleep: sleep is just as important after a race as it is before. It helps reset our mind and body, restores anything that has been depleted in the race.
- Refuel: Food after is just as important as pre fueling. Replenishing any lost nutrients and glycogen helps to aid recovery. Nutrients will help repair micro teras in the muscles, replacing lost electrolytes and minerals will help top up what you lost through sweat.
- Massage therapy: If you’re still struggling with sore muscles 3-5 days after a race, it may be worth getting a sports massage. This will help flush out any biproducts of high intensity exercise that makes the muscles sore. It increases blood flow, nutrients and oxygen to muscles to help aid the recovery process.
Book in with one of our degree-qualified Sports Massage therapists.
