Home > The Running Report > Archives > 2008 > March > 11 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USGive Yourself a Treat Before Race Day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The clock is ticking. Race day is March 30.
And former Boston Marathon winner Gayle Barron says mid-level runners training for the ING Georgia Marathon should start thinking about how to taper down their runs.
Another thing, get a massage.
“During long runs lactic acid builds up,” she said. “A massage pushes that out. It’s going to help you with flexibility.”
Barron says ideally, runners should get two to three massages before race day.
Do you usually get massages to prep for race day? Which type do you get and where do you go?
This weekend Barron will trim long runs in her marathon training program, USA Fit/Team Spirit to 14 or 15 miles.
Keep in mind there’s no pat training program. Olympian Jeff Galloway says he has runners in his program, Run Free with Jeff Galloway, train 26-30 miles before marathon day.
In following Barron’s suggestions, my longest training run was 18 miles two weekends ago. Followed by a 15-mile run on rigorous hills last weekend.
This coming weekend Barron suggests I return to Silver Comet Trail and run no more than 16 miles.
“It’s not normal that I would have someone do 16 miles [at this point], but you started out late in getting your long runs in, ” she said. “But I don’t want you to get hurt or your legs to give out.”
After that Barron says I should trim my next long run to 10 to 12 miles.
Where are you in your training? What’s going to be your longest run before race day?
MORE: State of the Art Marathon Training. USA Fit/Team Spirit Active Trainer. Peachtree Road Race. Road Rules. ING Georgia Marathon. Run Free with Jeff Galloway.
Comments
By John Tackett
March 11, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this
Have a massage scheduled for tommorrow afternoon, and then another a week before I run Boston.
Have a 18 mile run this weekend, then a 20 miler the next and then the ING Marathon.
Actually, the ING Marathon will be my last long “training” run before Boston. I will run the event about a minute per mile slower than I normally would, then I will start my taper down for Boston which is 3 weeks later.
By Katelyn
March 11, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this
When training for long endurance events, I get a deep-tissue massage atleast every 3 weeks. It’s heavenly… and mandatory for me!
By slow runner
March 11, 2008 8:34 PM | Link to this
When I trained for my last marathon I scheduled a massage and stretching appointment after every high mileage run each week. It was expensive but I needed my hips and I Tband stretched to keep me my knees from hurting. I am convinced it made a big difference in my run and my recovery. I also sat in a tub of luke warm water with buckets of ice right after I finished the marathon. This helped my legs recover tremendously. Then I followed up with a lower body massage later that afternoon. If you are going to put your body through all this. Treat it the best you can and it will keep going for you.
By Flying Ace
March 12, 2008 6:50 AM | Link to this
Village Health in Smyrna for a Sports Massage during the week before the marathon (early-mid week, if possible).
Had a 14 mile group run on part of the ING course (including the Dreaded Druid Hills) this past weekend and have a 22 miler scheduled for this upcoming weekend on the Silver Comet. Will run it @ 45 seconds to 1 minute slower than marathon pace. This will be the last long run before tapering for ING.
Good luck. Let’s hope for cool weather this year for ING!!!
By Alexander
March 13, 2008 2:33 PM | Link to this
I ran LA Marathon on March 2nd as my longest training run. Set a PR too :) Last weekend I ran back to back 18 milers. I plan on back to back 13 milers this weekend, along with a 5K race. Then continue to taper down to a couple 5 or 6 milers next weekend.
As for massage, I highly recommend them. It has definitely helped me recover from all these long runs. I get them at least monthly, and also the week prior to a marathon, and then again a few days after a marathon.