Home > The Running Report > Archives > 2008 > March > 28
Friday, March 28, 2008
What are your pre-race rituals for marathon day?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You’ve got months of training under your belt. Now it’s time to get to steppin’…er, running.
Sunday’s ING marathon is already shaping up to be an interesting day weather-wise. The forecast predicts rain and temperatures in the 50s.
A colleague told me he ran in rain during last Thanksgiving’s Atlanta Marathon, and it was not fun, he said.
Nevertheless, there’s half a weekend before race day. How are you going to spend it? Do you have any pre-race rituals that put you in a good frame of mind?
Marathon weekend is once again a family event at my place. Folks are in from out-of- town, including my 13-year-old nephew who questioned my sanity last year for wanting to run 26.2 miles. If it indeed rains this year, he will really think I’m nuts. (Also my older nephew and his girlfriend are running the half marathon for the first time.)
Like last year I’m going to have a nice steak dinner on Friday. And on Saturday I plan to mostly relax, load up on carbs and pray that I complete the race in official time without injury.
Here’s a few race day tips from authors Danny and Katherine Dreyer’s book, “Chi Running.”
— Start warming up 20 minutes before the race with a slow easy jog.
— When the race starts, don’t take off too fast. It’s OK to lose a couple of minutes up front.
— Check your pace in the first mile. Don’t get lulled into a comfort zone if you’re faster than your projected time. You’ll pay for it later, so slow down.
— Drink before you’re thirsty. Take in electrolytes before you cramp. Adjust your form before you get tired.
Share your race day tips with us.
(And on Sunday’s late day running blog, post comments on your race experience.)
MORE: PEACHTREE ROAD RACE INFO. State of the Art Marathon Training. USA Fit/Team Spirit. Active Trainer. Atlanta Track Club. Road Rules. ING Georgia Marathon.
