1) What should my diet look like in the days leading up to the race and on race day morning? I've just started using GU, so I plan to take one shortly before the race and then 1 during the race. 2) Based on a current mileage of ~25 miles/week, what should my taper week look like?
1) What should my diet look like in the days leading up to the race and on race day morning? I've just started using GU, so I plan to take one shortly before the race and then 1 during the race.
2) Based on a current mileage of ~25 miles/week, what should my taper week look like?
Diet should be somewhat normal as nothing new or anything that could cause any digestive issues. Usually night before I have my standard Chicken breast / pasta. For a half should not reallyhalf to worry about carb loading as you may in a full.
Race day morning is more important and you want a light breakfast at least 2 hrs before race day. Many go with a something like a banana and small bowl oatmeal/cereal, bagel, breakfast bar, etc. usually around 400 calories. Drink a good amount of fluid from time you awake until 1 hr before race. That way you are hydrated but allow enough time for excess to get through system and hit the porta john once or twice between 1 hr and 10 minutes before the race. About 5 - 10 min before race take your GU and wash down with good amount of water.
In regards to taper. with 25 MPW would not worry too much about a taper. just take everything at an easy pace that week and maybe a little lighter and/or and extra day rest the 1 - 2 days leading to race.
Good Luck.
"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it Great!
That sounds about right.
Just by the way, I am going to be away for 10 days so will not be posting or updating my log (secret altitude training camp.)
Simon.
PBs since age 60: 5k- 24:36, 10k - 47:17. Half Marathon- 1:42:41.
10 miles (unofficial) 1:16:44.
Ah--we've hit upon Simon's secret speed weapon.
Vogel, I think BC's advice is dead-on. The week before the race, you'll want to make sure you keep some intensity in your running, while shortening the distance of some of your runs. Instead of a full-blown tempo run the last week before my race, I might run some pickups in the middle of an easy four-miler. And I don't usually run the day before a race, though I might do 4 the day before that.
Got absolutely poured on my run today--good memories of the marathon at Gasparilla, though . . . What's a little rain, right?
Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Heb. 12:1b) Mile by Mile
Vogel. all very sound advice.
As for the taper, I absolutely agree not to taper too much. I made that mistake for my HM in May. Part of it was that I was on vacation up to 6 days before the race, but I thought it fit well into my plan. I was flat on race day.
I have another HM coming up on Sept 27th and unfortunately will be traveling most of next week on business, so I've got to plan carefully.
My suggestion would be though not to plan and go out and do a 13 mile run a week before the race.
My only other comment would be to ask if you've been experimenting with taking fluids (gatorade/poweraid) other than water during your long runs as well as other supplements (sport bars, gel packs, sport beans etc)
Larry
LPH
"Today I broke my record for most consecutive days lived!"
New record for me. Completed approx 9.7 miles tonight, which is the furthest I've ever run during the week before. I did 9 miles a few months ago, but up to that time, all of my long runs have always been performed on the weekends.
Another new record for me, I completed 11 miles last night definitely the furthest I've ever run during the week. Weather was cool, around 70 degrees and perfect for a long run.
Unfortunately, getting darker earlier and earlier.
Thanks everyone, for all the advice.
Larry, I've taken GU on a couple of long runs and found that GU and Propel are way to sweet a combination for me, so I've been sticking with GU and water. It's hard for me to say how much it has been helping because it's all new territory for me. So far my stomach handles it fine as long as I have enough water to wash it down.
Good call on practicing your fueling. I trained all summer with the sport beans and then realized just a few weeks before the race that though the beans were fine for easy runs, I absolutely could not chew them at race pace--boy, I had to do some quick rethinking there! I take my Gus with water too or they're too sweet, but I take Gatorade and water at the other aid stations. Of course, down here, we're always running in pretty warm weather, so we tend to hydrate a lot.
Wow, fall's coming for you all, huh? 8 today--no time for anything else as dd had her first soccer game early this am. Fun for all. I did get my Garmin back, and it was nice to know my pace. I did the first 5 easy and the last 3 at HM pace.
jules2
Jelly babies the food of champions is what I take, to be honest in a half I don't really bother about eating or drinking unless its really hot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelly_baby
I have one last chance at breaking my lifetime half PB this year on the 11th October.
I've managed to clear most of my injuries apart from a minor shin splint that I'm keeping under control so the training coming along.
I did a hilly 10 mile race ( one hill per mile ) in 1:10:30 last weekend and need to break 1:29:28 to get a half PB.
I have a 20 mile fell race in two weeks which should be fun as I've only ever run over 20 miles once and that was over 25 years ago in a former life.
Old age is when you move from illegal to prescribed drugs.
My legs are tired tonight, hell I'm tired. But after helping my son out all day, I went out and did a 13+ run and finished the week with a new high 0f 41+ miles for the week.
I'm heading to IL on Tuesday and won't be back until Sat. I hope I can find some running places s that I don't have to rely on the threadmills in the hotels..
Hi all. I'm currently in taper mode. My marathon is on the 13th of this month. After that I have a half that I am running in early November. As for cross training, I do yoga twice a week and find it very helpful.
Hi all. I'm currently in taper mode. My marathon is on the 13th of this month. After that I have a half that I am running in early November.
As for cross training, I do yoga twice a week and find it very helpful.
So it's now the 14th, how did your Marathon go?
Hi all,
I haven't been running as much as I'd like to... Too many excuses, like *can't get out of bed early enough* or *too dark in the morning to run before work* or *too hot to run in the afternoon* Maybe after my 22k race on the 26th I'll start building my mileage again.
As for cross training I've started working out on an elliptical a lot more to avoid some of the impact from running. I'm not sure if it will help my running much but I figure it can't hurt it. I've been meaning to add some strength training as well, but so far I just haven't...
MrPHinNJ and BuckeyeChamp, how did your races go?
Lu
I finished in 1:46:39 and then ran 9.5 -10 miles of second lap with fellow RAer (SkeeterMC) ... overall good day and can see Erie race report under racing section. did not meet goal of < 1:44 and dream of sub 1:40 but PRd by like 9 minutes and 19 minutes from first half 1 yr ago.
MrPhinNJ had a 3:40ish race and can see his report "Pototo Heads BQ Attempt" on general thread.
One day at a time
I made myself hit the road for 12.1 miles today. 1 minute run : 1 minute walk ratio, because that's probably what I'll use for the race. My overall pace was slower than I'd like, but I always do better on race day. My hamstrings are just a little sore, but not too bad.
Good job, PH and Buckeye! Wow, a 9-minute PR and 19-minute improvement in a year! I'll be doing good to match my time from a year ago!
My hamstrings are just a little sore, but not too bad.
Are you stretching them often? If you're watching TV at night, it's good time to sit on the floor and stretch them.
No, not enough. I'll try that tonight!