The London Marathon is only days away and we wanted to share our final tips for marathon week and the day itself as well as wishing our runners the best of luck!
The final days: “The Three R’s” ; Rest – Recover- Re-hydrate
- Remember that you won’t get fitter the week before marathon so use your shorter distances to keep the legs moving and the brain ticking.
- Stretch and roll to keep the legs not only feeling good but giving them the opportunity to work as efficiently as they can on race day.
- Sports massage – to aid recovery but only if you’ve tried this before.
- Hydrate well the week before the marathon and in particular, during the carbohydrate loading period (three days prior to the marathon).
- If you are traveling be sure to pack healthy snack foods, plan stops to stretch the legs and stay hydrated whilst you travel.
- As mentioned above, carbohydrate loading begins three days before the marathon. Choose foods for lunch and dinner that are high in carbohydrates (e.g., pasta, potatoes, rice, etc.). Don’t neglect fruits, vegetables, and some protein sources however. Try to scale back on fats during this time.
“Less is definitely more”
The Final Hours – the three C’s
Calm – Confident – Control
- Prepare kit the night before – race clothing, shoes, timing chip, number, bag, water bottles and nutrition to avoid panic in the morning.
- Eat a light, easily – digestible meal, at least 2 hours before the start – ensure you’ve eaten these foods before training runs with no adverse effects.
- Hydrate – sip water or a sports drink 60 to 90 minutes before the race remember to use the fluid you’re used to!
- Arrive early – know where you need to be and when.
- Start relaxed – chat to other competitors and friends to help calm your nerves.
- Warm-up – About 25 minutes before the start, do some walking, running and activation exercises.
- Position yourself appropriately at the start according to your projected pace, and remind yourself to start easy ! You’ll be glad you did when late in the race you’re able to pass all those runners who started too fast!
The weather this weekend looks likely to be changeable so be PREPARED!
And finally GOOD LUCK – you’ve trained hard until today, enjoy the London Marathon as much as you can!