Race Day is all but here, your training is done, now you've just got to get your Race Plan right and your reward awaits.
Here's my 10 best tips to take into Race Day with you this Sunday.
Good luck, and as always Run Well.
Be a Finisher!
Your 10 Commandments for Running a Marathon;
1. Know your Race Plan & follow your plan.
2. Don’t weave through people at the start, you’ll just waste valuable energy. Relax, there’s plenty of time.
3. Run the tangents, corner to corner, don’t make it any longer than it already is!
4. Don’t wear a hat, you’ll overheat, and you need to sweat to keep your cool!
5. Drink early & often, at every station. Don't wait until you're thirsty.
6. Don’t do your shoelaces up too tight, your feet swell alot in a marathon race, and do double knots.
7. Run with the pack as much as possible for the first 30km.
8. Don’t fight the wind. Sit in behind a pack into a headwind, & wait until you’re downwind & to increase your pace.
9. Use the gradients – relax downhill, let your pace increase. Uphill - shorten your stride but maintain your cadence, slow your pace back a bit. It all evens out in the end.
10. Your goal is to get through to the 32k mark, or back onto St. Kilda Road in good shape. Your race starts here!
Finally, the marathon is all about economy & efficiency. Be mindful of this as you run.
How you run your first 10km will usually determine how you finish your last 10km! i.e. be conservative early to save your glycogen, for a strong finish, when you’ll need it! Regardless, it is always hard finishing a marathon, and that's what makes it what it is. How you finish is always reflective of your preparation, sticking to your race plan, and how mentally tough you are during the final stages. This is what I like to refer to as Pain vs Suffering, which you can read all about here.
When running, think about being relaxed. Think smooth, light & easy with your running form. If you’re not feeling this, ease off a bit, settle into your rhythm again before gradually picking it up.
And if you don't have a race plan, you better make sure you're not planning to fail!
