Preparing for the big day!
By Martin Bond, YSJ Active Development Officer
The big day is fast approaching! Hopefully you are all on track with your training, and have found the blogs to date useful.
As the big day looms ever closer, you might be panicking that you haven’t done enough training. It’s important that you don’t dramatically increase your training to try and play catch-up. If you genuinely haven’t put in the training, try to build up slowly.
Understanding the jargon
If you have been putting the miles in and have been following a training plan you may have heard of the word ‘taper’. This is what runners do in the lead up to an event such as our 10k. Essentially, it means reducing the number of miles you run and strength training sessions you complete in the week or ten days before the race. It does not mean stopping all activity as you still need to be ready to go on the day. Tapering helps avoid fatigue, muscle soreness and injuries. If you usually run four days a week, change two of those runs into a walk.
Approaching your first run
When you are stood on the start line ready to go, your heart rate will be high and the adrenaline pumping. It is so important not to fly off the blocks! If you have a pace that you would like to run at try and keep to it from the start rather than be carried along with the other runners. It is much more satisfying to overtake these people as you ramp up the gears while others hit the wall due to setting off too fast. Make use of the York 10k pacers who will be pacing at 5-minute intervals between 40mins and 1hrs 30mins. Don’t forget, it is ok to walk! You don’t win any special prizes for not.
Fueling for the day
There are hydration and fuel stations at checkpoints along the route. Here, you might be faced with sports drinks, energy gels and other freebies. If you have never tried consuming these products during your training, then the event should not be seen as an opportunity to experiment. Everyone reacts differently to the sports drinks, gels and other products. You might end up getting indigestion, acid reflux etc. You really don’t want any of these on the run! Stick to what you’ve been training with i.e. if you drink water on your runs, don’t be tempted by that red bull.
For those of you who are afternoon runners, it is worth incorporating a few morning runs into your routine in the lead up to the event. This way you know how your body reacts to running at this time and gets used to the food that you are having for breakfast rather than for tea. As a general rule, a small meal mixing carbohydrates and protein (e.g., scrambled eggs on toast) a couple of hours before the run will see you through, and possible a light snack 1/2 hr before (e.g., a banana). Again, try to get in a routine during training, then stick to it!
Avoid last minute buys
Last point, do not under any circumstance buy a brand-new pair of trainers for the run. Those trusty shoes which have you got you through your training will be much better than the latest design.
Best of luck!
