Ready, set, GO!

With 15 or so hours until race time, I've been sharing pre/during/post race strategies with the friends and runners I've chatted with today at the Around the Bay pre-race expo in Hamilton. Everyone's nerves are on edge, their adrenaline pumping and muscles aching with anticipation for tomorrow morning's race. With so much chat about the race, I thought to share with you some of my routine and strategies for my 30k run only a few hours away.


Pre-Race (Day before..today!)

• 9:00am:  Sleep in!
• 10am: Hearty and nutritious breakfast + water.
• Daytime: Relax + more water.
• Early evening: Light exercise 20-30 mins cardio and a bit of strength. Nice dynamic stretches before and after workout. Refuel with..you guessed it, water!
• 6:30pm: Dinner time! This race I will be having a special pasta dinner with Team in Training but usually my go-to pre race dinner is this:
• White plain bagel with 1.5 peanut butter, 1 tsp jam, 1 tsp honey.
• Granny Smith Apple
• G2 Orange Gatorade
• 8:30pm: Get race day items ready, packed and layed out. Then relax with a movie or t.v
• 10:30pm: Lights out!

Race Day 

• 3:45am - 15 minute snack. 1/2 Cliff Bar, 1/2 - Full bottle of G2 Gatorade.
• 7:45am - Wake up, get dressed, consume 1/2 cup water and 1/2 Cliff Bar or banana.
• 8:30am - Meet Team in Training group and jog over to start line.
• 8:45am - Consume GU Espresso Gel, listen to music, get excited!
• 9:20am - Get to start corrals..hop around and smile.
• 9:30am - GO!

During Race (things to remember):

• Drink up: Have Gatorade at every water station. Don't drink glass full, tip out a bit of it so it doesn't spill all over you instead of in your mouth.
• Re-fuel: Consume a GU gel at the 10km mark and 20km mark.
• Hills: Maintain cadence. Pace will naturally slow down, but keep same cadence in foot turnover.
• Downhills: Roll with the hill. Lean forward a bit and let the downhill do the work.
• Stress free body: R-E-L-A-X. Relax your arms, shoulders, hands, face - everything that tends to scrunch up with tension when you run. Shake out your arms and legs periodically.
• Feed of energy: Listen to the crowd, give kids high fives, cheer for team mates, chat to other runners, smile for the camera and look around. Feed of the energy of the event itself!
• Remember your mantra: I usually write a mantra on either wrist. One is always 'BREATHE' on my left wrist the other is yet to be determined. 
• Don't fret: Don't let your watch run your race. Enjoy the race regardless of time. This race is not for time, its for experience and for supporting Team in Training. Remember why I am running and who this race is for. 

Post Race (don't forget...)

• Take an official picture! Wait in line for it, its worth it.
• Visit the bathroom, even though you won't want to, you will regret it about 10 minutes after finishing.
• EAT. Even if you are not hungry. Nibble on your bagel and swig some water after every bite.
• KEEP EATING. Every hour afterward until your next meal, consume about 50 calories of healthy things (crackers, bananas, Gatorade, etc.)

So here we go, time to get ready for an evening of friends and inspiration from the Team in Training group from Ontario. Best of luck to all my teammates and every other runner and walker participating in tomorrow's events!

“Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started.”

Yours in health,

Jenna

Me Pre-Race at the Ottawa Marathon