Seize the Day!

Hi, Fellow Runners:

Carpe Diem! – a phrase familiar to most of us as Seize the Day! – were the words used by the poet Horace to inspire participants in the Secular games of Rome in 17 B.C., and they resonate for us more than 2,000 years later.  Whether the next race you run will be your first or another of many, you can and should try to make it a memorable event in your sporting life by preparing for it properly in the last few days before you toe the starting line.

In the Final Week before the Race:

n  Adjust your sleep patterns to reflect the ungodly time you will probably have to get up on Race Day morning.  Bear in mind that most races begin very early in the day (usually between 7:00 and 8:30 a.m.), and that you should be at the race location an hour beforehand.  So turn in a little earlier each evening during the week to assure yourself of at least seven hours of sound sleep every night prior to the race itself.

n  Consciously work at raising to about 65% the portion of your total caloric intake that comes from carbohydrates.  Two vegetables should be part of both your mid-day and evening meals, and fruit should be one of your staples at snack time in the morning and afternoon.

n  On a daily basis, drink a quantity of water that is the equal, in ounces, to half your weight in pounds.  (Thus, a 120-pound woman needs 60 ounces of these liquids each day.)  Check your urine color.  Lemonade is what you’re aiming for.  Apple juice means you’re not hydrating  

On the Night before the Race:

n  Consume a meal at around 6 or 7 p.m.  Chicken with brown rice or whole-wheat pasta would be ideal.  And, of course, avoid alcoholic beverages.  

n  Check the weather forecast and decide what you’re going to wear on Race Day.  Pin your bib and chip on your outer garment. then lay out all your clothes and gear in a corner of a spare room.  Don’t overdress!  Remember, once you start the race, you will warm up quickly and the temperature will feel as if it’s about 3 or 5 degrees higher than it actually is.

On Race Day Itself:

n  Wake up in a positive frame of mind.  Your initial attitude upon opening your eyes is critical.  Before you get up, replay in your mind a recent successful training run.  Assume an attitude that says:  “I’m in control and, come hell or high water, I’m going to nail the finishing time I’ve set as a goal for myself in today’s race”.

n  Eat a good, carbohydrate-rich breakfast, but make sure it’s something your body is accustomed to.   Think either oatmeal, pancakes, whole-grain cereal with banana, brown toast with peanut butter, or yogurt and fresh fruit.  Caffeine before a race is good, so drink at least your usual quantity of coffee or tea.

n  When you arrive at the race site, find a quiet place where you’re able to relax.  Then warm up with some easy stretching and light jogging.  And be sure to visit the Porta-Toilet in the half hour before the race starts.

n  Keep in mind a quote by Jack Daniels, one of North America’s pre-eminent coaches and the gentleman who certified me as a running coach: “Most mistakes in a race are made in the first two minutes, perhaps in the very first minute.”  As you stand at the starting line, don’t be intimidated by the crowds.  Make sure you’re serene and confident when the horn sounds.   Don’t go out too fast.  Start easy instead, then gradually pick up the pace.      

n  During the race, check your form regularly.  Distract yourself when you begin to feel the discomfort brought on by exertion.  Use self-talk to remain positive and to keep negative thoughts at bay.  And all the while, visualize yourself crossing the finish line and seeing the clock recording the finishing time that you may have projected for yourself.

Once it’s over, you can revel in the knowledge that you accomplished something that you may have considered beyond your reach not too long ago.  And in so doing, you will have learned much that is good about yourself.  After all, nobody take on the challenge of competitive road racing without a certain degree of physical and mental toughness that rises above the ordinary.

Coach Stephen