- Make your ideal playlist of songs that pump you up! Don't include any songs that you feel may have a "next" potential. Remember to add enough songs (think about your pace in regards to 13.1 miles in "hours") to get you through the entire half without having to hear the same songs... unless you really want to hear the same song 2+ times. Your choice. Below is a sample of my in-progress-playlist:
(1) Empire State of Mind- Jay-Z ft Alicia Keys
(2) Cousins- Vampire Weekend
(3) Free Me- Joss Stone
(4) She's A Genius- Jet
(5) Body Language- Jesse McCartney ft. T-Pain
- Remember to hydrate/ proper nutrition the week following up to the race. Drink water throughout the day even if you don't feel "thirsty". Also, eat fruit as a healthy alternative snack (apples, oranges, bananas, etc). This will ensure that your muscles are well hydrated and will help dodge cramping.
- Plan out your outfit for the big day. Don't wear any piece of clothing you have never ran in before. Plan your running gear according to the weather. Weather.com shall be your new BFF! You want to be sure not to over dress. Some people like to include "throw aways" in their running gear. This can include an old/cheap sweat shirt, or even a garbage bag made into a pullover, you can shed and throw out when your body warms up during the race.
- Trim your toenails (if needed).
- Plan out and enjoy your CARB dinner ideally 2 days before the race. You should still eat some carbs the day before, but not as heavy as the dinner a couple of days before the race to avoid major cramps. Some running groups plan "Carb Dinners", but if you are hosting yourself here are some simple pasta dinners you can prepare:
Remember you can always tweak the pasta the way you like it such as adding some extra veggies, with or without meat, whole wheat pasta, etc. Have fun with it!
- Enjoy the Expo! At the expo you pick up your race number, timing chip, shirt, and other goodies! There are different vendors from multiple running/exercise/ fitness/ health companies at the expo for you to mingle with, or even purchase new gear from! Walk around, but not all day, and check out all the fun stuff.
- Stay motivated and positive. You've made it this far and 13.1 miles (or 26.2 if you are training for a full) should seem "easy" at this point. The hardest part is behind you. It's time to show off all your hard months of training. Always remember why you started this journey and now finish it. Here's a little boost of extra motivation: Full Article
- Reward yourself after the race. Be proud of all your accomplishments. Think of the ways you will reward yourself. It can be with certain types food, new shoes, new clothes, new electronics, or whatever you got your eye on! Hold your head high with your shiny new medal... once you cross the finish line that is. :)
- Start planning new goals you want to set out to accomplish after you finish your race. It could be anything to training for a full marathon to running 13.1 miles backwards. Oh yea, I said BACKWARDS. Leave it to a Cajun to set out to be the Guinness Book of World Records Holder for running a Half Marathon (13.1 miles) backwards. Daily Comet.com for full article.
*Tapering week can be fun and much needed! Just remember to enjoy the relaxation and stay positive. Don't worry about not being able to complete the 13.1 miles because it will come natural on race morning. I bet it will probably even be your best run yet, physically and mentally.
Training Exercise of the Week: Shoulder Raises. This is a good exercise to help bulk up your deltoid (the muscles that sits on and around your shoulder). It's not the same as your rotator cuff muscles that are on your shoulder and shoulder blade. Your deltoid muscle has an anterior, medial, and posterior aspect. This week we will focus on the medial aspect. You want good upper body strength while running to help support your breathing and aid in reducing symptoms of fatigue. Follow the steps below to perform the exercise:
Basic Shoulder Raises (Medial Deltoid)
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Arms are to be down by your side.
- Lift one arm up horizontally out to the side of your body while the other is still down by your side. Hold for 2-5 seconds.
- Place arm back down to your side.
- Lift the opposite arm up horizontally out to the side of your body while the other is still down by your side. Hold for 2-5 seconds.
- Completion of 1 set. Repeat for 5-10 sets.
Basic Shoulder Raises Progression (Medial Deltoid)
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Arms are to be down by your side.
- Lift one arm up horizontally out to the side of your body adding weight (10-20 pound dumbbell) while the other is still down by your side. Hold for 5-10 seconds.
- Place arm back down to your side.
- Lift the opposite arm up horizontally out to the side of your body adding weight (10-20 pound dumbbell) while the other is still down by your side. Hold for 5-10 seconds.
- Completion of 1 set. Repeat for 5-10 sets.
*Note that if you are unable to hold the weight try decreasing the amount. You can always progress the amount of weight in future sets. It's better to start off light than too heavy. Also, be advised that this exercise is intended to concentrate on the medial aspect of the deltoid muscle.
Training Tip of the Week: Remember tapering is good. Being a runner you don't want to cut back on your runs especially when you are feeling the most confident you have since starting the whole training process. Part of training is to know when to cut back. Your body isn't made to go full force all day every day. Tapering will only help maximize your training benefits when it comes to the big day. However, every runner is different. So the degree of tapering will be different for each runner.
Training Songs of the Week: Random mix. I have no other words to explain it. :) Enjoy!
1. Body Language - Jesse McCartney ft. T-Pain
2. Free Me- Joss Stone
3. Keep On Lovin' You- Steel Magnolia
4. No You Girls- Franz Ferdinand
Happy Running,
Jayme
Jayme
No comments:
Post a Comment