Race Week Prep

We’re just 5 days away from the 2022 Eugene Marathon and Half-Marathon.

Here are some useful tips to use in the week before any race to help prepare you for your best race day. To those new to racing, it's a learning experience and this can help speed that process up. To the experienced racer, some of these may be routine for you- but you're still likely to find 1-2 tips useful.

Race/Course knowledge and logistics:

-parking (consider road closures before and after finishing)

-time of packet pick up, expo, race start

-course profile: elevation changes, running surface changes, water/aid/bathroom station placement

Self prep:

-knowing your outfit/gear (having tested it in similar conditions previously). Backup plan for last minute weather changes

-the same breakfast (and a day or two of eating pre-race) that’s worked for you

-knowing your pace, hydration, and fueling strategies

-having race goals (sometimes A/B/C time goals, sometimes effort or execution based goals)

Mental/psych prep:

-mental imagery: go through the course (having run the course, if local, is hugely helpful)

-try to imagine where you’ll be feeling highs and lows, and how you’ll respond to each.

-minimize brain chatter: the less debating you do in your head, the more mental battery you have to push yourself (this is why you plan your race strategy ahead of time)

Physical prep:

-mileage taper (see previous Instagram and blog post)

-using that extra energy to perform rehab and exercises to mend last minute soreness and physical taper tantrums

-don’t over-taper or over-rest either. Your body is used to it’s routine, keep frequency of running (and even strength training) but dial down the overall amount (miles, weight, reps/sets) so you don’t feel stiff or stale

-really dialing in hydration and nutrition, definitely avoid any foods you're allergic to reactive to (probably good advice 24/7) and also try to avoid foods that take extra work to digest (red meats, dairy, spicy foods).

-extra sleep? Yea- do that if able!

Hope you found these this helpful. Remember- Zenith Performance and Wellness offers a range of services including:

-Physical therapy for injured athletes and humans in general

-Performance Physical Therapy for those not injured but looking to move and perform better

-Recovery Sessions for those who want a bit of help between training sessions or to just feel good.

-Personal and performance training

Please feel free to Contact us with inquires about services