Race Week Prep

Jesse Klein
Apr 26, 2022
2 min read

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

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I received excellent care here. The wrist injury I came to get help with was 7 months old and getting worse and within a month of receiving PT care here I was experiencing noticeable improvement and able to get back to my regular training routine. Mike’s attention to detail and expertise got me much needed relief and improvement and set me up for success to continue improving on my own. Great PT experience, thanks Zenith and thank you Mike!

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This is a review for Mariel and Jesse: I have had many massages with Jesse. He is methodical, receptive, and thoughtful with every massage. If you have a trouble spot he will definitely spend the time working on it but will budget his time to make sure you end up with a full body massage as well. I have never left without feeling better and that I wasn’t worth it. He is very good at getting the knots and tension out without subjecting you to abject torture. A true sports massage with the benefit of full body relaxation. The only caution I’d give is that he is in a “gym” space. If you do not mind the VERY occasional “sounds of the gym”, you will be fine. However, if you use the massage room as a means of escape into a quiet, serene, transcendent space without ANY external distraction - there may be the occasional thud of a weight. But by no means are the sounds constant. I can still find my peace. I worked with Mariel initially for my back and then my shoulder. I started by seeing Mariel for my back which started to progressively improve and during this time my shoulder flared up. I didn’t need a new referral, I didn’t feel bad about bringing it up, we seamlessly transitioned into working on both without any issue. She is a consummate professional, insightful, and knowledgeable. At the same time, she is fun, laid-back, and gives reasonable advice and adjustments to work towards your goal. I would trust her with any physical therapy ailment I have.

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