RACE TIPS

My coach sent an email prior to the race with some tips (green for St. Patty's Day). I thought I’d share a few that I thought were really good;

Look forward to the challenge; it IS a blessing to be able to push yourself in a fitness event.

Save-up some passion & spirit to UNLEASH on race day.

Get to KNOW the course and visualize yourself running well. Before the race, use success imagery to 'see' yourself attaining your goals.

Plan to run EVEN PACE (Do not go out too fast! It is UPHILL for parts of mile 1) the entire race, @ 85%+ effort, and finish the last 1/2 mile with an extra push to the line. Listen to your breathing and 'discomfort' in your mind & muscles, to know that you are pushing evenly and persisting for 100% of the race distance. Do not listen to splits (as course terrain & wind & measurement effects them) as much as to your internal cues. Rely on your 'race management skills' that you learn in challenging P2 sessions. It helps to get into a pack that flows the first half of this out-and-back race, then look ahead and see how many people you can catch and pass on the returning 2.5 miles. The course is HARDER on the return, with more uphills, and more fatigue. EXPECT to be mentally strong.

When the race is over:

FIRST look within yourself and ask, "Did I push as hard as I could? Am I satisfied with my effort?" THEN look at the results for place, time, division place. REMEMBER, it is the PLACE that matters more than the time, as times change with environmental conditions. HAVE FUN RACING FOR PLACE.

Lots of good advice that I tried to follow as closely as possible. One thing that really stood out to me is just like everything else (hills, form, breathing, etc), visualization is easier during the first few miles. As the race progresses, it gets harder. Therefore, going forward I need to really focus my mental strategies and practice on the 2nd half of the race.

Here’s a quick recap of my recent training. Saturday I ran an easy 6 miles. After the race I joined Jenna and some of her friends for a 6 mile cooldown. While that’s longer than normal, my legs felt great during this morning’s 6 miles. Granted they were tired, but there was no soreness. That’s a little surprising since Sunday was the first time I’ve strapped on racing flats in 5 months. Usually my calves are beat up pretty good after that.

Speaking of flats, I made a decision on marathon shoes. After trying on a pair of adidas (Supernova Comp – I think) and Asics Gel-DS Racer VII, I settled on the Mizuno Idaten. I have a pair of cushion inserts that I’ll throw in them, as well. I was tempted by all the good things I’ve heard about Brooks recently, but no one carries them locally.

Quote of the day:

“Believe in yourself, know yourself, deny yourself, and be humble.” John Treacy’s four principles of training prior to Los Angeles 1984