|
Race Day
Assuming your marathon starts at mid-morning or earlier, eat very little
if anything. If you drink coffee, drink less than normal. Some can help
get your bowels moving, but too much can give you a sour stomach. Don't
drink acidic fruit juices or milk. Even if it's a cold day, drink at least
one quart of water in the last hour or 2 before the race. Don't bother
with a warm-up run. A few strides and stretching
should be enough. If
you're too warm, you'll start too fast.
I
have purposely not included a pace chart with times you should aim for
because I feel you should listen to your body rather than watch your
splits. Marathon courses are seldom uniform so that the same effort from
one marathon to the next often won't produce the same splits.
Additionally, even the best races may have a mile marker in the wrong
place, which will throw off your splits. The effort to maintain splits
often isn't worth it because you can get into a yo-yo mode of speeding up
and slowing down trying to hit a preordained set of splits.
Instead, try for an effort level that is easier than the Thursday tempo
runs. For at least the first 10 miles, try to maintain an effort that
approximates the sense of being out for a fast long run without working or
breathing hard. Notice your pace, but don't worry about hitting target
splits exactly. Make certain you drink frequently.
The second 10 miles is transitional. Pay more attention to where you are
in the race. Look for runners to catch; after all, this is a race. Between
15 and 18 miles, expect a few tough patches. Remind yourself that these
will pass.
At 20 miles, shift your focus to racing; this is where you need to
concentrate. But don't go nuts; the last 10 kilometers can seem
never-ending if you push too hard. In this final part of the race, it may
feel like you're exerting a lot more effort, but you're probably just
maintaining the pace you had been running earlier. Whether you maintain or
actually begin to run faster, think positively. Even if you are behind the
pace you had hoped to run, you'll feel better about your race by finishing
strongly rather than struggling to the finish line.
Credits:
Text copyright © 1996 by
Benji Durden
|
