With less than a week to go to Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon IX you should be in the final stages of your training preparation whether you are doing the 10K, half or full marathon.
All of your hard (or possibly not so hard!) training should now be complete. That does not mean that the week ahead is not vitally important in getting you to the start line in the best condition you can possibly be! You should be focused on getting to the start line on Saturday feeling calm (although a few nerves don’t hurt) fresh, hydrated and carb loaded.
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No matter how your training and preparation has progressed, there is little point now, in lacing up your running shoes and putting lots of effort and/or miles in this week. The worst thing you can do now is start to panic that you have not done enough training and hit the road now in an effort to get ready. All you will achieve by doing this, is make yourself tired and possibly sore before marathon day! If you accept that you haven’t prepared as planned, consider reevaluating your goal for this race. This way, you can be a lot easier on yourself if you don’t achieve what you originally hoped for. Let’s be honest…in running, we usually get the rewards we want when we put the hard graft in beforehand.
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While it is important to significantly reduce your mileage, it’s also very important that you get some shorter runs in this week in order to keep your body loose and use these moments to acknowledge the effort you have put in to get to this point and ensure you are in a positive mind frame on Saturday morning.
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If you are competing in the longer distances, it is important to focus on carb-loading as the week goes on. Slow release carbs are the way to go here so porridge with some fruit and honey for flavor and pasta/spaghetti for lunch dinner for example can help you here. Whatever your taste, ensure your energy stores are well stocked up. Ensure you are drinking more water than normal too, without overdoing it! There will be 3 energy stations on the marathon route which will help you top up with fast acting sugars and these can be of great help during the run!
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Try to stay calm in the week ahead. Follow your normal weekly routine insofar as possible and when you’re not training/stretching, try to stay off your feet. Don’t stand if you can sit; don’t sit if you can lie down! Most importantly, do whatever it takes for you to stay relaxed!
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Make sure you have as much race preparation complete on Friday night as possible. Know what you are wearing (prepare sets of clothes for dry or wet and mild or cold conditions). Have your race number, safety pins, vaseline, GPS watch charged, toe nails clipped, clothes for before and after race all packed. Give yourself PLENTY of time to get to the start line. If you are driving, please try to get to the Showground grounds by 8am as this will ensure you are not starting to stress as the clock ticks closer to 9am!
Our final request is that everyone approaches Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon IX in a positive and respectful manner. Share words of encouragement, smiles and thumbs up with your fellow runners, marshalls and supporters. Please show your appreciation to the marshalls, stewards and gardai on the course too, as without them this event would not be possible! And finally, Enjoy your day and cross the finish line with a smile on your face! 🙂 🙂 🙂
In the words of our good friend Amby Burfoot, “Every mile is a gift”. Enjoy each one we are privileged to be able to run…
Have a safe and great race day, the Clon Crew 🙂