I am one of those that has a difficult time sitting still and with the added anxiety of race day, it was nearly impossible to keep me from expending some energy. Only perhaps I should have gone out dancing or played golf rather than running 9 miles on Friday and running/incline stair work for 6 miles on Saturday with the race on Sunday! So here are some tips…Don’t Do them ;)

Pre-Don’ts

Do not do 9/10 miles two days before your race

Do not run down and climb a mountain twice the day before your race

Do not stay up until 1AM the night before, no matter how cute your partner

Do not drink more than one glass of wine with your dinner for at least two nights prior.

Day Of Don’ts

Do not not stretch adequately

Do not think a Starbucks bran (fake) muffin for breakfast is going to keep you from eating the water station attendee’s chips on lap two

Do not rush through your first 3 miles. Save it for the last half or keep a steady pace throughout, one that fits you well

*It wasn’t that I was out of breath or felt exhausted, but my legs were so heavy and sore…in fact, as soon as I got noodle leg I really had to take my well-being into consideration and turn to some fast walking. Now I know! Can’t wait to put my lesson to the test for the next one.
 

• Currently 4.0/5 Stars.

Tags: half marathon, tips, women's running, training, iPod, beginners

Heck Yeah it was fun!! Just posted up about our trip :) Posted by: Betty on Oct 23, 2008 at 09:05 AM

But it was so fun running/walking up and down the mountain with you! Posted by: Leah on Oct 21, 2008 at 08:04 AM

I second that! Don't be so hard on yourself. You were amazing out there - the very fact that you finished and you WERE NOT the last one in, by any means! The rest before the race thing is an absolute must. It is so incredibly important to prepare your body for the pounding on race day...even a half. I applaud you - you are one amazing woman! Posted by: bmoore on Oct 20, 2008 at 03:06 PM

Hey there, Sounds like you did it tough - all the more reason to celebrate :) I've definitely done plenty of those things on your "don't do" list so you are not alone there. Well done on completing your first Half and don't be so hard on yourself; there were plenty of people still in bed asleep whilst you were out there having a red hot go (as we say here in Oz). Make sure you take an easy week or two. After my first Half I couldn't work out why I didn't bounce back the next day - took me ages to get over so I finally went to the doc and he said to me "Even though you didn't run a full marathon your body was out there for as long as some people run a marahon in (god bless him) so your body is recovering as if it has run a whole marathon (if only I could run a WHOLE marathon in 2:24!!)". So be sure to take the rest your body deserves - they reckon 2 weeks of light exericise with some light / short runs towards the end of the first week and in the week following that. I have used that formula this time and have pulled up really well xxx Posted by: turning40 on Oct 20, 2008 at 02:10 PM