Or better yet, how to keep your sanity.
I am right in the middle of race week and I thought it might make for an interesting article if I talk about what goes on in my head the week before a big race.
Disclaimer: I am not a professional racer and I will never be in contention to win. I am 6’4″ and 240 pounds and I am a Mack truck running amongst Greyhounds (the dog breed not the bus line). But that is good for you because you can get different insight from an amateur’s opinions.
Planning Ahead of Time
It seems to me that there are two choose a race. The smart way and my way.
My friends do “Color Runs”, “Hot Chocolate Runs” and “Donut Dashes”. All very doable and all very fun. They run for fun and stay around 5k to 10k distances. There is nothing wrong with that and in fact, I am envious of their motivation to do those races.
I must have a defective chromosome that kicked in somewhere because I pick races based on two factors.
- It scares the hell out of me.
- It kicked my butt last year and I am coming back for vengeance.
I wish a 5k Hot Chocolate Run gave me night sweats but it doesn’t. Let me give you an analogy. Some people can go to 7-11 and get a small drink. I can’t. For a few more cents I can get a huge drink. That is value I just can’t pass up. I think this is key in how I select races. As for the Bear Chase, I can do a 10k no problem but look at the value I can get if I do the half marathon. $10 more for twice the distance? That’s a sweet deal. That satisfied me in the past but this year I was looking at even a bigger prize, the 50k.
A 50K is 31.1 miles and this takes me to a new level of running, the coveted Ultra Runner. Granted this is the entry point for the insane runner but you have to start somewhere. I did my first two marathons last year and survived so that is something to build on. This year I had to pull out of one halfway and that still doesn’t sit well with me. One day I will post a blog about the “Beat the Heat 2019” marathon attempt. Listen, if you do enough races you will get the one race where everything goes wrong. And everything went wrong with that race.
Anyway, here I am a week out and this is the time where I have 10% excitement and 90% anxiety because I know I haven’t trained enough. It is a terrible spot to be in because you can’t get better in the last week but you can really screw things up. This is what plays on your psyche. One moment I think I have this in the bag and the next I am wondering why I do this to myself.
You just have to deal with it. As we say in Texas, you are going to dance with who you brought to the party. My fitness level is fixed. In a little bit I will talk about what you can do and what you should do to be ready for the race.
Monday through Thursday is rough time. I am cranky and nervous because the race is always in the back of my mind and my chimp brain is having a great time concocting doomsday scenarios. Friday is different. Friday you come to terms with the finality of the situation and my tensions start to ease while my excitement grows. I always like to pick up my race packet before the day of the event. It seems to have a psychological effect that this is actually going to happen and everything will be okay. It is also nice to know that on race day all I have to do is show up and try and find a bathroom before the race starts. I seldom have trouble sleeping the night before a race and when the it is time to start I have made peace with my situation. What happens will happen.
For me, this is a healthy attitude. I am not that guy that has to have a personal record every race or the day is a total loss. What I want to do is be able to say I managed my run effectively and gave 100%. My victories are not so much the physical but mental ones. I run long distance to find out about myself and to see who I really am. All I have to say is that if you are going to run 3-6 hours you better like yourself because you are you own entertainment. Either you get consumed with negative thoughts and beat yourself up or you figure out a way to survive and finish. That is the game. People who say a marathon is a physical event have never run one. Without a strong mind, you don’t have a chance.
Growing up with asthma, I looked at running as the hardest thing in the world because it was. I couldn’t run a lap around a track if you pointed a gun to my head. Everything I do now I had to suffer and sweat for.
You can let that liability define you or you can test the reality of the situation. I chose to start my own personal rebellion against this disease and I am still fighting it to this day. So if I come off as a little hardcore about this stuff…I am. I have to be. I fight for every mile. There are a few weeks in the Spring and Fall where I just can’t get a full breath of air. Can’t stop it so I deal with it.
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How to stay positive when all hell is breaking loose.
So what do you have control over in the last week of preparation? In my opinion, this is what you can control.
- Hydration- It doesn’t start the night before the race. It starts a few days before so make sure you are consistently peeing a pale shade of yellow.
- Nutrition- I carry a lot of muscle and I feel my best when I am eating a balance of protein and carbs. Going heavy on carbs makes me feel weak and puny. Junk food makes me feel like a slob and eating out bloats me up with the excess sodium. You should experiment with your body and see what works for you. Everybody is different. Before a major race try and keep junk food and empty calories to a minimum.
- Gear- Having the right gear makes all the difference in the world. Have it ready the day before so you can check and double check.
- Have a fueling and hydration strategy for the race. I just cringe when I see beginning runners line up for a long race without supplies. You are really making life hard on yourself if you don’t bring hydration, energy gels and even some food.
- Race Strategy- even if you are just there to finish the race, a little strategy goes a long way. I will share mine a little later.
- What are you going to think about? This is critical. Get an idea what you will think about during the race so negative thoughts don’t creep in.
By far the biggest concern to deal with during race week is sleep. If you don’t get caught up on sleep it will be very hard for you to do any of the above. I am not talking about going to bed early Friday night for a Saturday race. I am talking about going to bed early all week. Let your body heal and store energy. Maybe you are different but I make crappy decisions when I am tired. I mean really crappy decisions and controlling my attitude gets next to impossible. It just doesn’t payoff
Again, this is where everyone is different. Experiment and keep the things that work.
Race Day Products from Amazon I Use and Recommend.
One of the top rated products. Take one before bed and when you get up.
Has it all. Calories, Electrolytes and Caffeine. Tastes like flat Coke. Good Stuff.
Not gross. It has a great taste and isn’t too thick. Electrolytes and Caffeine.
I drink one or two of these after every Spartan race and I swear by them. They work for post race recovery.
Things to focus on with your workouts.
- Easy runs where you focus on technique and running efficiently.
- Running drills such as ankle flips, hip openers, skips and knee raises.
- Core work including kettlebell swings, bridges, planks, leg raises and side planks.
- Mobility work on any problem areas.
- Stretching
What I think about during a race.
If I am lucky I will get into the zone and enjoy life.
If not, I have a mental checklist I run over and over in my head.
- Am I hydrating properly?
- When should I take the next energy gel?
- Am I running relaxed?
- Am I running tall?
- What does my foot strike sound like?
- Am I thinking positive thoughts?
Breaking the race into segments
I find this to be very useful. In this case I know the course so I can draw strength from knowing what is coming up. The Bear Chase has six segements.
- Start line and running around the lake heading to the mini mountain climb.
- Mini Mountain climb and descent.
- Wood and stream crossings.
- Golf course and rolling hills.
- Single track long windy, level, boring stretch.
- Shaded run along the river leading to the finish.
For me, it is very important to know where and when to spend energy. Mentally I can use the terrain to my advantage. It is going to be a huge boost to know when I have finished the last uphill. If I am bored, it is good to know that this is the boring stretch and I should be bored. Segmentation makes the race easier by breaking it up into digestible chunks.
Strategy
In the morning I am going to eat 2-3 hours before the start and take a packet of Liquid I.V. Most likely I will visit the bathroom 3-4 times and hit the road. Yes you read that right.
The course consists of a 10K loop then two 12 something mile loops which I think is the exact course I have run the previous years. My strategy is to have a fresh pair of shoes and socks along with trekking poles at the start of lap 3. I will also have an emergency PB&J and energy drink (Fit Aid) available.
My main concern is to get out of the transition area as soon as possible. If I get too comfortable I am going to start cooling off and bad ideas will start setting in. If I get out on the third lap I know I will finish but I have to get out and away from the start/finish line.
I am carrying a camelback with the Tailwind caffeinated electrolyte solution that I know works for me. I am also taking 6-8 energy Gels and some form of food to eat.
Equipment I Use and Recommend.
These socks reduce the chance of blisters and never feel wet. Essential for long runs.
The Lone Peak has great cushioning without being too “Fluffy”. The knobs grip the dirt and the wide toe box is very comfortable. My go to trail shoe.
I am not an expert on these but they help keep you tall and help reduce leg fatigue. Also good if you need to move a snake out of the way.
In the end, I either finish or I don’t. If I finish, I want to come out a better person for the experience. If I don’t finish, well I guess I know what I need to work on.
