Before the 26.2

     The first ever marathon I ran was 3 years ago in Pittsburgh. IT WAS TOUGH! I was new to the distance running thing so a lot surprised me. Thankfully, if you never ran a marathon I can share some things that help me prepare for a big race.

    There is no doubt about it that running is a very mental game. I have always noticed my brain wants to give up before my lungs do, which is why I am still a runner who loves a good playlist. My marathon playlist is about 18 hours long ranging from hard rock to country.  Sometimes while running I try to see if I remember all of the lyrics to a song as a distraction, and sometimes it works! But there are a lot of other things to do before the race....

Stick to your training:

    Training for a run is no joke. Finding the motivation to get up and run lengthy distances is probably the hardest part. I will admit I have slacked on training before for quite a few runs, and if there is one thing to take from my listlessness....DON'T. Your body will thank you later for actually sticking to your training plans.

FUEL YOUR BODY:

    Eating properly before a race is extremely important. It is certainly not the time to eat less, or eat not the most nutritious meals. Personally I try to avoid eating fast food, alcohol, and too many sweets (which is hard for me because I am a person who eats cake for breakfast.) Now there is no problem if you don't change your diet, but if you want to feel good I suggest eating well.

Sleep is not for the weak:

    Everyone knows sleep is important. Your body heals when you sleep. Running depends on sleep. Every time you run your muscles break down, and sleeping heals those muscles. I have always noticed getting about 8 hours of sleep while training always helps me best. AND who doesn't love an excuse to take a nap?

Bobby Boucher Knows:

    If you never watched The Waterboy, forget that reference. Anyway, water is probably the most important factor of running. While running you obviously sweat, and sometimes you might not realize how much water your body loses. To keep my water intake higher I try to fill my water bottles 2-3 times a day (32 oz bottles.) Water becomes your best friend as your training increases, and sometimes if i'm not feeling it I grab a gatorade zero. As long as you hydrate your body your muscles will love you back.

Running is a lot of trial and error. Everyone has different tips and tricks. Some have worked for me and some not so much. As long as you enjoy it that is all that matters.

Good luck to all of your running dreams, 

J.