RACE PREP
READY FOR YOUR FIRST or Fastest 10K
Whether you ’ ve been training for years to run your PB , or decided to test yourself with a first 10km , there are some things that every runner can do to help achieve your goal . – Brought to you by the Sport Science Institute of South Africa ( SSISA )
1 Taper 3 Shoes
The word “ taper ” is used a lot in running and refers to the reduction in training in the week ( s ) before a big event . The goal of a taper is to allow the body to rest and adapt to the training that has been done in the previous weeks . This is important so that you can arrive at the start line with fresh legs , ready to go !
There are various ways to taper , and it often depends on your running experience . For very experienced runners , that might include one or two light speedwork sessions during the week with few days of complete rest . For new runners , two or more days of complete rest might be needed . Generally , you should aim to reduce your total distance for the week and then include some faster workouts , e . g . a time trial or speedwork , to keep the legs ticking over .
To put it simply , you want to do just enough that the body “ remembers how to run ,” but not too much that you arrive on the start line with tired , sore or ‘ heavy ’ legs .
2 Sleep
Sleep is vital for improving athletic performance , recovery from training , maintaining general health , and mood . The latest guidelines recommend that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep each night , but sleep requirements vary – some need more , while others are fine with less . While we sleep our body and mind rest and recover from the efforts of the day . Without this , our ability to perform ( at work and during exercise ) is negatively affected .
Sleep becomes even more important during a taper week . Beyond just getting in your sleep hours , the quality of the sleep is also important . Here are some behaviours that can help boost sleep quality :
• Limit caffeine and alcohol intake in the afternoon / evening .
• avoid exercising or eating too late .
• avoid work or anything stressful before bed ( wind down ).
• avoid excessive screen time in the evening .
Given the early start on race day , a shortened sleep the night before the race might be unavoidable . However , there is a way to reduce the negative effects of that poor sleep on race-day performance , by accumulating extra sleep in the week leading up to a race . This can either be through extra night-time sleep , or through lunchtime naps ( about 30 minutes ).
Correct shoes can help reduce the risk of injury , and in some cases , boost performance . Some things to note when looking for shoes :
• Size of your feet
• Race distance and terrain
• Cushioning
• Shoe flexibility
It ’ s recommended to change your shoes after accumulating about 800-1000km , since worn-out shoes can result in injury . Ideally , you should have spent a little bit of time “ wearing in ” the shoes before race day .
4 Nutrition & Hydration
Every runner is different , which makes it difficult to give general nutritional advice . Therefore , to best plan your nutrition , it ’ s recommended to consult a sports dietitian who can consider your training programme , lifestyle and food preferences , and advise accordingly on pre-race , race-day , and post-race recovery nutrition . That said , having some protein and carbohydrates ( in a ratio of 1:4 of protein : carbs ) after a hard or long run can help boost recovery . For example , a post-run chocolate milk drink is popular .
Building up to the race , it is helpful to ensure that your carbohydrate stores are topped up . On the morning of the race , you could have a small high-carb meal two to three hours before the start . Examples include cereal , or toast with jam . This becomes more important the longer the race is . And in the last few hours before the race , unless you ’ ve started your warm-up , it is advised to avoid drinking sports drinks or having any food to avoid a “ sugar low ” at the start of the race .
During the run , you can aim to drink the carbohydrate drinks such as Coca-Cola or Powerade that are often provided at water tables . Even if you just ‘ rinse and spit ,’ this has been consistently shown to improve running ( and endurance ) performance . It ’ s recommended to aim for 60g of carbs per hour ( or 600ml of Coca-Cola ).
5 Enjoyment
Regardless of what happens on the day , remember to take a moment to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy it !
Since 1994 , the Sports Science Institute of South Africa ( SSISA ), in collaboration with UCT ’ s Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine ( ESSM ), has been a game-changer in sports performance , sports injury-prevention and promoting healthy living , helping to optimise the sporting performance and health of all South Africans through the execution , application and dissemination of science . More info at www . ssisa . com .
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