Your Final Run - How to Prepare
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We are now into the penultimate week of the ‘Novice to 5k’ Foundation Running Programme and we hope you have been enjoying the journey so far. Over the last 7 weeks we have been gradually building up your running towards the ultimate goal of 5k. Next Saturday is going to be your final run and if you can think back to ‘Week 0’ of the programme, in your preparation we suggested lining up a local Parkrun as your final event. The fact that you will be alongside other runners will prove to be great motivation, so if you haven’t yet looked in to your local Parkrun, we strongly suggest you use the link below to search for runs in your area and mentally prepare to attend a week on Saturday:
Besides the training runs and stretch sessions, we have shared a number of blogs which we hope you have found helpful. Much of the information within these blogs was to give you the knowledge to take forward and ensure you are on top form for your final run. As a short recap, below are 6 tips to make your final run on Saturday of next week the most successful that it can be:
Get Your Equipment Sorted
Ensure you have your trainers at the ready and your most comfortable running gear clean and laid out so you’re not scrambling around on the day
Stay Hydrated
Try your best to drink 2-3 litres of water each day the whole week before the event. This will make sure that your body is not dehydrated on the day of the run
Eating The Night Before
Make sure to have a healthy, balanced meal the evening before your run which incorporates some carbohydrates. It is also important to avoid alcohol completely a few days before the run as this will dehydrate your body and may stop you sleeping as well so you won’t be on top form on the day
Get To Bed
Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep the night before the final run to make sure that you are completely refreshed. It’s also a good idea to get up the morning of the event at least 2 hours before the run so that you can have something to eat. This will give your body time to process the nutrients
Eating The Morning Of
If you are able to get up at least 2 hours before your run, it would be ideal to eat some slow release carbohydrate so that by the time of the event, the energy is getting into your system. A good example of this is a bowl of porridge. You could have a banana 30-60 minutes before the run if you feel the need. It’s also important to drink a little water before the run. Don’t overdo it as you don’t want to feel uncomfortable during the event but it’s important to stay hydrated. If you have been drinking as suggested in the days before, your body won’t need too much on the day (weather dependant)
Warm up Properly
Arrive at the event early and spend 10 minutes preparing mentally and physically. Go through the warm up movement patterns which we have been doing before your training runs to make sure that your body is ready to go at the starting gun. Don’t run cold as you won’t perform at your best, your body will take the first 1km to get going
You still have plenty of time to prepare for next week and 4 more training runs. However, when the time comes, make sure to take these tips onboard and give your body the best chance of achieving something fantastic!