London Marathon Race Day Suggestions From The Consultants

The countdown to The London Marathon is on, with simply 4 weeks to go! The specialists have shared their high suggestions for race day to verify all you marathon runners know what to pack, what to gasoline your physique with, what to anticipate on the massive day and find out how to overcome the challenges that race day poses. Asking the Q’s it’s good to know, this recommendation comes from a stellar line-up of GB athletes, professional runners, PTs, nutritionists, mobility specialists and operating coaches.

What’s your go-to meal the night time earlier than race day?

The day earlier than race day ought to consist of fine hydration and a weight loss plan loaded along with your favorite carb and protein-rich pre-run meals – my go-to is risotto or a pasta-based dish, with a hen breast on the aspect and a bowl of root greens to high it off….a brilliantly balanced plate to gasoline your physique. Protein consumption is important pre-race so to make this straightforward for your self, I like to recommend protein shakes. I exploit Loopy Diet’s 100% Tri-Protein, the style and texture make for a very pleasing drink and most significantly, it doesn’t trigger any bloating or undesirable gasoline.

-Darren Cunningham, PT, Run Chief & Loopy Diet Ambassador

What to eat the morning of race day?

Consuming the fitting meals earlier than operating the marathon is important as it’s good to gasoline your physique with the very best nutritional vitamins, minerals and vitamins. Try to have one thing to eat 1 to three hours earlier than.

• A bowl of oats and fruit is particularly beneficial earlier than operating a marathon, however be sure to have it no less than 3 hours prematurely. This wholesome breakfast is excessive in fibre and your physique will take in the carbohydrates step by step while sustaining your blood sugar ranges.
• A banana is a good snack to eat earlier than a marathon, particularly you probably have bother digesting an even bigger meal earlier than your race. They’re straightforward to digest plus they’re wholesome carbohydrates, so will improve your energy with out inflicting you to really feel too full. They’re additionally a terrific supply of antioxidants and potassium that are minerals that assist to restrict muscle spasms. 

– David Wiener, Coaching & Diet Specialist at Freeletics

What to pack for pre & post-race?

For earlier than…

• Heat disposable layers: You typically need to set off early within the morning and the very last thing you need to be is freezing chilly as you journey to the beginning line. Take an outdated jumper that you’re comfortable to throw away at first line so you possibly can preserve heat up till the final minute. You possibly can at all times decide one in all these up at a charity store – and I do know that always garments left at first are in actual fact donated to charities – so a win-win for everybody!
• Rest room roll: There are a whole lot of portaloos at first line, nonetheless, there’s a good likelihood the toilet paper could run out so there’s by no means any hurt in taking an additional. If you’re something like me you may be going a number of occasions earlier than you get to the beginning line!
• A plastic bag or poncho: Simply incase the heavens open up, or certainly to take a seat on for those who get to the beginning actually early and the bottom is moist, a plastic bag will present a superb seat to maintain your backside dry! 
• Your gasoline: Whether or not it’s water, a banana, a sports activities drink… something you’ve beforehand practised with and know you’ve earlier than you begin your run. 
• Your race bib PLUS spare security clips: These are very straightforward to lose or mislay so take additional to keep away from the stress of not having sufficient.

For after…

• Spare footwear: After 26.2 miles your toes are greater than prone to really feel barely battered and if it has been a moist race you’ll in all probability be determined to take off soggy footwear. So at all times pack a spare pair of both trainers or some cozy slip ons. 
• A heat jumper and a few cosy tracksuit bottoms: Even on a heat day your physique will calm down shortly, so popping the layers again on is essential, plus the consolation of sentimental garments is a delight at this level within the day!
• A spare charger: You’ll have used up a good bit of battery earlier than or in the course of the race, both with music or from taking photographs, so ensure you pack a transportable charger to provide your telephone a lift post-race. The very last thing you need to occur will not be with the ability to contact household and associates!
• A deal with: Whether or not it’s a bottle of fizz to have fun your achievements or your favorite snack, guarantee that is prepared for you on the end line.

–Emma Bord PT & Health Specialist

What are your high suggestions for pacing your self?

Have a plan: Just be sure you’ve obtained a plan in your head earlier than race day on the way you’re going to assault the 26.2 miles. I personally discover that breaking the race down into sections is an effective way to cease your self from getting overwhelmed. Deal with the primary half, after which break the second half down into sizeable chunks with a objective for every one.

Keep on with a pacer: For those who’re frightened about hitting your goal objective, then sticking with one of many superb pacing staff is an effective way to make sure that you may tune out and simply run. This takes the stress off the stats and means you possibly can simply give attention to placing one foot in entrance of the opposite.

Don’t depend on your watch: The paces and distances on our watch are guided by GPS and there’s typically interference with this on race day. It’s a terrific concept to have some particular splits written down in your hand/arm in order that in case your watch appears to be out from the space markers, you possibly can test these to see for those who’re on tempo. I normally recommend 5/10/15/20/25/30/35 and 40km.

Bear in mind tempo isn’t the be-all and end-all: You’re operating a marathon! The objective is that end line. In case your race plan goes out the window by mile 5, then don’t fear. Deal with having fun with the unimaginable ambiance and the superb day.

–Lillie Bleasdale, Founder & Head Working Coach PASSA

What mobility drills must you be doing on the morning of race day?

Mobility drills are an effective way to organize the physique for race day, altering the mechanical and neurological properties of muscle groups that are essential elements in improved efficiency and damage discount. pliability has quite a lot of sensible mobility flows to optimise your physique for efficiency on race day.

High Working Mobility Drills:

• Hip Airplanes
• Runners Stretch to Samson
• Foot Circles (The toes are sometimes uncared for in warm-ups however are the primary level of contact with the bottom whereas operating)

–Alex Dudley, From Mobility & Restoration App pliability

What clothes must you put on on race day?

Put on clothes that’s snug and that you simply’ve tried in coaching beforehand. I might at all times suggest technical operating clothes designed to maintain you cool and cozy in the course of the race, equivalent to New Steadiness’s Marathon Race Vary. It’s essential to strive the equipment you propose on sporting on race day forward of your marathon to cut back your danger of any unplanned chaffing or rubbing, which might have an effect on your enjoyment and efficiency on the day! For those who plan on carrying gels in the course of the marathon then search for shorts with a pocket or think about using a belt or pack to hold your vitamin.

–Jonny Mellor, New Steadiness Marathon Athlete & Working Coach

What operating trainers do you suggest?

On Cloudmonsters are a agency favorite, a terrific all-rounder that basically do go the space. Model new trainers are a giant no – ensure you trial any shoe out no less than 2-3 occasions earlier than racing in them to make sure it’s the proper shoe and sock combo for you with no blisters! 

High tip: Vaseline works wonders for blister prevention.

–Becky Briggs, GB Marathon Runner & On Ambassador

The place to have household & associates positioned to cheer you on if you want it most

It’s nice to have household positioned all through the course to provide you that additional enhance at occasions of want, by no means underestimate the ability of seeing a cherished one! The crowds are superb, significantly at Cutty Sark (mile 7), Tower Bridge (Mile 12) and from mile 24 onwards so there may be an automated enhance at these spots. It’s the factors in between that it could be worthwhile seeing a well-recognized face simply to provide you a lift when it could really feel like a battle. Round mile 10 is maybe a barely quieter a part of the race the place you’ll be capable of spot household and associates, and that is additionally a degree at which you aren’t but midway, however feeling the results! The 16 and 17 mark can be a difficult time, understanding you’re over midway however nonetheless have about 10 miles to go, so someplace round Mudchute could also be a superb place for a supporter to be. I might additionally say across the 24/25 mile level alongside the Embankment is a good place for any household or associates to be positioned. Not solely will they be capable of lap up the ambiance, however you’ll get that remaining kick to get you thru the final couple of miles, simply on the level you want it.

–Emma Bord PT & Health Specialist

What are your high motivational suggestions?

Everybody has a unique purpose for standing on the beginning line, whether or not that’s chasing a brand new private greatest, taking over a brand new problem or elevating cash for charity, it’s essential to recollect why you’re operating and it’ll show you how to get by way of any troublesome patches in the course of the race. 

Breaking the space down into manageable objectives makes the distinction appear much less daunting. Deal with the method slightly than the end result in the course of the marathon. For instance, I prefer to comply with the 10-10-10 method when operating a marathon. I give attention to attending to 10-miles, conserving power and staying relaxed after which as soon as I’ve handed the 10-mile mark my focus shifts to 20-miles after which lastly to the final 10km. Use the group to your benefit and I’d at all times suggest operating with associates (or higher nonetheless making associates in the course of the marathon) and operating with runners of an identical skill to your self. Hold an eye fixed out for tempo teams on the day and place your self within the group closest to your goal time.

–Jonny Mellor, New Steadiness Marathon Athlete & Working Coach

Any race day necessities that you simply’d suggest?

“I might at all times suggest getting ready your equipment prematurely of race day, to ensure you’re not speeding across the day earlier than (or worse nonetheless the morning of the race). Make a listing of all of the essential issues it’s good to keep in mind; trainers, socks, underwear, shorts, singlet, gloves, sun shades and many others and I at all times carry a bath of Vaseline in my equipment bag and ensure I cowl the essential areas earlier than the race. For those who’re taking a gel earlier than the beginning of the race ensure you pack this and it’s at all times good to pack a post-race deal with, my go-to is a can of coke and a pair of sliders, that are important! Belief me your toes will thanks for it!”

–Jonny Mellor, New Steadiness Marathon Athlete & Working Coach

Any high suggestions for those who hit a wall?

Mantras: ‘YOU CAN’ is my private favorite, I write it on my hand earlier than racing so I’ve that fixed reminder. Bear in mind, it’s not over, till you determine it’s over… grit your tooth and stick at it. 

Tackle gasoline & hydration: Typically within the marathon we undergo tough patches, then get again right into a stream, so preserve your head and carry on transferring! 

–Becky Briggs, GB Marathon Runner & On Ambassador

Do you have to trouble with power gels in the course of the race?

Power gels are used to replenish any misplaced power shops used while you’re coaching, which could be actually helpful in case you are operating a marathon.  To get power ranges again up after round 90 minutes in, sports activities gels are nice to provide your efficiency a much-needed enhance. I like to recommend SiS GO Isotonic Power Gel, choosing isotonic makes it simpler to digest. With out using a gel, you possibly can turn out to be simply drained and maybe won’t carry out at your greatest when your shops run low or deplete. It’s best to at all times test the components for potential style and abdomen sensitivities and trial out totally different choices to see what works for you. By no means flip as much as a marathon with an power gel you haven’t tried earlier than. Additionally, keep in mind their effectiveness can differ from individual to individual. Coaching with the product that works greatest for you’ll assist your physique adapt to it, lessening the danger of digestion issues.

– David Wiener, Coaching & Diet Specialist at Freeletics

To run with or with out music?
Solely run with music for those who’re used to it and revel in it! For those who do are likely to run with music, it may be very straightforward to get so concerned along with your favorite tunes that unintentionally you sync your steps to the beat and in flip decrease your cadence by way of the race. With an extended stride, you’ll put additional stress in your heels, muscle groups and bones – which might make you extra susceptible to damage. To keep up a excessive cadence on race day and keep away from rising influence in your toes, my tip can be to select fast-beat songs which make you’re feeling like a superhero! Seek for songs with a excessive bpm, this can show you how to preserve a excessive turnover even when it will get powerful. For those who’re not used to it, depart your headphones at residence and run free, absorb the crowds and belief your physique to carry out and run the 26.2 you’ve practised.

-Sarah Riandet, Extremely Marathon Runner & Enertor Foot Specialist

What it’s prefer to cease and use the bathroom, do you’ve any suggestions?

It’s occurred to all of us, so don’t fear if you must. There are many bathrooms on the course and so they’re normally fairly effectively stocked, nonetheless, if you recognize you usually have to cease to make use of the bathroom in your longer runs, then it’s a good suggestion to pack some bathroom tissue or wipes in your brief pocket or operating belt – this implies you received’t get caught out with out!

The principle purpose for needing to cease and use the bathrooms on race day is gastrointestinal points. We may also help to fight this by making certain you’ve trialled your fuelling plan earlier than race day and every little thing sits effectively along with your abdomen. Ensure you’ve additionally examined your dinner and meals for the day earlier than as effectively so this doesn’t trigger any upset.

– Lillie Bleasdale, Founder & Head Working Coach PASSA

How do you suggest cooling-down post-race?

Together with a passive cool-down post-race is a fast and straightforward method to enhance your race restoration. Passive stretching, usually held for no less than 90 secs, reduces muscle pressure and stiffness, will increase stress rest, and will increase blood circulation which is an important element of flushing the metabolic waste merchandise that accumulate throughout a marathon.

Cool-Down Mobility Move:

1. Seal to Down Canine x5 (slowly) completed with 90 sec Seal Pose
2. Supine Determine 4 Pigeon 2 min/aspect
3. Single Leg Ahead Fold 90 sec/aspect
4. pliability’s Working cool-down routine

– Alex Dudley, From Mobility & Restoration App pliability

Do you have to take the next day without work work?

There isn’t any proper or fallacious reply right here, some folks need to take the day without work to relaxation and actually absorb the post-race excessive. Others need to preserve their physique and mind transferring and dealing. I might say that lively restoration
after race day is important. As an alternative of giving your muscle groups the prospect to stiffen up, attempt to spend the subsequent day strolling, stretching, yoga or perhaps a 5km restoration run works for some folks. This isn’t for everybody however it works for me and a very powerful factor you are able to do, is to seek out one thing that works for you. In addition to being a fan of lively restoration, I guarantee to maintain my protein consumption excessive for the times after the long term.

–Darren Cunningham, PT, Run Chief & Loopy Diet Ambassador