It’s Marathon week! All the training I have put in over the past six months is about to pay off when I run my third marathon on Saturday. This week is busy, and exciting, and stressful, and so much more. As I get ready to take on another marathon I wanted to share with you a few of the things I am doing this week to help me get ready for the big race.
- Drink all of the water
This isn’t just a day-of-the-race action, making sure your body is properly hydrated starts long before you walk up to the starting line. You need multiple days of extra H2O intake to get your body prepared for the amount you will lose in a marathon. Also, nothing sucks more than walking up to the start knowing your body isn’t ready and hydrated. Now is the time to prep to make sure you won’t have any stomach cramps due to lack of water during the race.
- Prep everything super in advance
I know that I am a planner, an organizer, and a stresser. This all means that I have to give myself the extra time to make sure I don’t forget anything important. I have to make sure that I have all the gummies I’ll want for mid-race nutrition, that all my best running gear is clean, that the best socks are ready for me to race in. Now is the time to set myself up for success. There is very little that I dislike more than being rushed, so getting everything prepped now will ensure that I have a stress free (ok, less-stressed) race morning so I can focus on the race I have a head of me. The last thing I want to worry about is forgetting my inhaler right before I’m about to run a marathon.
- Write down your goals
If you speak something into the universe it is much more likely to happen, so imagine what might happen if you write it down? If you haven’t written down your goals for the upcoming race, now is the time to do it. Putting your goals on paper makes them feel that much more real and that much more attainable. It also makes you think about them, it keeps them in your head. Those goals are now at the tips of your fingers and ready for you to achieve. I have written down four marathon time goals. Starting with the fastest and going until just finishing upright. I have them layered so I have something exciting to reach for, but if that doesn’t work out, I won’t stop my brain from trying harder to keep going to hit that second or third level goal.
- Plan out bib pick up
This may sound a bit silly, but bib pick up can be kind of stressful and overwhelming. It can be fun if you have the time and the right buddies to go with, but if you are all by yourself and trying to squeeze it into a busy work week, it might not be as easy as you had hoped for. The trick is to remember that it is supposed to be fun! Give yourself plenty of time to get wherever you are going so that you won’t have to worry about not picking up your bib in time for race day. It’s all about planning ahead, but they won’t let you to the start without your bib!
- Visualize the finish
Now that you have everything prepped, your bib is sitting with your running clothes, and goals are written down, try actually visualizing what accomplishing your goal will look like. Think about what it might feel like. What it would mean to you. Having those images in your head now will help them pop back up later when you are mile 18 and seriously struggling. It will help you remember how excited you are to test out what all your training has done, and it will remind you why you showed up for this in the first place. With that picture in your head, you are ready for race day.
❤ Nikki
Nikki Celi 