Pre-Race Moves

Y'all know I love me some Fitness magazine. Over the weekend, I got an e-blast from them about 9 must do moves for runners. So I thought I might share them with those of you who have not hopped on this bandwagon with me yet!

• Pre-race Fueling: Drink 14-20 oz of fluid 2-3 hours before your race (I agree with this but I'm not getting out of bed at 4 am to drink water unless I'm having to get up then to make the drive for the race. I'm just lazy like that). When you pee, your urine should be a lemonade shade (their comment, not mine). Eat something with .9 grams of carbs per lb of body weight 2-3 hours before the race. Look for high-carb, low fiber foods. They also suggest having an energy gel or sports drink right before the race but my opinion is that seems silly for a 5 or 10 K. But whatever floats your boat.
• 45-55 minutes before the race: Jog slowly for about 15 minutes and then do the following stretches:

1. Hamstring Stretch- you know, you lie on the ground, one leg bent and using a towel or band you stretch the other leg toward your chest. Whatever, go to the site for directions and video- I'm just here to share what they said. I'm not an expert yo.
2. Calf Stretch- sit on the ground, legs together stretched out in front of you. Loop towel or band around one foot and flex and release foot.
3. Quad stretch: Lie on your side, feet stretched out. Extend arm of the side you are lying on above your head, use other arm to pull foot of your top leg to your butt.

• 10 minutes to race time: Warm up drills

1. Side shuffle (video on site). You know, move to the right and swing arms. Yes, you'll look like a monkey. Yes, I will laugh at you.
2. B Skip: Hop straight up, lifting one knee to your chest. Extend same leg forward to create a stride. It's like those guys from Star Wars marching, but faster. And less nerdy. Okay, not really at all.
3. Butt kicks. Pretty self explanatory, run and kick your own ass. Bam.
4. Run backward. Again self explanatory.

• 5 minutes til race time- quick strides to loosen up. Accelerate with each pass until you're sprinting.

Boom. That's their tips. What do you do to get prepped on race day? Personally, I eat a luna bar and drink some water about an hour before the race. I stretch some. And then I run when the race starts. Guess I need to work on that.