Taper your training
PUBLISHED : 02 Nov 2011 16:12:00 | Jeanne-Vida Douglas
Drink up: Hydration is important but only take small sips of water.
The last few days of training before a big run should be the lightest, according to Westpac corporate banking associate and run team captain Scarlett Johnson.
“The main thing is to get a good sleep the night before and don’t over-eat on the day,” Johnson says.
“Some people seem to think they need to carbo load but then they end up feeling bloated and sick for the event, so it’s best to eat just a light meal a few hours before and maybe a couple of snacks in the afternoon.”
In a similar vein, sports physiologist with MultiSport Solutions , Aaron Lean, warns against eating, drinking or exercising too much immediately before a race to avoid stitches, cramps, soreness and bloating on the day.
“If you have been training intensely, then over these last few days it’s time to lighten the load, what we call tapering, which means doing less or less intense training in the three to four days leading up to the event,” Lean says.
“The other thing to watch out for is that it’s an early evening event, so while your normal meal patterns will be fine, be careful what you eat on the day and make sure you have a light lunch and a light afternoon snack two to three hours before the event.”
Set for Wednesday, November 9, team members for the Hertz BRW Corporate Relay have one final weekend training session left before they start tapering for the early evening event, in which each team members will complete a 5 kilometre lap around Melbourne’s Albert Park Lake.
On the day itself, Lean warns that hydration is important but that runners should take small sips of water throughout the day rather than a large drink late in the piece so as not to hit the race with a stomach full of water.
“You don’t want to drink a whole bottle of water just before the event because it will lead to stitching and cramps,” Lean says, saying that cramps are caused when a muscle suddenly becomes overactive, remaining tight rather than releasing.
“If a cramp occurs during the race, then slow down or stop and stretch the muscle out so that it will release before going on with the race.”
Lean also suggests runners avoid caffeinated energy drinks on the day, especially for those who are of a more anxious disposition, as these will
increase your heart rate during the
run increase the chances of getting a stitch.
The main objective at this stage, according to both Lean and Johnson, is that team members don’t overdo it in the final lead-up to the event itself and remember to have fun on the day.
First Aid
|Dehydration: Don’t underestimate the terrible effects of dehydration. If you are feeling thirsty, you are already dehydrated. To function effectively, your body needs two litres of water a day and more when you’re exercising, so don’t forget to keep hydrating.
Blisters: The runner’s enemy, blisters are a common problem for many exercisers. Blisters are friction burns and need to be protected like any burn – cool the area, protect the blister, do not break the blister and, if the blister does break, keep it covered to avoid infection.
Sprains: Don’t run through an injury, you can do more damage. As soon as you are injured, stop what are you doing and follow the RICER rule – rest, ice, compression, elevation and referral, and give yourself the best chance of recovery.
Sunburn: Whether you train in the morning or on the weekend, sun protection is vital. Avoid excessive exposure to the sun. If you have become sunburnt, cool the area as you would a burn, keep the skin well moisturised to avoid the sunburn drying and peeling, and stay hydrated.
Stitches and cramps: To prevent stitches and cramps, don’t eat or drink too much before the race, warm up before the event with dynamic stretches and slow jogging. If you get a stitch during the event, slow down or stop and let the top of your body hang down gently so that your fingers touch the ground. For a muscle cramp, stop and stretch the muscle for a few seconds, then return to a slow jog and slowly increase your speed.
BRW
Jeanne-Vida Douglas
BRW.com.au EditorSydney
Jeanne-Vida Douglas is a multi-award winning business journalist with a decade's experience covering the information technology sector. She holds tertiary qualifications in linguistics and literature, economics and IT, was named MediaConnect’s IT Journalist of the year for 2009 and has recently published The Profit Principle a book aimed at turning smart ideas into great businesses.
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