Race Day Preparations

“From the Coach Desk”

Hope all going well in preparation of the #RaceDay #NewDelhiMarathon 

Have a Carb Snack Right now Sat 6:30PM followed by early dinner ( easily digestible pref home cooked food rich in carbohydrates) specially for Full Marathoners (Start time is now 4:30AM )

Have some soup too if possible.

Top up hydration before going to bed and have another 500-1000ml as you get up in the morning.

Have a light breakfast and snack which you normally have before your long runs AVOID ANYTHING NEW on race day.

Have your breakfast meal 2 hrs prior to race. And keep small snack/ fruit / gel for pre race consumption 

You need to reach venue an hour before the start time, don’t start EMPTY. 

( Caution : Don’t Over Do Hydration and Snacking )  

Avoid wearing new shoes and socks on the race day; use the same shoes and socks that you have been using for long runs.

Use Bandaid / Vaseline where you get blisters / chaffing 

Delhi is showing Sunrise around 7:00AM and then Sunny. Temperatures around 16-19 Degree Celsius. So wear running gear sensibly. You might face sun after 12-13km on Rajpath. 

Go through event Booklet and Keep all race stuff like iPod, watch, bib, pins, shoes, clothes, and energy drinks ready by Thursday/Friday. Plan Stay/Travel/Parking and anything which can give last minute panic in advance to stay relaxed on race day.

Visualise yourself on Start line, Running and finishing the race within your target time including Water and Nutrition Breaks when you lie down at night. ( this will energise everything and mentally prepare you for your Race )

—- POST RACE —-

COLLECT YOUR MEDAL 🥇 then 

Hydrated Quickly, perform some cool down and then Have a high protein + carb breakfast ( which is generally served hot in #NDM) that aids in faster recovery and continue training after a day or two post race to remove lactate from sore muscle tissues and stay Healthy and Happy!

See you at the Start LINE!

Hydration Therapy!

Till the time you realise the value of proper nutrition it’s already too late... 

This is the story of almost all amateurs who suddenly follow some social media posts and start running 5-42kms within very short span of time. 

Elites take years to graduate from Half Marathon to Full... It takes much more than just your time...

Will share crucial nutrition information in coming posts but this one if for one major pillar for any endurance athlete... 

Hydration - “Always misunderstood”

There is more water in your body than just in blood. 

Your muscles are 70% Water, stop working when dehydrated. 

Your Lymphatic System has 15 Litres(3 times more than blood) of fluid which does much more work than blood and your body need to replenish 3 litres of lymphatic fluid every night when you sleep and recover. 

Every cell in your body ( this means every system from breathing to building muscle ) works on an electric impulse. If you are dehydrated body starts loosing that electric impulse and transfer of information is compromised from brain to cells ( Vice a Versa ) and anything can go haywire ( depending upon where there is lack of fluid ) 

Pains and aches, Loss of focus, Muscle wasting, Chronic Inflammation, Organ faliure, General fatigue and Lack of recovery are few of them...

What to do? 

Yes 3-4 Litres of Water / day is for Sedentary Population. But athletes need much more than this... 

For every hour of workout you do increase your water/fluid consumption by 2-3 litres depending upon sweat loss and climatic conditions. ( TIP! Take care of hydration and weigh yourself pre and post workout or run. The loss of weight clearly indicates water loss, replenish immediately! ) 

How Much H2O? 

For example

 if I am running outdoors here in Delhi for one hour in 25-30 Degrees I will be drinking 4lt (basic daily need) + 3 litres on that day.

If I am running for 2 hours I will be drinking 4lt (basic daily need )  + 3lt + 3lt

Yes! 

10litres / day of fluid for 2 hrs of outdoor activity.. 

this can prevent you from lots of overuse injuries and helps you to recover faster. 

Spread your total water intake through the day and make sure before going to bed at night you’re well hydrated and drink another 500-1000 ml as you get up! 

That includes Mainly Water, Unsweetened Fresh juices ( vegetables / fruit ), soups, sports drink ( avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol) & coconut water. 

It’s not possibe to replenish fluids at the rate you are loosing them while running / cycling / swimming. 

Taking sips every 10-15min is crucial on the go but Make sure you’re taking care of your hydration needs pre and post training. 

Happy Running! 

#KosmicFitness 

#TrainWithGagan