Iowa Medical Partners
Stay Connected!
  • Home
    • Who We Are
    • What We Do
  • Activities
    • Welcome Brunch
    • Family Welcome Picnic
    • Goodbye Party
    • Date Night
    • Book Club
    • Children's Activities
    • Entertainment Club
    • Play Group
    • S.pouses O.ut S.ocializing
    • Philanthropy
    • Postpartum Meal Trains
  • Membership
    • What is included in my membership?
    • Join Today!
    • Officers
  • Blog
  • Housing
    • Post Properties
    • SALE Listings
    • RENT Listings
    • Need a Realtor?
  • IMP Sponsors
    • GreenState Credit Union
    • Tundi Brady with Urban Acres
    • Nathan Brooks with 25 Financial
    • Gold Sponsors: Nanci Kohl with State Farm
    • Interested in Becoming a Sponsor?
  • Resources
  • Contact

Let's Get Pumped Up!

9/19/2014

3 Comments

 
With the Kickoff to Kinnick 5K happening tomorrow and the Blogger Dash happening next month and several of our Medical Partners members participating, I thought it would be a great time to talk about getting pumped up and ready to go for race day. I should start off by saying that I am no expert in this matter! I started running after my second child was born (in 2010) as a way to get back into shape the cheap way and haven't been able to stop. Since I started running I have run at least a dozen 5Ks (that's 3.1 miles) and 10Ks (6.2 miles),  a few odd mile length races (7-10 miles), 10 half marathons, and 1 full marathon (but I'm hoping to add to that number soon). By running all of those races I have come up with some things that I do to help me get ready to run.

Starting the night before, help yourself prepare by watching what you eat. For longer races its helps to eat carbs the night before. Carbohydrates give you energy and helps you not hit the wall while you're running. Typically, you only need to carbo-load for half marathons and full marathons. Instead of worrying about how many carbs you're consuming, focus on eating foods that aren't going to hurt your stomach and that aren't going to weigh you down the next day. The night before a race is definitely not the day to try a new recipe!
Picture
Set out your outfit and race gear the night before. For the Kickoff to Kinnick that we have tomorrow I'm planning on wearing some Hawkeye gear. Go Hawkeyes! A typical race day outfit/gear would be running shorts, top, headband, socks, shoes, fully charged gps watch, fully charged ipod, and headphones. I know real exciting, but for those races that you have to wake up and get ready before the sun comes up, setting everything out makes life so much easier.
Picture
One last thing before you go to bed, make sure you are hydrated! You may have to pee a few extra times tonight but at least you will be well hydrated and feel good to go in the morning.
Picture
Get a good amount of sleep! Enough said.
Morning of race day! Time to get up and at 'em. For longer races it helps to use some sort of running lube to help you not get sores from friction. I love Mission Athletecare 5 Hour Anti-Chafe Cream and Body Glide Anti-Chafe stick (it looks like a stick of deodorant). Vaseline also works well.
Picture
#1 Rule of race day, NEVER WEAR ANYTHING NEW ON RACE DAY. Trust me, blisters, chafing, and injuries are not worth it!
Don't forget to hydrate and fuel before the race. My go to race day breakfast is a bowl of oatmeal. I know that it will give me enough energy to perform well but it won't fill me up to the point of being sick. Drinking water is important too. If you don't have enough water in your system, your muscles will cramp up. No Bueno!
Picture
Try to get to your race at least 30 minutes early (as long as you don't have to check in, if you have to check in the day of I would say get there an hour early). That gives you enough time to park, walk to the start line, and use the porta potty.
The most important part of race day is, HAVE FUN! For everyone running tomorrow, I will see you there. Now tell me, how do you prepare for a race?
3 Comments
Jess H
9/19/2014 10:24:06 am

Coffee ;-) bwahaha!

Reply
Linnea
9/19/2014 02:39:23 pm

Well Jess, caffeine is supposed to have a positive effect on speed! As long as you can make it through the race without a bathroom break... ;)

Reply
Juliann
9/19/2014 02:40:40 pm

Thanks for the tips and reminders! I haven't run a race in about 4 years! Appreciate the advice!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    March 2022
    October 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013

    Categories

    All
    Children's Activities
    Entertainment Club
    Entertainment Club
    Events
    Giveaways
    Reviews
    S.O.S.
    Trips
    Upcoming Events

Copyright Iowa Medical Partners 2013.