half marathon questions

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Jamiebee24
Jamiebee24 Posts: 296 Member
in Motivation and Support
9 days until my first half marathon....any tips for race day?? What should I eat the day before, and before I start running...The race is early in the morning, so I'm not sure if I should eat before...All of these emotions are creeping up on me! I'm excited/nervous/anxious/scared....Any other tips on how to make the 13.1 miles go by smoothly as possible?

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  • gingerfoxxx
    gingerfoxxx Posts: 267 Member
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    I am a few months from mine but i am interested in this too. I have a hard time eating before a run, especially with nerves!!

    (also, GOOD LUCK! you'll be awesome) :D
  • slarson108
    slarson108 Posts: 1
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    I have typically increased my complex carb intake slightly then eat like spaghetti the night before.
  • janece4684
    janece4684 Posts: 7 Member
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    check out http://www.active.com/running/Articles/What-to-Do-Before-Your-5K.htm It's for 5k but would probably apply to your half marathon. GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN!!!!!!!
  • leighton1245
    leighton1245 Posts: 125
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    A half marathon or even a full marthon i wouldnt eat right before but have a snack maybe of course lots of water, the night before i would consume lots of complex carbs will good protiens like mentioned before spaghetti is always a good choice. Then in the moring grab some fruit and just keep running and have FUN! :)
  • CardiacNP
    CardiacNP Posts: 554 Member
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    i usually start 2-3 days before increasing my carbs and hydration. Also I would eat somehthing about 2 hrs before the race...give it time to begin digesting. i would not do anything NEW or Different on race day. That is not the time to try something. Just do what ahs been working for you this far. You will do great. Remember pace yourself at first the emtions will be rushing.
  • taldie01
    taldie01 Posts: 378
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    dont change anything in the am before the race just eat what you usually do. Its also good to add an extra serving of carbs 2 days before your race as opposed to the night before.
  • skwhelan4907
    skwhelan4907 Posts: 1
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    Eat something light like toast with peanutbutter and a banana 2-3 hours before you run. You need to give your body enough time to digest it, so you don't end up with potty problems. If you don't take in enough fuel your body will bonk around mile 10..so make sure you have some kind of fuel for before and during the run as well. Like a car add fuel before you get on empty. Like a gel or chew about every 3-4 miles. I wish you luck and most important have FUN!
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
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    I just read an article on active.com I think about preparing for race day. It was a 3-2-1 kinda thing. 3 days before eat complex carbs. 2 days before eat some simple carbs. 1 day before about 12-15 hours before your race eat a big plate of white spaghetti with marinara sauce. Don't eat or drink anything new. Don't wear new clothing or shoes. Have 16 oz of water about 2 hours before your race.

    It was a really good article, you should see if you can find it.
  • christinehay78
    christinehay78 Posts: 82 Member
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    I did my first half marathon 2 years ago & I was so nervous I barely slept the night before! lol
    Definitely eat a high carb dinner the night before (pasta is what I had)
    I would also eat a small breakfast on race day. You need energy to complete this! I had a banana & an oatmeal bar about an hour before start time.
    Goodluck! You're gonna rock this!
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
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    9 days until my first half marathon....any tips for race day?? What should I eat the day before, and before I start running...The race is early in the morning, so I'm not sure if I should eat before...All of these emotions are creeping up on me! I'm excited/nervous/anxious/scared....Any other tips on how to make the 13.1 miles go by smoothly as possible?

    Whatever you do, don't try out a new breakfast on race day! Eat whatever you normally eat before your long runs. I always had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich about an hour before the race and a cup of coffee. Worked well for me, but your body may be different.

    As with all races, the biggest hurdle is to not start out too fast.

    I always needed BodyGlide under the band of my sports bra so I didn't get chafed, too.

    I also found that I was a little achy in the hips around mile 11 onward in all the halfs that I ran, probably because I did all of my long runs on dirt rather than roads. Totally gone by the next day though, so I never worried about it after the first race.

    Enjoy yourself and just focus on finishing. You'll have a great time! Good luck!
  • s_waser
    s_waser Posts: 92
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    I ran one two summers ago and I didn't eat at all before and did fine. I had food waiting for me at the finish. Do whatever you have done before your big runs when you were training. Do NOT change it or you will regret it!!
    A friend of mine just ran one and she never ate before a run when training but decided to eat a small snack; an apple and peanut butter and also decided to drink a little at each water station which she never did in training either. She threw up at mile 3, 5, 8, 10 and at the end. She said it was the worst experience ever.
    So my adivce is stick with what you do in training to be safe. Good luck and enjoy your run!!
  • a1schwei
    a1schwei Posts: 617 Member
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    i'm not an expert, but i've ran a half and a 25k (15.5) in the past year and both times i had a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast before with a banana and that helped me stay full, but not stuffed, through the race :) make sure you have a good filling slightly carb-y meal the night before...stay away from grease as much as possible!
    a few tips i was given before my races were to stop for water/gatorade at near half of the water stops (my 25k had hydration stations at every mile so i drank at every other one), pace yourself and don't get started too fast, and someone told me to put icy-hot on my legs before i ran to help sooth my muscles and though i thought it was funny (and i smelled minty) it really did help dull the ache during and after the race :)
    best of luck!!! i can't wait to run another one :)
  • LonelyPilgrim
    LonelyPilgrim Posts: 255 Member
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    I never eat or drink water before a race. I do always have coffee when I first get up. Nothing like needing a bathroom break mid-race, so try to get moving first thing in the morning so you can "get it all out of your system" before you start running..

    I try to hydrate really well for the 2 days before a race, but nothing on race day (again, dont' want to be stopping to pee 5 miles in)

    I never feel like I'm hitting a wall due to lack of calories, but the longest race I've done is 10 mi. If you really feel a need to eat, I'd make it something light.. maybe toast with peanutbutter for the carbs/protein. and i'd eat it at least an hour before the race

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