What to do before a 60 km walk?

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shonasteele
shonasteele Posts: 473
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi y'all! I'm doing a 60 km (40 mile) walk next weekend for charity and I'm wondering what I should be eating in the days prior? Should I be eating more than usual at all? And what about exercising that week? Should I lay off and take it easy? I haven't trained nearly enough as it is and now I'm wondering if doing lots of walking or anything else for the next 10 days will help me out much for the actual event or if it's just going to tire me out beforehand? Am I too late to do much good at this point?

Any advice from marathoners or anyone who has done endurance events would be appreciated. Thanks!

Replies

  • trigrrl
    trigrrl Posts: 104 Member
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    try and get a really long walk in within the next couple of days..this will help you with the metal hurdle
    the last two days leading up i would take off ( total rest days ) that way you go into it all fresh

    have fun and remember to smile
  • CraftyGirl4
    CraftyGirl4 Posts: 571 Member
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    I'd also eat some more carbs this week. You'll need the extra energy.
  • Pronoiac
    Pronoiac Posts: 304
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    Well the bad news is if you're undertrained at this point you are not going to win. ; ) Seriously though, every little bit will help.

    Agree with trigrrl on getting a really long walk in for confidence. Also, some good, long cross training sessions. Take the day before off from all activity, use it as a recovery day...warm bath, massage if you can wrangle one, light stretching, and lots of good sleep.

    Increase your cals to 15% above your baseline and be more liberal with the carbs. 40 miles is a formidable event so this week is not about losing, it's about preparing the body. Good luck and have fun!
  • GaveUp
    GaveUp Posts: 308
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    Here is a read for you

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/634-eat-before-marathon/
  • rks6902
    rks6902 Posts: 29 Member
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    Good for you! I did a 17 mile walk in May and did not train enough for it and paid for it with foot pain for several weeks after it. I would actually take the other persons advice and get a long 15 mile walk in before then to work up to the 40 miles. Wear extremely good shoes, Vaseline for your feet to keep the blisters away and I used a hiking/walking stick to lean on going up hills, it made the hills not feel so "hilly".
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
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    I did the Susan G Komen 3-Day last year (60 mile walk, 3 days) and I really didnt' change the way I ate before hand at all. They have tons of guidelines on the site that advise not doing any huge training walks for a few days before...but I did a 13 mile training walk the weekend before. If your walk is at all like this one, they have stops every 3 miles or so with snacks and drink refills to keep you hydrated and your electrolytes up.

    I'm doing the 3-Day again this year andmost of my training has been zumba classes at the gym instead of walking! It's just so much fun I can't help it. We'll have to see how I do compared to last years. I am in a lot better shape, but not doing huge training walks.

    The one thing sI will say is during the walk -- don't worry about tracking anything other than fluid! Eat snacks, eat the meals and drink drink drink :) Good luck!
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
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    Here is the official verbiage from the Susan G Komen site:

    As you get close to your Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure® event your body will need food and fluid. Food is fuel and carbohydrates such as breads, pasta, cereal, fruits, and vegetables are the primary source for your muscles during exercise. Fluids are needed to decrease risks of dehydration and heat illness and replace those lost during exercise.

    Pre-Event:
    • Do not make major changes in your diet the week before the event.
    • Try out food during your training walks to see if they upset your stomach.

    Three days before the walk:
    • Eat foods high in carbohydrates and balanced in protein and fat content.
    • Avoid high fat foods which may cause bloating and give a feeling of sluggishness.
    • Be sure to drink an extra 8 glasses (64 ounces or 2 quarts) of fluid during the 24 hours before the event or a long training walk.

    During the event: Eat small amounts of carbohydrate every hour. The average person burns 100 calories/mile; this is equal to one small apple, a small box of raisins, 1/2 of a banana, 16 ounces of sports drink or 3/4 of an energy bar. Monitor your fluid intake. Drink when you are thirsty and make sure you are urinating at every pit stop. Drink a combination or water and sports drink.
    Post-event: Consume carbohydrate-rich foods during 1 to 4 hours after your long walks to replace your muscle glycogen stores and prevent next day fatigue. Drink a combination of water and sports drink to replace fluid lost during exercise.
  • Annalisa419
    Annalisa419 Posts: 64 Member
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    I did the Susan G Komen 3-Day last year (60 mile walk, 3 days) and I really didnt' change the way I ate before hand at all. They have tons of guidelines on the site that advise not doing any huge training walks for a few days before...but I did a 13 mile training walk the weekend before. If your walk is at all like this one, they have stops every 3 miles or so with snacks and drink refills to keep you hydrated and your electrolytes up.

    I'm doing the 3-Day again this year andmost of my training has been zumba classes at the gym instead of walking! It's just so much fun I can't help it. We'll have to see how I do compared to last years. I am in a lot better shape, but not doing huge training walks.

    The one thing sI will say is during the walk -- don't worry about tracking anything other than fluid! Eat snacks, eat the meals and drink drink drink :) Good luck!

    Sorry, off topic but are you still looking for donations? I did it the last two years and I know what a hassle fundraising can be.

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