My first big hit out on the way to the Gold Coast Marathon!

After three months of slogging it out on the footpath, around and up Mount Ainslie the first three months of training is about to culminate by running 21.1kms at the Canberra Marathon on Sunday the 10^th of April 2011.

So how do you plan for a long run or major event, what are the top tips to get you to the line in top shape without injury or illness with the strength and stamina to make it to the finish line? Here are some tips that I try to stick to in my preparation for the main event.

1.       Do not leave everything to the last minute

2.       Stick to your training plan and taper in the week or two leading up to the event

3.       It’s all about recovery!

4.       Get plenty of rest and stretch a lot

5.       Do not over indulge in food, you want to be as light as possible on race day

6.       Get hydrated and stay that way to the start of the race (I am going to limit my intake of fluid during the run to stay light on my feet and reduce the amount of blood that is needed to digest any food or liquid)

7.       Make sure all your equipment is ready to go

8.       Lay out your runners, run number, electronic tag, singlet, shorts, socks etc... the night before the run

9.       Ensure you tell someone what you are doing that morning so someone knows you are doing something special and possibly a bit dangerous (Yes you could end up in hospital if you push yourself to far so it is good that someone is looking out for you)

10.   Run within your own abilities

11.   Have fun

12.   Take a friend along to cheer for you when the going gets tough or when you are doing well, a little bit of encouragement goes a long way when you are out there slogging away

13.   Shave or don’t shave your armpits, legs, rude bits, chest back, head etc...whatever makes you feel comfortable but remember we were created with hair for a reason, most importantly here it is for warmer and lubrication:

a.       If you shave your armpits and legs then think about using a water based lubricant under your armpits and between your thighs and buttocks. These areas quite often become red and sore after running long distance so lube up!

b.       You can spend a lot on these things but you don’t have to I use baby oil which costs about $3 and works really well, find what works for you.

14.    And last but not least, don’t forget your nipples!

a.       It may sounds crazy, but guys you need to protect your man nipples from becoming bloody and raw when you run further then 20kms. Grab yourself a couple of bandaids or some sports tape and tape over your nipples. This will prevent your running singlet from rubbing on your nips and get you to the finish line without soreness or worse case bleeding.

I am sure there are many more tips and tricks out there and many I have forgot to mention, but the above are some of the tips I will be putting in to practice this weekend when I run the Canberra Half Marathon.

Having a good hit out like this also lets you test all your event day tactics and to fine tune your preparation. I hope to run a BP of a sub 1hour 40mins, a big ask considering I have only been running for three months but the training has been consistent so I may be in with a chance.

For all those running or taking part in any event this weekend, I wish you all the best and I hope you make it from the couch to the finish line in good form.

Happy running and don’t forget the nipples!

Simon.