This weekend I completed my second ever half marathon with the Manchester Half. Having done the Oxford Half the weekend before, I had an greater idea of what to expect and how to prepare myself for the physical assault I was about to preform on my body (half marathons are not that easy). Knowing what to expect, here are a few things I did to make sure I was that much more ready on game day!
Sleep
Might seem like a given, but getting a great nights sleep ahead of any event let alone a taxing 13.1 miles of running is imperative. As I was traveling late to arrive early enough, my bed was the coach! Probably not the best situation, but most importantly I put my phone on night mode, put on some more gentle music (in comparison to my normal playlist) and focused on catching more z’s. Waking up I was already feeling better about the race.
Food
I carb loaded pretty well before this event; loads of bread and potatoes and I actually was able to eat breakfast. I prepped some Trek Bars ready for my pre-race meal. I hate eating too much before running, but they contain the right amount for me to push on. Eat whatever makes you comfortable, but make sure you get something in your system so you don’t burn out mid race.
Hydrate
This rule couldn’t be anymore simple or vital to your performance. I made sure that during my journey to the event, I was well hydrated. I’m a simple water guy; It contains everything I need pre race to not feel dehydrated. If anything can kill a race dead in its tracks, it’s dehydration.
Gels/Intra-Workout
Whatever you need to give you that boost, whether that be gels (I like the High Five nutrition ones given out during the Manchester Half), lucazade, snack bars, whatever your poison, have some ready on you for when you feel like you are starting to crash. Mentally the idea of taking them they will give you a boost and physically the sugar seems to do the rest.
Run Your Own Race/Find Your Pace
From setting a benchmark of 1:52 at the Oxford Half, I knew what I was aiming for at the Manchester Half. I knew what pacer I wanted to stay with and I found a comfortable pace for me. Yes I wanted a PB this time round, but I knew that I wasn’t in peak condition to really push on at the end (still dealing with a foot injury from my Spartan Race a few weeks before). Regardless of this I finished with a 1:53 time. Not bad for consistency.
Choose Your Playlist
I feel like something was missing in Oxford and that was my headphones. If you are anything like me, music makes a run so much more enjoyable. Everyone is different, but personally I favour music during a run. I can still feed off the crowd but I can also feed off my favourite tunes along the way to keep my mind occupied.
Stretch After
I didn’t stretch or cool down after the Oxford Half; Big Mistake! I was walking like a penguin for the entire week after. This time round I spent a good 10 mins after the race stretching out. Instantly I felt better and I’ll follow that up with foam rolling throughout the week.
Round Up
The Manchester Half had great atmosphere and was a good run. Not obviously the most picturesque, but definitely a crowd pleasing and participant friendly race. Ideal for a first time Half Marathon runner (hardly any incline at all) and a well run and organised event. All racers receive a goody bag with a tech t-shirt, a great thermal blanket (nobody ever thinks of this) and an AWESOME medal. Well worth the travel and definitely one I would do again to get that personal best. I would like to give a special thanks to Human Race Events for letting me join the team and representing the #NOWWERUN crew.
Did you run the Manchester Half Marathon? What was your finish time? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below.
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