July 31, 2025 • 30 mins
The countdown to race day brings a unique cocktail of nerves, excitement, and questions. What's really happening to your body during taper? Should you squeeze in one more long run? How do you handle those phantom pains that suddenly appear?
Drawing from decades of experience and my personal journey completing all six World Marathon Majors, I've created the ultimate 30-day race countdown guide that transforms pre-race anxiety into your secret weapon for success. This comprehensive roadmap breaks down exactly what happens physiologically and psychologically during each phase of your final month before race day.
We begin with the "Peak and Polish" phase (days 30-21), where you'll execute final key workouts while learning why your aerobic fitness adaptations peak 10-14 days after your hardest efforts. Then we navigate "Taper Town" (days 20-14), revealing why tapering can improve endurance by up to 11% and those heavy legs are actually a good thing (hint: each gram of glycogen stores 3-4 grams of water—that's not bloat, it's your race-day fuel!).
The journey continues through "Prep and Protect" (days 13-7), where you'll discover the critical Day 10 threshold—the point after which additional hard workouts can only hurt, never help. Finally, we reach race week itself, your time to "Calm and Conquer" with carefully rehearsed routines and visualization techniques that transform nervous energy into race-day power.
This episode isn't just a timeline; it's your companion through the physical and mental rollercoaster that defines this magical window between peak training and your victory lap. Whether your goal race is your first or your fifteenth, these science-backed strategies and practical tips will help you arrive at the start line not just hoping for the best, but truly ready to celebrate the culmination of all your hard work.
Have questions or want to chat? Send me a text!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey there, friend, welcome back to Extraordinary
Strides.
I'm your coach and host,christine.
I'm a level two RRCA certifiedrun coach.
I'm also an ACE certifiedhealth coach but, more
importantly, I'm a runner justlike you.
I'm ridiculously passionateabout all things running, but
what really makes my heart beata little faster is helping
people run stronger, live bolderand go for those extraordinary
(00:24):
dreams.
Now, if we haven't met yet,hello, I'm so excited to have
you here.
In addition to coaching hundredsof athletes of all levels, I've
also completed all six worldmarathon majors and, as of the
airing of this episode, I'm 30days away from earning my
seventh star at the SydneyMarathon.
So trust me, when I say it, Iget it the nerves, the doubts,
(00:47):
the weird phantom twinges inyour calf.
Trust me, I've been there and Iwant to help you walk, run and,
of course, move into thesefinal 30 days with clarity and
confidence.
I thought, huh, wouldn't it becool if runners had a resource
to kind of walk them throughexactly what to do and what not
(01:08):
to do during this magical windowbetween peak training and race
day, like what's really going onwith your body, what should we
be eating, what should we beavoiding and what to do to keep
us from spiraling into tapermadness or giving in the urge to
do just one more long run.
This episode is going to bethat resource.
(01:29):
It's a full breakdown of the30-day countdown to race day
what to expect, what toprioritize and how to manage the
physical and mental rollercoaster like a pro, whether
you're running your firstmarathon or your 15th.
This guide is rich with theinsights that well that I've
gleaned over the decades and, ofcourse, it's got some really
(01:51):
fantastic science-based tips anda lot of information from
everyday runners as well.
It's presented in a way that'ssimple, strategic and
encouraging.
We're going to break down intofour weekly phases.
We're going to start off with,of course, peak and polish days
30 to 21.
Then we're going to move intothat taper down and trust days
(02:13):
20 to 14.
Prep and protect days 13 to 7.
Are you getting closer andcloser?
And, of course, the finalcountdown for calm and conquer
of race week.
We're going to cover thingslike the actual timeline your
body needs to adapt to workoutsHint, it's not the week before
your race what the heavy legsduring taper actually means and
(02:35):
a little spoiler it's really agood thing why you don't want to
sleepwalk through yournutrition or stress management
in the final week and a fewthings you really, really don't
want to do, like trying a brandnew gel the morning of the race.
Well, if you've ever wonderedhow to feel ready and not just
hope for the best, this episodeis for you, so let's get right
(02:55):
into it.
Why I think that this is superimportant is because each day
brings us closer to our goal,not just in the miles that we're
running, but in our mindset,our muscle memory and our
mastery.
This final chapter of ourtraining is where the science of
adaptation, the art of mindsetand the joy of being prepared
all converge.
You're not just tapering,you're truly in that
(03:17):
transformative state.
So we're going to start withour guide, broken into these
weekly arcs and science-backedstrategies, with, of course,
days 30 to 21, peak and polish.
Where I'm at right, this veryinstant as the airing of this
episode.
Of course, this is your finalopportunity to solidify fitness
and sharpen your tools.
(03:37):
You're still training withpurpose, but the intensity is
shifting.
This space is about rehearsal,readiness and reinforcement.
Now if you're wondering okay,well, what does that mean to me?
Like, what exactly am I doingbesides a whole lot of miles?
Well, what you're doingphysically is you're executing
final, key workouts and you'relikely going to be tapping into
(03:57):
that longest, long run duringthis phaseicing race day,
fueling pacing and gear strategy, and you should be logging
quality rest, initiating thatmental prep that you need.
Little pro tip.
Your aerobic fitnessadaptations peak about 10 to 14
days after your hardest workouts.
(04:19):
That means anything you do nowis about solidifying, focusing
on race specific effort andsimulations.
So, in plain speak, this isyour chance to train smart, not
hard.
Fitness is built.
You're reinforcing it, you'renot reinventing it.
Your goals for this phase is runwith intention, like I am not
(04:41):
kidding.
This is something that I ask myathletes to do during their
warmup is to really focus whatthey're looking to get out of
that specific workout.
Get familiar with marathoneffort.
Easy is effective here, myfriend.
That's what we're looking for.
Dress rehearsal is also superimportant.
You're going to use these longruns to practice everything, and
(05:02):
I do mean everything.
Your wake up ideally would bepracticed your fuel before you
even leave to get started, sothat breakfast or however,
you're getting your pre-runfueling in, what you're going to
wear, your hydration, whatyou're taking with you to the
actual race, even like whatyou're going to help say to
yourself, or your mindset, yourplaylist.
(05:25):
All of these things are reallyimportant to kind of hone in
here during this time so that,when race day is in place, you
just hit that routine, you justtap right into it.
Of course, your recovery isright around the corner with
that taper phase, so what you'redoing here now is prioritizing
(05:46):
recovery habits to set the tonefor taper Now.
Pro tip number two your bodyrebuilds stronger during rest,
not workouts.
I'm going to say that for thefolks that I know don't like to
hear the word rest considered afour-letter word and not a good
one.
Your body rebuilds strongerduring rest.
(06:07):
This is where those gainsbecome locked in, so support it
with sleep, protein andhydration.
Okay, now we talked about whatyou should do, right.
Let's talk about what not to doduring this phase.
This is not a great time tointroduce a whole lot of new
flashiness of your workouts, soif you've been considering maybe
even side-eyeing some differentfitness classes or different
(06:29):
workouts, this isn't a greattime to do that.
It's also not a fantastic timeto introduce brand new gear.
It is a great opportunity,though, that if you've been
training in a specific type ofgear and you know that works for
you to be breaking in that gearif you're planning on getting
something that's newer for raceday.
So if you've been training in aspecific pair of shoes and you
(06:50):
know you're going to wear thoseshoes on race day, this is a
great opportunity to again breakin the newer pair.
But we don't want tonecessarily try something
completely out of the gate,completely out of the blue,
again locking in the fact thatyou may be racing in drastically
different weather than you'vebeen training in.
So, taking that intoconsideration, your base layer
(07:10):
of what you're training in islikely going to need to be the
base layer of what you run yourrace in.
This is also a time not to havesome drastic diet changes.
There is always that little bitof that little devil on your
shoulder saying well, I couldprobably race so much stronger
and look so much better in thosemarathon photos if maybe I lost
(07:31):
just a few pounds before myrace.
My friend, I need you todefinitely focus here where your
nutrition is paramount.
This is not a great time to becutting calories or trying a new
, brand new diet.
Please hone in on your fuelingyour body for the best
performance and you still havequite a bit of training runway
to go.
This is also not the time totry to prove that you are going
(07:53):
to absolutely unequivocally PRyour race day by setting PRs
every single time you tow up toyour training workouts.
Please be mindful that there isa process to this.
I also don't want you toneglect your rest.
So if you're skipping recoverynow, it's going to delay that
peak that we're looking for.
Please do be mindful of that.
(08:14):
Again, there's an entire processthat we are learning to really
rely on in that routine thatwe're trusting in ourselves.
So we're going to talk a littlebit about that with our mindset
, because this is a great timeto write or refine your race day
mantra, visualizing hittingthat reset after hard moments in
a run.
Now that's going to pay off inlater miles.
(08:35):
So if you have a training runwhere there's some stickiness,
there's a little bit ofrequiring of grit to push
through, I want you to reallyreflect on that and learn how to
hit that reset, because you'regoing to want that mindset to
translate to those latter milesof race day.
Additionally, this is a greatopportunity for you to reflect
on your wins, schedule some timefor you and yourself and a nice
(08:57):
little date.
Maybe during that recovery, upsome salt bath, or you really do
reflect on all of the winsthroughout your training season,
what's brought you thus far,because confidence is a form of
preparation, and I want youagain to trust in yourself, find
that gratitude of how faryou've come, because that's
going to take us right into ournext phase, days 20 to 14.
(09:21):
We are counting on down here.
So with this we are officiallyin taper town.
I want to welcome you.
Taper is officially begun.
This is where you reduce yourvolume.
You're going to maintainstructure, so it doesn't mean
everything automatically fallsapart, but you're going to
release that fatigue.
You're allowing your peak ofall of those miles to really
help you rise to that nextoccasion, of course, which is
(09:44):
race day.
Now, what's happeningphysically here, and why it's so
important that we honor tapertown, is because we have that
muscular and neural fatigue isgoing to decrease when we really
prioritize that rest.
Those glycogen stores thatwe've been tapping into, run
after run, workout after workout, they're going to start
rebuilding.
Now that doesn't mean that youare going to glycogen stores
(10:06):
here, are going to translate toRay States, to a little bit
further out, but you're going tostart to rebuild if those carbs
are adequately increased.
So again, if you have beenconsidering a strict diet to get
you to race day, this is notthat time, my friend.
Minor aches may surface a littlebit and that's due to shifting
(10:26):
inflammation.
They tend to be normal Now youshould know the difference
between actual pain and like alittle bit of a niggle or an
ache.
So take that into consideration, knowing your body.
But there is a lot of that.
It also you have more time onyour hands.
You aren't running quite asmuch, so you may be tuning into
more of those aches than youwere during your training.
Now, this is a pro tip is toremind yourself that tapering
(10:49):
improves endurance by up to 11%and increases peak strength by
about 5%.
And this only happens when youare prioritizing that rest and
it helps to meet that structuredlow volume effort.
So it takes a little bit of abalancing game, my friend.
Here and this is something thatI want to remind you that does
(11:11):
not mean you're getting lazy.
You're not losing all of yourfitness.
You are actually activelyworking on getting faster.
So taper is a performancescience at work.
Again, this is where thattrusting.
The process is going to beabsolutely pivotal.
Your goals for this phase, forthose three weeks out, is to
maintain frequency but lowervolume, insert short bursts like
(11:33):
strides or light intervals toretain muscle tension and start
a slight uptick in carb intake,especially post-run.
So again, this isn't carbloading at this phase, but just
a little bit of hey you know,maybe a little bit of a full
baked potato instead of half abaked potato.
So just being a bit moremindful of that slight uptick of
(11:54):
your carb intake.
Now, each gram of glycogenstores about three to four grams
of water.
I want you to process this,because this is where a lot of
athletes start to panic aboutthe weight on the scale.
So this isn't bloat, it'senergy.
I know I want you to reframethat.
Yes, it is water retention.
(12:15):
You may feel a little bit moreof that fluffiness, but that
heavy feeling is actually yourengine topping off what it's
going to need for race day.
So I want you to keep that inmind.
Now, again, during this phase,you're going to have that rest
and recalibration.
This is a perfect time topractice that wind down routine.
(12:37):
At night you also may not findthat you're as physically tired
as maybe you were during peakmiles or earlier in your
training season, or maybethere's a lot more going on as
you prepare for race day,especially if it's a runcation.
You're traveling, but it ispivotal for you to prioritize
that and to get that routinedown, really lock it down so
(12:58):
potentially blue light blockers,calming music, consistent
bedtime.
Of course, this is also a greattime to consider that with that
rest, you're doing thatrecalibration a little bit.
So maybe you need to track yourhydration.
You need to make sure you'retracking your height, your
electrolytes, and that you'retracking your sleep, that you're
really getting in enough rest,you're getting enough of the
(13:19):
supportive aspects of yourtraining to really pay off for
you.
You're also going topotentially start looking at
shifting your fiber intakearound this time gradually, to
reduce GI distress on race week.
Now, I'm a big believer thatfiber is one of the best things
that we can incorporate into ourdiet, but taking into
consideration that if it takesyour body a little bit longer to
(13:42):
start to process a lot of that,those little tiny changes, this
might be a time to do so.
So thinking more of this is agreat opportunity.
Remember I said a little uptickin the carbs.
Maybe you add in a little bitmore rice, a little less raw
kale.
Just tiny little tweaks hereDefinitely more sleep.
Tiny little tweaks hereDefinitely more sleep, less
(14:02):
second guessing.
Now, my friend, we need todefinitely talk about what not
to do here.
I think I've already alluded toa little bit, but let's go
ahead and really drive the pointhome.
I do not want you tounequivocally do not cram in
extra runs, to quote, unquotemake up for anything.
All this is going to do isincrease injury risk and delay
(14:24):
recoveries.
I know that sometimes ourtraining doesn't go as planned
and we want to feel ready, wewant to feel confident.
So we think that if we maybemake up that workout that we
missed two months ago, that it'sgoing to make or break us.
Trust me, it's going topotentially break you before it
will make that race day.
So please do not add in extraruns into your training.
(14:45):
Also, don't try to sweat outtaper anxiety with extra effort.
So a lot of athletes are proneto wanting to go a little faster
.
Test that speed a little bitmore during this time, unless if
it's actually thoughtfullyinserted into your training.
Do not do that please.
I want you to really learn howto manage that anxiety, that
(15:09):
taper madness, with all theother tools that we're going to
talk about in terms of mindset.
But do not try to just leave itall out on the road or on the
asphalt.
This is not the time to do so.
We'll have a race coming up todo all of that.
I also don't want you to deviateagain from that gear or that
nutrition you've already tested.
So take that into account thatwhile we're making minor little
(15:30):
tweaks of inserting a little bitmore carbs, a little less fiber
, it shouldn't be a drasticchange in your nutrition,
especially not with what you'redoing on the run.
So your before your run, yourduring and your after should be
really well locked in at thispoint.
So let's get started on thatmindset and what we can anchor
us during this time where theretends to be a little bit more
anxiety sometimes ramping up.
(15:51):
So you're gonna reflect againon those training wins that I
told you to do in that firstphase right, that peaking and
polishing.
We're really gonna continue toreflecting on our training wins
throughout our training season.
We're going to flip through ourlog.
This is a wonderful time torevisit all the training that
you've done, actually,physically, like.
I'll actually go and lookthrough my training journals, my
(16:11):
journals.
I'll go through some of thedata that's on Garmin and really
relive those proud workouts andthen remind yourself how you
got through those tough workoutsas well and then really begin
that mental rehearsal.
This is where we get tovisualize.
Visualize your start line, howstrong and ready you feel,
visualize the actual differentpoints of your race course.
(16:33):
Nowadays there's so manywonderful POV type race course
information you can find, sopotentially go visit YouTube
during one of those race days.
Find that course.
If you know yourself and knowthat it won't create additional
anxiety for you.
But if knowing ahead of timedoes help, it's a wonderful
opportunity to kind of putyourself visually there, feel
(16:55):
yourself racing strong duringthe different aspects of your
training, of your race day and,of course, visualize that super
strong, like even your fist,pump arms in the air of victory
finish line.
I just did it myself here atthe microphone.
And don't forget to visualizethe sticky points, those sticky
(17:15):
points of that 26.2 or that 13.1or 6.22, whatever it is that
you're racing for, that you knowthat during your training you
really you encountered and youlearned how to push through it.
Now this is also where I wantto remind you this is super
normal for you to startquestioning your readiness.
It's super normal to think thatyou haven't done enough.
(17:37):
This means that you care andthat readiness isn't just a
feeling.
It's a result of the work thatwe've already done.
So at this point, I want you tojust really lean into self
trust.
Self confidence usingmeditation, using visualization,
using our mantras.
Maybe it is just talking it outwith somebody in the running
(17:58):
community.
Hello, you're always welcome totalk it out with folks in the
community page.
With that said, we're continuingto really honor and protect
ourselves our mental wellnessduring this time, our physical
wellness during this time.
So, as we shift into days 13 to7, just two weeks out from race
(18:19):
week, is prep and protect.
This is the week that's goingto tie it all together.
The beautiful little bow, mybow, is going to be pink.
It's going to be sparkly.
Your bow can be whatever youwant it to be, but you're
reducing that load and you'reprotecting your energy.
You're protecting yourconfidence.
You're protecting your body,physically, and your focus.
What is pivotal during this weekis that your peak recovery is
(18:43):
going to continue.
That's what really, physically,is going to be the number one
like this, is the star of theshow.
Your mental focus may waver alittle bit.
That's totally normal, again,if you're feeling a little bit
of just a fogginess.
So tech in with yourself onthose tools that we've talked
about and using it.
Your energy may fluctuate alittle bit during this time, and
(19:07):
the reason why that's happeningis because while you've
decreased the volume and at thispoint you're starting to
decrease that intensity as wellyour nervous system starts to
shift a little bit.
It's not quite sure as exactlywhat's going on, so you may have
some energy fluctuations.
(19:28):
So what's really important atthis point is to really lean
into that sharpness, knowingthat it returns when fatigue
drops faster than fitness.
Let's say that again Sharpnessreturns when our fatigue drops
faster than our fitness.
That's probably why you'llstart to feel fresh, but
possibly also a little jumpy.
You're like itching to add in alittle bit more miles.
(19:48):
You're itching to do a littlebit more, have a little bit more
of an intense run.
Again, let's practice restraint, my friend.
So to really give you like aplain scenario, you're going to
feel like a puppy getting towant to go out on, jump on any
leash, go for a walk, run it out.
That's your body recharging,that's letting you know that
(20:09):
you're really getting ready forrace day.
So if you're feeling thatlittle bout of anxious energy,
don't just lean into it by goingand working it all off,
continuing to really trust thetraining and trust the process.
So your goal is going to bemaintain that rhythm or lean
into your structure that youhave.
Try not to skip your runsduring this time.
There's a tendency sometimes todo that as well, like, oh well,
(20:32):
you know, I already did what Idid.
At this point, it doesn'tmatter quite as much.
Don't skip them, because westill want that structure, you
really want that rhythm.
Avoid overdoing mobility orstrength.
So if you're having that littleniggle or that little ache,
that kind of comes into play,you can't stretch it away.
You can't, like foam, roll itaway.
(20:54):
So be mindful.
You should, of course, continueto add in your mobility, you
should continue to do yourstrength training, but don't
overdo either of these at thispoint.
This is also where we're goingto keep our nutrition super
simple.
Do a little bit of KISS, keepit super simple.
A little bit of higher carb, alittle bit of lower fiber.
So again beginning to shiftaway from super heavy greens and
(21:17):
fibrous grains right about nowis really pivotal.
Something I also want to dropinto this specific aspect is day
10, 10 to race day 10 days left.
That's it.
There is nothing you could doat this point from a workout
perspective that is going toenhance your specific
performance meaning you can't goout and do a long run during
(21:38):
this, after this timeframe.
You can't go out and do a longrun during this, after this time
frame.
You can't go out and do anintense speed session after this
time frame and it actually makea physiological impact of your
training in terms of enhancement.
It can.
However, if you start to againdoubt me at all and start adding
in too much speed or too muchpush or additional miles during
this time, that will likelyhinder your performance more
(22:00):
than it could ever help, and Ireally want to drive that home,
because I hear a lot of folksstill have that desire to add in
more on race week or even twoweeks out, and I'm telling you
it's not worth it At this point.
The dishes are done, my friend,just go ahead, clean up the
kitchen, turn those lights offand go relax on the couch,
(22:22):
because there's no point oftrying to focus on adding more.
More is not less during thistime frame.
All right, my friend, whichagain I just got right into what
not to do.
So this is not the time tooverthink last minute race
tweaks.
I really, really, really cannotdrive it enough.
I need you to trust yourtraining at this point.
I don't want you to change upyour routines too much or stay
(22:43):
up late watching race previewsor weather updates.
Now, again, you can visualize,you can have a good idea of what
potentially may happen.
You can check the weather froma perspective of what you're
going to wear, having a coupleof different options that you
need to pack with you.
But there is no pointwhatsoever of becoming obsessed
with the weather.
Social media communities duringthis time can be a little bit
(23:05):
scary because a lot of that masshysteria is starting to kind of
come into play.
So potentially, avoid or mutesome of those specific race
groups that are.
You know they're all startingto get that anxiety and the
reason why is because duringtaper our brain is interpreting
that taper related stillness asa threat.
(23:26):
So again, I want you to calm itwith rituals and structure, not
feeding into all of that masshysteria.
But with that.
I said my friend, I am soexcited we are in phase four,
that final week, the finalcountdown.
That's the only time I'm goingto do that, because I don't want
to hurt your ears ever again.
But this is where we're goingto hone on into phase four of
(23:50):
calm and conquer.
Now this is the final approach.
Your job is to guard yourenergy, support your peak,
preserve your calm.
You're not doing less, you'redoing only what matters.
And again, depending on yourrace like specifically for me
with Sydney you may be evendoing some travel in between.
So, taking that into account aswell, what's happening
(24:14):
physically here?
What's really important, what'sreally pivotal, is that your
glycogen levels are peaking,your legs are absorbing rest and
they're regaining thatsharpness, and you may feel
emotionally sensitive or alittle mentally jittery.
So it's a great time topotentially be reducing some of
that caffeine towards the lastfew days if it's giving you a
little bit too much amping.
(24:35):
These are signs that yournervous system is preparing for
performance.
Now your goals for this phaseReduce training to short,
relaxed efforts, finalize yourpacking list, confirm your race
day timing.
Maybe you're already doing sometravel, so focus your energy
that you have on that, keepingyour meals simple.
Again, going back to that kiss,keep them super simple low
(24:55):
fiber, high in carbs.
Use your rehearsed routine forrace morning, breakfast and
bathroom habits, and I reallywhat I want you to do is use
them all week long, leading upto race day, if at all possible,
so that you do just feel likeit's automatic.
You can tweak anything you needto tweak.
Make sure you have everythingon hand that you need to have
(25:15):
Now.
What I really also want you toconsider during this time is
that you worked super hard toget here, so don't get so caught
up into all the differentaspects of the angst that you
aren't really capturing thebeauty of all of the work that
you have done leading you hereto that pivotal race day.
So I've already led right intowhat not to do.
(25:36):
I don't want you to tryanything new.
So no new foods, no new shoes,no new gear.
It's not a chance to try a newdelectable cuisine of wherever
you're traveling to.
As much as I want you to enjoyyourself, you're going to wait
till after the race.
Of course, I don't want you toover hydrate as well, and I know
that sounds really kooky,because for the majority of the
(25:56):
conversation I've asked you tohydrate, but what I mean by that
is don't just take in plain H2O, because it can flush out your
electrolytes.
So we want you to reallybalance.
You're looking for your urinecolor to be a light to pale
yellow.
If it's running clear, you'relikely over hydrating with too
much water.
If it's running too dark, thenyou're a little under hydrated.
(26:19):
So, looking to balance thathydration as well as possible
and I don't want you to letthose race day nerves derail
your plan.
So continue to lean into thatroutine, that mantra, those
visualizations, that meditation,that mindset focus to really
get you to that start line.
So with that, we're going totalk about how you're going to
(26:41):
really focus that mindset.
So listen to me, my friend, youare ready, you are more than
capable and of course you're alittle nervous, but that's not a
sign that you're underprepared.
It means you care about whatyou're about to embark upon.
You have worked very hard to behere, so be deliberate in what
you expose yourself to.
Again, avoid any of thatnegative social noise, any of
(27:06):
that comparison.
This is where you're going tofocus on your breath, any
calming technique that you haveutilized to get you to this
point you're going to reallyemploy and lean into that
Because, my friend, we'reofficially here, race day.
It is show time.
You're going to wake up early,Of course, you're going to have
that breakfast that you'vepracticed.
(27:26):
You're going to move throughyour warmup and gear check
calmly, cause of course, youlaid out your flat runner the
night before.
You're going to tow on up tothat start line and you're going
to know that you arrive witheverything that you need.
Remember, you are trained,you're ready, you're a runner.
Now is the time to just leaninto enjoying this.
(27:46):
The marathon or the race hasbeen run already in all the
countless miles and workouts andmobility sessions and strength
training before you got to thispoint.
Here is your time to celebrate.
It's your celebration lap Ifyou're racing hard that day,
even when it gets tough, knowingthat you're leaning into
(28:07):
finding that joy of all of thathard work culminating to such a
strong performance today.
Now, when it gets hard duringthe race because, invariably, no
matter how much joy you areseeking, it will get a little
hard I want you to return to thebasics.
You're going to focus on yourbreath, you're going to relax
your shoulders, you're going torepeat your mantra and you're
(28:27):
going to remember why youstarted, because the work is
done.
Now it's time to just run yourrace, my friend.
So a few little reminders anddon'ts Don't change things up
that day, just lean into yourroutine.
And then I want you to remindyourself to start slower than
you think.
It takes about 20, 30 minutesfor your body to fully warm up.
(28:50):
You also it's.
You're here for the long run,literally.
So if folks are passing you, nobig deal, you'll pass them
later.
Trust your strategy Absolutely.
Execute your strategy here.
Smile even when it gets tough,breathe through when you want to
stop, and remember that everysingle step is a celebration.
You truly have earned everysingle mile.
(29:12):
This race is your reward and,my friend, you have officially
been armed with everything thatyou need to move you through
these last 30 days with power,precision and, hopefully, a
little side of peace.
Your race is not a test.
It's a celebration of everysingle thing you've done to get
you here.
Now, my friend, if this episodewas helpful, I want you to
(29:32):
please do me a favor save it soyou can come back to it whenever
you're 30 days out from yourbig goal race, or share it with
a friend who has a race comingup soon and hey, if you're
interested in taking yourtraining to the next level with
custom coaching and support, I'dlove to chat with you.
You can use that text featureright there in episode notes.
Send me a message, include yourname and your phone number and
(29:54):
I'll reach out to schedule a15-minute consult.
Call, no pressure, just a fun,friendly chat to see how I can
help you crush your goals.
Now until next time, keepshowing up, keep running your
race and remember you are notbehind, you are not late these
30 days.
You are right on time.
Let's go.
Hey there, friend, welcome back to Extraordinary
Strides.
I'm your coach and host,christine.
I'm a level two RRCA certifiedrun coach.
I'm also an ACE certifiedhealth coach but, more
importantly, I'm a runner justlike you.
I'm ridiculously passionateabout all things running, but
what really makes my heart beata little faster is helping
people run stronger, live bolderand go for those extraordinary
(00:24):
dreams.
Now, if we haven't met yet,hello, I'm so excited to have
you here.
In addition to coaching hundredsof athletes of all levels, I've
also completed all six worldmarathon majors and, as of the
airing of this episode, I'm 30days away from earning my
seventh star at the SydneyMarathon.
So trust me, when I say it, Iget it the nerves, the doubts,
(00:47):
the weird phantom twinges inyour calf.
Trust me, I've been there and Iwant to help you walk, run and,
of course, move into thesefinal 30 days with clarity and
confidence.
I thought, huh, wouldn't it becool if runners had a resource
to kind of walk them throughexactly what to do and what not
(01:08):
to do during this magical windowbetween peak training and race
day, like what's really going onwith your body, what should we
be eating, what should we beavoiding and what to do to keep
us from spiraling into tapermadness or giving in the urge to
do just one more long run.
This episode is going to bethat resource.
(01:29):
It's a full breakdown of the30-day countdown to race day
what to expect, what toprioritize and how to manage the
physical and mental rollercoaster like a pro, whether
you're running your firstmarathon or your 15th.
This guide is rich with theinsights that well that I've
gleaned over the decades and, ofcourse, it's got some really
(01:51):
fantastic science-based tips anda lot of information from
everyday runners as well.
It's presented in a way that'ssimple, strategic and
encouraging.
We're going to break down intofour weekly phases.
We're going to start off with,of course, peak and polish days
30 to 21.
Then we're going to move intothat taper down and trust days
(02:13):
20 to 14.
Prep and protect days 13 to 7.
Are you getting closer andcloser?
And, of course, the finalcountdown for calm and conquer
of race week.
We're going to cover thingslike the actual timeline your
body needs to adapt to workoutsHint, it's not the week before
your race what the heavy legsduring taper actually means and
(02:35):
a little spoiler it's really agood thing why you don't want to
sleepwalk through yournutrition or stress management
in the final week and a fewthings you really, really don't
want to do, like trying a brandnew gel the morning of the race.
Well, if you've ever wonderedhow to feel ready and not just
hope for the best, this episodeis for you, so let's get right
(02:55):
into it.
Why I think that this is superimportant is because each day
brings us closer to our goal,not just in the miles that we're
running, but in our mindset,our muscle memory and our
mastery.
This final chapter of ourtraining is where the science of
adaptation, the art of mindsetand the joy of being prepared
all converge.
You're not just tapering,you're truly in that
(03:17):
transformative state.
So we're going to start withour guide, broken into these
weekly arcs and science-backedstrategies, with, of course,
days 30 to 21, peak and polish.
Where I'm at right, this veryinstant as the airing of this
episode.
Of course, this is your finalopportunity to solidify fitness
and sharpen your tools.
(03:37):
You're still training withpurpose, but the intensity is
shifting.
This space is about rehearsal,readiness and reinforcement.
Now if you're wondering okay,well, what does that mean to me?
Like, what exactly am I doingbesides a whole lot of miles?
Well, what you're doingphysically is you're executing
final, key workouts and you'relikely going to be tapping into
(03:57):
that longest, long run duringthis phaseicing race day,
fueling pacing and gear strategy, and you should be logging
quality rest, initiating thatmental prep that you need.
Little pro tip.
Your aerobic fitnessadaptations peak about 10 to 14
days after your hardest workouts.
(04:19):
That means anything you do nowis about solidifying, focusing
on race specific effort andsimulations.
So, in plain speak, this isyour chance to train smart, not
hard.
Fitness is built.
You're reinforcing it, you'renot reinventing it.
Your goals for this phase is runwith intention, like I am not
(04:41):
kidding.
This is something that I ask myathletes to do during their
warmup is to really focus whatthey're looking to get out of
that specific workout.
Get familiar with marathoneffort.
Easy is effective here, myfriend.
That's what we're looking for.
Dress rehearsal is also superimportant.
You're going to use these longruns to practice everything, and
(05:02):
I do mean everything.
Your wake up ideally would bepracticed your fuel before you
even leave to get started, sothat breakfast or however,
you're getting your pre-runfueling in, what you're going to
wear, your hydration, whatyou're taking with you to the
actual race, even like whatyou're going to help say to
yourself, or your mindset, yourplaylist.
(05:25):
All of these things are reallyimportant to kind of hone in
here during this time so that,when race day is in place, you
just hit that routine, you justtap right into it.
Of course, your recovery isright around the corner with
that taper phase, so what you'redoing here now is prioritizing
(05:46):
recovery habits to set the tonefor taper Now.
Pro tip number two your bodyrebuilds stronger during rest,
not workouts.
I'm going to say that for thefolks that I know don't like to
hear the word rest considered afour-letter word and not a good
one.
Your body rebuilds strongerduring rest.
(06:07):
This is where those gainsbecome locked in, so support it
with sleep, protein andhydration.
Okay, now we talked about whatyou should do, right.
Let's talk about what not to doduring this phase.
This is not a great time tointroduce a whole lot of new
flashiness of your workouts, soif you've been considering maybe
even side-eyeing some differentfitness classes or different
(06:29):
workouts, this isn't a greattime to do that.
It's also not a fantastic timeto introduce brand new gear.
It is a great opportunity,though, that if you've been
training in a specific type ofgear and you know that works for
you to be breaking in that gearif you're planning on getting
something that's newer for raceday.
So if you've been training in aspecific pair of shoes and you
(06:50):
know you're going to wear thoseshoes on race day, this is a
great opportunity to again breakin the newer pair.
But we don't want tonecessarily try something
completely out of the gate,completely out of the blue,
again locking in the fact thatyou may be racing in drastically
different weather than you'vebeen training in.
So, taking that intoconsideration, your base layer
(07:10):
of what you're training in islikely going to need to be the
base layer of what you run yourrace in.
This is also a time not to havesome drastic diet changes.
There is always that little bitof that little devil on your
shoulder saying well, I couldprobably race so much stronger
and look so much better in thosemarathon photos if maybe I lost
(07:31):
just a few pounds before myrace.
My friend, I need you todefinitely focus here where your
nutrition is paramount.
This is not a great time to becutting calories or trying a new
, brand new diet.
Please hone in on your fuelingyour body for the best
performance and you still havequite a bit of training runway
to go.
This is also not the time totry to prove that you are going
(07:53):
to absolutely unequivocally PRyour race day by setting PRs
every single time you tow up toyour training workouts.
Please be mindful that there isa process to this.
I also don't want you toneglect your rest.
So if you're skipping recoverynow, it's going to delay that
peak that we're looking for.
Please do be mindful of that.
(08:14):
Again, there's an entire processthat we are learning to really
rely on in that routine thatwe're trusting in ourselves.
So we're going to talk a littlebit about that with our mindset
, because this is a great timeto write or refine your race day
mantra, visualizing hittingthat reset after hard moments in
a run.
Now that's going to pay off inlater miles.
(08:35):
So if you have a training runwhere there's some stickiness,
there's a little bit ofrequiring of grit to push
through, I want you to reallyreflect on that and learn how to
hit that reset, because you'regoing to want that mindset to
translate to those latter milesof race day.
Additionally, this is a greatopportunity for you to reflect
on your wins, schedule some timefor you and yourself and a nice
(08:57):
little date.
Maybe during that recovery, upsome salt bath, or you really do
reflect on all of the winsthroughout your training season,
what's brought you thus far,because confidence is a form of
preparation, and I want youagain to trust in yourself, find
that gratitude of how faryou've come, because that's
going to take us right into ournext phase, days 20 to 14.
(09:21):
We are counting on down here.
So with this we are officiallyin taper town.
I want to welcome you.
Taper is officially begun.
This is where you reduce yourvolume.
You're going to maintainstructure, so it doesn't mean
everything automatically fallsapart, but you're going to
release that fatigue.
You're allowing your peak ofall of those miles to really
help you rise to that nextoccasion, of course, which is
(09:44):
race day.
Now, what's happeningphysically here, and why it's so
important that we honor tapertown, is because we have that
muscular and neural fatigue isgoing to decrease when we really
prioritize that rest.
Those glycogen stores thatwe've been tapping into, run
after run, workout after workout, they're going to start
rebuilding.
Now that doesn't mean that youare going to glycogen stores
(10:06):
here, are going to translate toRay States, to a little bit
further out, but you're going tostart to rebuild if those carbs
are adequately increased.
So again, if you have beenconsidering a strict diet to get
you to race day, this is notthat time, my friend.
Minor aches may surface a littlebit and that's due to shifting
(10:26):
inflammation.
They tend to be normal Now youshould know the difference
between actual pain and like alittle bit of a niggle or an
ache.
So take that into consideration, knowing your body.
But there is a lot of that.
It also you have more time onyour hands.
You aren't running quite asmuch, so you may be tuning into
more of those aches than youwere during your training.
Now, this is a pro tip is toremind yourself that tapering
(10:49):
improves endurance by up to 11%and increases peak strength by
about 5%.
And this only happens when youare prioritizing that rest and
it helps to meet that structuredlow volume effort.
So it takes a little bit of abalancing game, my friend.
Here and this is something thatI want to remind you that does
(11:11):
not mean you're getting lazy.
You're not losing all of yourfitness.
You are actually activelyworking on getting faster.
So taper is a performancescience at work.
Again, this is where thattrusting.
The process is going to beabsolutely pivotal.
Your goals for this phase, forthose three weeks out, is to
maintain frequency but lowervolume, insert short bursts like
(11:33):
strides or light intervals toretain muscle tension and start
a slight uptick in carb intake,especially post-run.
So again, this isn't carbloading at this phase, but just
a little bit of hey you know,maybe a little bit of a full
baked potato instead of half abaked potato.
So just being a bit moremindful of that slight uptick of
(11:54):
your carb intake.
Now, each gram of glycogenstores about three to four grams
of water.
I want you to process this,because this is where a lot of
athletes start to panic aboutthe weight on the scale.
So this isn't bloat, it'senergy.
I know I want you to reframethat.
Yes, it is water retention.
(12:15):
You may feel a little bit moreof that fluffiness, but that
heavy feeling is actually yourengine topping off what it's
going to need for race day.
So I want you to keep that inmind.
Now, again, during this phase,you're going to have that rest
and recalibration.
This is a perfect time topractice that wind down routine.
(12:37):
At night you also may not findthat you're as physically tired
as maybe you were during peakmiles or earlier in your
training season, or maybethere's a lot more going on as
you prepare for race day,especially if it's a runcation.
You're traveling, but it ispivotal for you to prioritize
that and to get that routinedown, really lock it down so
(12:58):
potentially blue light blockers,calming music, consistent
bedtime.
Of course, this is also a greattime to consider that with that
rest, you're doing thatrecalibration a little bit.
So maybe you need to track yourhydration.
You need to make sure you'retracking your height, your
electrolytes, and that you'retracking your sleep, that you're
really getting in enough rest,you're getting enough of the
(13:19):
supportive aspects of yourtraining to really pay off for
you.
You're also going topotentially start looking at
shifting your fiber intakearound this time gradually, to
reduce GI distress on race week.
Now, I'm a big believer thatfiber is one of the best things
that we can incorporate into ourdiet, but taking into
consideration that if it takesyour body a little bit longer to
(13:42):
start to process a lot of that,those little tiny changes, this
might be a time to do so.
So thinking more of this is agreat opportunity.
Remember I said a little uptickin the carbs.
Maybe you add in a little bitmore rice, a little less raw
kale.
Just tiny little tweaks hereDefinitely more sleep.
Tiny little tweaks hereDefinitely more sleep, less
(14:02):
second guessing.
Now, my friend, we need todefinitely talk about what not
to do here.
I think I've already alluded toa little bit, but let's go
ahead and really drive the pointhome.
I do not want you tounequivocally do not cram in
extra runs, to quote, unquotemake up for anything.
All this is going to do isincrease injury risk and delay
(14:24):
recoveries.
I know that sometimes ourtraining doesn't go as planned
and we want to feel ready, wewant to feel confident.
So we think that if we maybemake up that workout that we
missed two months ago, that it'sgoing to make or break us.
Trust me, it's going topotentially break you before it
will make that race day.
So please do not add in extraruns into your training.
(14:45):
Also, don't try to sweat outtaper anxiety with extra effort.
So a lot of athletes are proneto wanting to go a little faster
.
Test that speed a little bitmore during this time, unless if
it's actually thoughtfullyinserted into your training.
Do not do that please.
I want you to really learn howto manage that anxiety, that
(15:09):
taper madness, with all theother tools that we're going to
talk about in terms of mindset.
But do not try to just leave itall out on the road or on the
asphalt.
This is not the time to do so.
We'll have a race coming up todo all of that.
I also don't want you to deviateagain from that gear or that
nutrition you've already tested.
So take that into account thatwhile we're making minor little
(15:30):
tweaks of inserting a little bitmore carbs, a little less fiber
, it shouldn't be a drasticchange in your nutrition,
especially not with what you'redoing on the run.
So your before your run, yourduring and your after should be
really well locked in at thispoint.
So let's get started on thatmindset and what we can anchor
us during this time where theretends to be a little bit more
anxiety sometimes ramping up.
(15:51):
So you're gonna reflect againon those training wins that I
told you to do in that firstphase right, that peaking and
polishing.
We're really gonna continue toreflecting on our training wins
throughout our training season.
We're going to flip through ourlog.
This is a wonderful time torevisit all the training that
you've done, actually,physically, like.
I'll actually go and lookthrough my training journals, my
(16:11):
journals.
I'll go through some of thedata that's on Garmin and really
relive those proud workouts andthen remind yourself how you
got through those tough workoutsas well and then really begin
that mental rehearsal.
This is where we get tovisualize.
Visualize your start line, howstrong and ready you feel,
visualize the actual differentpoints of your race course.
(16:33):
Nowadays there's so manywonderful POV type race course
information you can find, sopotentially go visit YouTube
during one of those race days.
Find that course.
If you know yourself and knowthat it won't create additional
anxiety for you.
But if knowing ahead of timedoes help, it's a wonderful
opportunity to kind of putyourself visually there, feel
(16:55):
yourself racing strong duringthe different aspects of your
training, of your race day and,of course, visualize that super
strong, like even your fist,pump arms in the air of victory
finish line.
I just did it myself here atthe microphone.
And don't forget to visualizethe sticky points, those sticky
(17:15):
points of that 26.2 or that 13.1or 6.22, whatever it is that
you're racing for, that you knowthat during your training you
really you encountered and youlearned how to push through it.
Now this is also where I wantto remind you this is super
normal for you to startquestioning your readiness.
It's super normal to think thatyou haven't done enough.
(17:37):
This means that you care andthat readiness isn't just a
feeling.
It's a result of the work thatwe've already done.
So at this point, I want you tojust really lean into self
trust.
Self confidence usingmeditation, using visualization,
using our mantras.
Maybe it is just talking it outwith somebody in the running
(17:58):
community.
Hello, you're always welcome totalk it out with folks in the
community page.
With that said, we're continuingto really honor and protect
ourselves our mental wellnessduring this time, our physical
wellness during this time.
So, as we shift into days 13 to7, just two weeks out from race
(18:19):
week, is prep and protect.
This is the week that's goingto tie it all together.
The beautiful little bow, mybow, is going to be pink.
It's going to be sparkly.
Your bow can be whatever youwant it to be, but you're
reducing that load and you'reprotecting your energy.
You're protecting yourconfidence.
You're protecting your body,physically, and your focus.
What is pivotal during this weekis that your peak recovery is
(18:43):
going to continue.
That's what really, physically,is going to be the number one
like this, is the star of theshow.
Your mental focus may waver alittle bit.
That's totally normal, again,if you're feeling a little bit
of just a fogginess.
So tech in with yourself onthose tools that we've talked
about and using it.
Your energy may fluctuate alittle bit during this time, and
(19:07):
the reason why that's happeningis because while you've
decreased the volume and at thispoint you're starting to
decrease that intensity as wellyour nervous system starts to
shift a little bit.
It's not quite sure as exactlywhat's going on, so you may have
some energy fluctuations.
(19:28):
So what's really important atthis point is to really lean
into that sharpness, knowingthat it returns when fatigue
drops faster than fitness.
Let's say that again Sharpnessreturns when our fatigue drops
faster than our fitness.
That's probably why you'llstart to feel fresh, but
possibly also a little jumpy.
You're like itching to add in alittle bit more miles.
(19:48):
You're itching to do a littlebit more, have a little bit more
of an intense run.
Again, let's practice restraint, my friend.
So to really give you like aplain scenario, you're going to
feel like a puppy getting towant to go out on, jump on any
leash, go for a walk, run it out.
That's your body recharging,that's letting you know that
(20:09):
you're really getting ready forrace day.
So if you're feeling thatlittle bout of anxious energy,
don't just lean into it by goingand working it all off,
continuing to really trust thetraining and trust the process.
So your goal is going to bemaintain that rhythm or lean
into your structure that youhave.
Try not to skip your runsduring this time.
There's a tendency sometimes todo that as well, like, oh well,
(20:32):
you know, I already did what Idid.
At this point, it doesn'tmatter quite as much.
Don't skip them, because westill want that structure, you
really want that rhythm.
Avoid overdoing mobility orstrength.
So if you're having that littleniggle or that little ache,
that kind of comes into play,you can't stretch it away.
You can't, like foam, roll itaway.
(20:54):
So be mindful.
You should, of course, continueto add in your mobility, you
should continue to do yourstrength training, but don't
overdo either of these at thispoint.
This is also where we're goingto keep our nutrition super
simple.
Do a little bit of KISS, keepit super simple.
A little bit of higher carb, alittle bit of lower fiber.
So again beginning to shiftaway from super heavy greens and
(21:17):
fibrous grains right about nowis really pivotal.
Something I also want to dropinto this specific aspect is day
10, 10 to race day 10 days left.
That's it.
There is nothing you could doat this point from a workout
perspective that is going toenhance your specific
performance meaning you can't goout and do a long run during
(21:38):
this, after this timeframe.
You can't go out and do a longrun during this, after this time
frame.
You can't go out and do anintense speed session after this
time frame and it actually makea physiological impact of your
training in terms of enhancement.
It can.
However, if you start to againdoubt me at all and start adding
in too much speed or too muchpush or additional miles during
this time, that will likelyhinder your performance more
(22:00):
than it could ever help, and Ireally want to drive that home,
because I hear a lot of folksstill have that desire to add in
more on race week or even twoweeks out, and I'm telling you
it's not worth it At this point.
The dishes are done, my friend,just go ahead, clean up the
kitchen, turn those lights offand go relax on the couch,
(22:22):
because there's no point oftrying to focus on adding more.
More is not less during thistime frame.
All right, my friend, whichagain I just got right into what
not to do.
So this is not the time tooverthink last minute race
tweaks.
I really, really, really cannotdrive it enough.
I need you to trust yourtraining at this point.
I don't want you to change upyour routines too much or stay
(22:43):
up late watching race previewsor weather updates.
Now, again, you can visualize,you can have a good idea of what
potentially may happen.
You can check the weather froma perspective of what you're
going to wear, having a coupleof different options that you
need to pack with you.
But there is no pointwhatsoever of becoming obsessed
with the weather.
Social media communities duringthis time can be a little bit
(23:05):
scary because a lot of that masshysteria is starting to kind of
come into play.
So potentially, avoid or mutesome of those specific race
groups that are.
You know they're all startingto get that anxiety and the
reason why is because duringtaper our brain is interpreting
that taper related stillness asa threat.
(23:26):
So again, I want you to calm itwith rituals and structure, not
feeding into all of that masshysteria.
But with that.
I said my friend, I am soexcited we are in phase four,
that final week, the finalcountdown.
That's the only time I'm goingto do that, because I don't want
to hurt your ears ever again.
But this is where we're goingto hone on into phase four of
(23:50):
calm and conquer.
Now this is the final approach.
Your job is to guard yourenergy, support your peak,
preserve your calm.
You're not doing less, you'redoing only what matters.
And again, depending on yourrace like specifically for me
with Sydney you may be evendoing some travel in between.
So, taking that into account aswell, what's happening
(24:14):
physically here?
What's really important, what'sreally pivotal, is that your
glycogen levels are peaking,your legs are absorbing rest and
they're regaining thatsharpness, and you may feel
emotionally sensitive or alittle mentally jittery.
So it's a great time topotentially be reducing some of
that caffeine towards the lastfew days if it's giving you a
little bit too much amping.
(24:35):
These are signs that yournervous system is preparing for
performance.
Now your goals for this phaseReduce training to short,
relaxed efforts, finalize yourpacking list, confirm your race
day timing.
Maybe you're already doing sometravel, so focus your energy
that you have on that, keepingyour meals simple.
Again, going back to that kiss,keep them super simple low
(24:55):
fiber, high in carbs.
Use your rehearsed routine forrace morning, breakfast and
bathroom habits, and I reallywhat I want you to do is use
them all week long, leading upto race day, if at all possible,
so that you do just feel likeit's automatic.
You can tweak anything you needto tweak.
Make sure you have everythingon hand that you need to have
(25:15):
Now.
What I really also want you toconsider during this time is
that you worked super hard toget here, so don't get so caught
up into all the differentaspects of the angst that you
aren't really capturing thebeauty of all of the work that
you have done leading you hereto that pivotal race day.
So I've already led right intowhat not to do.
(25:36):
I don't want you to tryanything new.
So no new foods, no new shoes,no new gear.
It's not a chance to try a newdelectable cuisine of wherever
you're traveling to.
As much as I want you to enjoyyourself, you're going to wait
till after the race.
Of course, I don't want you toover hydrate as well, and I know
that sounds really kooky,because for the majority of the
(25:56):
conversation I've asked you tohydrate, but what I mean by that
is don't just take in plain H2O, because it can flush out your
electrolytes.
So we want you to reallybalance.
You're looking for your urinecolor to be a light to pale
yellow.
If it's running clear, you'relikely over hydrating with too
much water.
If it's running too dark, thenyou're a little under hydrated.
(26:19):
So, looking to balance thathydration as well as possible
and I don't want you to letthose race day nerves derail
your plan.
So continue to lean into thatroutine, that mantra, those
visualizations, that meditation,that mindset focus to really
get you to that start line.
So with that, we're going totalk about how you're going to
(26:41):
really focus that mindset.
So listen to me, my friend, youare ready, you are more than
capable and of course you're alittle nervous, but that's not a
sign that you're underprepared.
It means you care about whatyou're about to embark upon.
You have worked very hard to behere, so be deliberate in what
you expose yourself to.
Again, avoid any of thatnegative social noise, any of
(27:06):
that comparison.
This is where you're going tofocus on your breath, any
calming technique that you haveutilized to get you to this
point you're going to reallyemploy and lean into that
Because, my friend, we'reofficially here, race day.
It is show time.
You're going to wake up early,Of course, you're going to have
that breakfast that you'vepracticed.
(27:26):
You're going to move throughyour warmup and gear check
calmly, cause of course, youlaid out your flat runner the
night before.
You're going to tow on up tothat start line and you're going
to know that you arrive witheverything that you need.
Remember, you are trained,you're ready, you're a runner.
Now is the time to just leaninto enjoying this.
(27:46):
The marathon or the race hasbeen run already in all the
countless miles and workouts andmobility sessions and strength
training before you got to thispoint.
Here is your time to celebrate.
It's your celebration lap Ifyou're racing hard that day,
even when it gets tough, knowingthat you're leaning into
(28:07):
finding that joy of all of thathard work culminating to such a
strong performance today.
Now, when it gets hard duringthe race because, invariably, no
matter how much joy you areseeking, it will get a little
hard I want you to return to thebasics.
You're going to focus on yourbreath, you're going to relax
your shoulders, you're going torepeat your mantra and you're
(28:27):
going to remember why youstarted, because the work is
done.
Now it's time to just run yourrace, my friend.
So a few little reminders anddon'ts Don't change things up
that day, just lean into yourroutine.
And then I want you to remindyourself to start slower than
you think.
It takes about 20, 30 minutesfor your body to fully warm up.
(28:50):
You also it's.
You're here for the long run,literally.
So if folks are passing you, nobig deal, you'll pass them
later.
Trust your strategy Absolutely.
Execute your strategy here.
Smile even when it gets tough,breathe through when you want to
stop, and remember that everysingle step is a celebration.
You truly have earned everysingle mile.
(29:12):
This race is your reward and,my friend, you have officially
been armed with everything thatyou need to move you through
these last 30 days with power,precision and, hopefully, a
little side of peace.
Your race is not a test.
It's a celebration of everysingle thing you've done to get
you here.
Now, my friend, if this episodewas helpful, I want you to
(29:32):
please do me a favor save it soyou can come back to it whenever
you're 30 days out from yourbig goal race, or share it with
a friend who has a race comingup soon and hey, if you're
interested in taking yourtraining to the next level with
custom coaching and support, I'dlove to chat with you.
You can use that text featureright there in episode notes.
Send me a message, include yourname and your phone number and
(29:54):
I'll reach out to schedule a15-minute consult.
Call, no pressure, just a fun,friendly chat to see how I can
help you crush your goals.
Now until next time, keepshowing up, keep running your
race and remember you are notbehind, you are not late these
30 days.
You are right on time.
Let's go.
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