Two weeks to go

With only two weeks until race day, there are two things all runners need to do.

First, those who reside in Malta must come to registration at the Galaxy Hotel in Sliema, next Saturday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to collect their race number and other goodies.

The second thing they must do is taper. Many runners fail to realise that one of the most important aspects of marathon training is the tapering phase. Reducing weekly and long run mileage during these final two weeks is vitally important so that you will be fully recovered from previous workouts while at the same time, be completely rested for the big event.

Here are some simple, but tried and tested, things to do to get ready to run your best in the Malta Marathon or Half Marathon.

Cut back on the distance and intensity of your training runs during the two weeks between now and the race, eliminating any long or hard efforts. If you are new to running and worried that you are cutting back too much, do not worry, your body will not "forget" how to run, or somehow lose fitness in this last two weeks.

Listen to your body. Remember that there are no workouts the week prior to the event that will improve your readiness for the race. An important rule of thumb is "Less is Best", particularly if you are feeling either physically or mentally tired and/or your leg muscles feel fatigued or heavy.

You might want to consider getting a leg massage, but no closer than four days before the marathon. If you've never had a massage, do not try one now. No experimenting in this period, only do things you know will work.

Clip long toenails and treat blisters and calluses. Put your running shoes and clothes you will wear during the race in a bag with other important things like race number, pins, Vaseline, tissue paper, etc. on the day before the race, not on race morning.

Food for fuel

Hydrate well the week before the race (drink lots of water) especially during the carbohydrate loading period (the last three days before the race). Research indicates that carbohydrates convert to glycogen more effectively when accompanied with the consumption of water. This is the time when you may gain a couple of pounds, but don't worry about it. This will be your energy fuel during the marathon!

As mentioned already, carbohydrate loading begins three days before the marathon. Choose foods for lunch and dinner that are high in carbohydrates (e.g. pasta, potatoes, bread, rice, etc.). Don't neglect fruits, vegetables and some protein sources however. I also recommend nibbling a 50gm packet of peanuts on each of the last two days.

Be sure to eat carbohydrate foods that have been "tried and proven" during your training period. If you choose to eat pasta, keep the sauce simple, avoiding high fat varieties.

Avoid eating lots of salad items and vegetables as these may prove to be troublesome on race day and can cause digestive problems.

Stick to water during the evening meal. Only take tea or coffee if you are used to drinking them.

Aim to get lots of sleep the week prior to the race. Try to go to bed early on Friday night and wake up very early Saturday morning. This will enable you to get into the rhythm of preparing to wake up early Sunday morning. The most important night for sleep is Friday evening as many people find it difficult to sleep soundly the night before their big race. If you don't get a restful night's sleep on Saturday night that's fine as long as you slept well on Friday.

Try not to think too much about running. Watch more television; read a book... take your mind off the race.

And wake up early enough to eat three hours before the race starts, make a visit(s) to the bathroom, and take care of anything you feel the need to do so as not to feel rushed.

The idea in the few hours before the race is to relax as much as possible and stay off your feet.