With the Under Armour Eastside 10K just over a month away, you’ll want to do some planning to ensure you’re as prepared as you can be. Under Armour ambassadors shared with us some of their best tips for race day.
Nutrition
When it comes to the food that fuels you, you’ll want to avoid trying to level up the night before with a new nutrient-rich meal thinking you need a “healthy” boost for the next day. Eating something untested pre-race is a gamble no runner should make.
What should you do instead? Run Coach, Stéphane Hetherington, suggests testing meals as part of your training ahead of time so, that come race day you already know what works. Think of pre-race food as fuel, not nutrition, and go with what leaves you feeling satisfied and energized time and again.
“After years of experimentation, my pre-race meal evolved into one (1) Little Caesar’s Hot n’ Ready Cheese Pizza or if I raced in the morning, I’d have frosted mini wheats with skim milk. Pretty fancy huh? Oh, and time your meal based on your last bite, not the first,” he goes on to say.
Training
“Whether you’re aiming for a time, a place, to finish or something else, use that goal to structure your entire program,” Stephane suggests. He stresses that being realistic about how much time and energy you have for training is important – consistency or lack thereof can make or break your development.
Dr. Mitch Broser emphasizes the importance of including exercises in your warmup that prepare your joints for running. “A mobility routine that takes your spine, hips, knees, and ankles through their full range of motion will help not only prime your joints for optimal performance but reduce your risk of injury.”
Personal Trainer, Kevin Yeboah, suggests adding in weight training in between running days. Start off with three days a week, with different focuses each day. One day for your upper body, one for your lower, and one for a full body routine. The trick is to keep your weights light and your reps high! He recommends wearing training shoes like the UA Project Rock 4 for gym sessions so that you can maximize ground contact and get superior stability.
Motivation
“If we don’t believe we can reach our goal, we likely won’t,” says runner Sylvie Manaigre. “Positive self-talk and mindset are key.” Be sure to write out your goals to maintain your accountability and see your progress over time. Check out Under Armour’s Flow Velociti Wind 2 running shoes, which digitally connect to MapMyRun, an app that helps you track your running metrics. These shoes are rubberless making them lightweight while maximizing breathability. The outsole is super-durable, increasing ground traction to give you the kind of speed that feels like you have the wind at your back.
Show us how you’re applying these training tips on Instagram and be sure to tag @underarmourca and use the hashtag #UAEastside10K.
