Bay Training Waits For No One

5 Tips For Those Running Around The Bay

Coined ‘Older Than Boston’, the popular Around The Bay Road Race is well on its way to being a reality for runners on Sunday, March 30^th. Our Fitness Director, Lauren, shares with us some tips on tackling the 30k.

“The 30k is a great distance for those people who aren't quite ready for a full marathon, but they want a taste of something more than a half” she says. “It’s a fantastic race to be part of because the Hamilton community really comes together”, she adds.

This is her third year running the 30k and she has plans to make it her best one yet. Follow her tips for a smooth training regime and fantastic race!

1.       Put Those Kms On The Road

One of the biggest mistakes I think runners make is they look at time over volume. I’m guilty of it too, having time goals for distance races, but if you’re new to long distance, volume is most important. Getting your body used to the stress of running 20-25k is what will help you feel better on race day. I've witnessed experiences with runners who focus too much on speed; the distance really ends up destroying their body for weeks post-race.

2.       Hills, Get On Them

Who doesn't love a little gradient? The last 10k of the race is full of hills, with the biggest one at 25k named ‘Heartbreak hill’. Along with training distance, hills should definitely be on your radar so that your body knows how to respond and you don’t hit ‘the wall’. Keep in mind after ‘Heartbreak Hill’, you still have about 4k to the finish. If you're really nervous, you can always try running on North Shore to give yourself an idea of what's to come.

3.       Cross Train

That pounding of the pavement is very much needed, however, it’s always a good idea to cross-train with another activity. I personally like cycling, I've heard of others who like swimming. Since I took up cycling about six years ago, my running has improved drastically. Since cycling helps you improve your aerobic capacity, I saw gains in my speed without any additional stress to my heart. My recovery was also a lot better.

4.       Enjoy The Process

30k is a fantastic feat, especially for those who have only run small distances. Pay attention to your body, you’ll have good days and not so good days, but keep in mind that all this work is for something amazing. Once you have that medal in your hand, it will all be worth it.

5.       Fuel Up!

Hopefully in your training, you've paid attention to your body enough to know what works for you as pre-run fuel. Personally, my go-to is toast, natural peanut butter, and banana. I've got my carbohydrates, essential for a long run, a little bit of protein, and some sugar from the bananas. As a rule of thumb, don’t incorporate something new into your fuel on race day. As well, during the race, I usually mix my fuel between water and Gatorade. Replacing fluid lost through sweating is essential and failure to do so can have a negative effect on your performance.

Wishing all you runners good luck on the big day! Tweet us and let us know if you're running it! Got more Qs? Lauren is also on Twitter and will be happy to answer them!