Alas, my marathon came and went.  I was happy that I beat my goal time of 4-1/2 hours.  My finishing time- 4:26:43.  I realized that having a plan prior to the race makes a huge difference as far as running well and safely.  You can read about tips from professional athletes, go through training programs, or read about it in books and magazines.  But what works is really all about trial and error and finding out what works best for you.

I've only ran 3 marathons, but my last marathon was my best run.  Why?  I prepared a plan and followed it.  My plan, however, will probably be helpful to the more competitive, type-A, serious, intermediate, athlete looking to improve their time every race.  That's me.

A week before my race day, I wrote down a strategic plan for my run.  Here is my plan:

Morning of the Run

• Take a quick, warm shower to warm up my body.

• 1-1/2 hours before the race, eat an almond, blueberry jam sandwhich on whole wheat, and a banana. Follow it with a few ounces of an electrolyte drink.

• From my drop-off point at the event, walk briskly for a nice warm-up and find my corral.

• 30-45 minutes before start time, find a porta-potty nearest my corral and stand in line. Once finished, stand in line again even if I don't feel like going because by the time the line reaches the front, I know that I'll probably need to go again. Do this three times.

• After the potty breaks, stand in my corral and start stretching.

During the race

• Drink 4 oz. electrolyte every mile.

• At the aid stations, take only water, take a few sips, and pour the rest on top of my head to keep my core temperature down. (Follow hydration plan especially on a warm day. If weather is cool, drink when thirsty)

• Eat Shot Bloks every 6, 12, 18 miles.

• At mile 21, eat protein bar.

• If I start to cramp, eat more Shot Bloks.

• Keep a comfortable 10-minute mile pace. If I feel tired, don't walk, just run slower; keep posture upright to open chest and breathe.

After the race

• Keep walking.

• Strectch muscles.

• Go to first aid station and get an ice wrap

• Eat a protein bar or peanut butter jelly sandwhich if provided at the event and a banana within an hour of finish time.

• continue to drink water until urine is close to clear

Day after the race

• Don't sit around. Walk and do my normal routine. Walking will help release the lactic acid in my body.

• Continue to drink water to help flush out my system.

2-3 Days after the event

• Get a massage to help relax muscles.

• Get a chiropractic adjustment to get my spine back into health. (Four miles of continuous pounding and wreak havoc on my spine)

This is the plan I studied and followed to prepare me for my race.  It was the first time I've written down a plan, and I think it really helped make my run and recovery a very smooth one.  It helped me.  For everyone else, you'll just have to experiment to see what will work for YOU!