Upper body strength is a help, but lifting in the days right before a race isn't going to help you...it's what you've done in the several MONTHS leading up to the race.
Breath-rights are kind of a fad item...maybe they help get air in, maybe not. Problem is your ability to supply your muscles with oxygen is not limited by your breathing (unless you're asthmatic) but by the conditioning of your cardiovascular system to deliver it to your muscles. This is especially true in the 1600m/mile.
With only days to go, not a lot you can do except make sure you don't go out too fast. And don't eat anything too close to the race (within 2hr or so).

trance4mation Said:

"The best 1600m runner needs alot of strength, particularly in the arms.
If you noticed, its your arms that give up in distance races, not your lungs.
Your arms swing fast during the first few minutes in a distance race. Then your arms start to get tired of swinging,and you start to slow down.
My advice would be to do alot of weight lifting a couple weeks before a race"

I have to disagree with you on this one. Strength is required for the 1600, but its power that really gets the job done. When I benched pressed 105 lbs, and curled 80 lbs (both hands) I ran 4:32 (converted from a 1500m). Don't get me wrong, arms are important (if you don't believe us try runnig a 400m sub 70 with your arms behind your back), but there not the only way to decrease your mile time. Plyos and speed training will get you there too!

Lifting the last couple of weeks before a meet will get you no where. Strength gains take time. If you are committed to putting a lifting into your program you should sit down with someone knowledgeable (CSCS or NCSA are strength and conditioning certifications that you can check for) and have them map out a yearly plan for you. Just hitting the weight room can do as much damage as good.

Sorry about the lengthy posts but I love this stuff!

Food: I recommend my athletes eat a 30/30/40 diet (30% of calories from fat, 30% from Protein, 40% from carb). There are others out there, but this one is almost always included in lists of healthy diets. DO NOT USE ATKINS OR SOUTH BEACH!!! When choosing foods, whole grain are better, veggies over fruits, though I don't think fruits are bad. Avoid/limit processed food and especially processed sugar. If you make drastic changes to diet, do it in the off season. Even switching to a healthier diet can have negative affects on your running at first.

Finally, remember, an athlete usually needs a lot more calories that a normal person. (I averaged 4000+ a day when I ran in college).

yas, its a great time for a freshman whos just startin indoor. i ran a 5:09 my first meet, then i dropped it to about a 4:53 by the end.