Race Media

Its race week !!! Preparations for MSIG HK50

Few tips from ultra runner Vlad Ixel

 

So all the hard work has been done, all the long hours on the trails and roads are now behind us, our bodies are now ready to take on the challenge in front of us, but get the last few days before the race wrong and you might not achieve your full potential during the race.

Here are a few tips to make the most of tapper time during race week so your body is at its best on race day.

 

Monday, I would do a max heart rate work out for about an hour, and I would run it a flat trail.

-2km slow

-1km at 10k race pace

-1km slow

-1km at 10k race pace

-1km slow

-1km at 5km race pace

-1km slow

-1km at 10k race pace

-2km slow cool down

 

I would also cut a little bit of the carbs in my diet and increase protein

 

Tuesday, I would do a tempo run, I would never follow a speed session with a tempo session but I know I would have few very light days to follow so this can be done.

-3km slow warm up

-5km at half marathon pace

-5 times 1 min hills repeats

-3km slow cool down

 

And again slow down on my carbs in my diet and have a lot of protein.

 

Wednesday, I might do a light 5km run depending on how I’m feeling after the speed session on Monday and the tempo on Tuesday, If I feel like my legs need a break and they feel heavy I might instead choose to have a full rest day on Wednesday. 

Diet wise I would increase electrolytes intake and still be having a bit less carbs in my diet .

 

Thursday, light 5km run, I would do this run at the same time the race starts so my body will start getting ready to be running at that time of the day, I would also eat race day breakfast and will increase carbs in my diet while reducing protein intake.

 

Friday day before the race, I would again do a light 3km run at race time and have the same breakfast as I plan to have during race day, I would eat more carbs on Friday but never push in food, carb loading means one plate of pasta not three plates, you don’t want to start the race heavy. On Friday I would try and get as much rest as I can during the day and go to sleep a bit earlier then usual.

 

Race day, I would get up 3 hours before the start and have my breakfast 2 and half hours before start time, I would have a hot shower to wake my body up and drink sports drinks and water till an hour before the race, at which point I stop drinking and might just have few sips.  For a shorter race I would have a gel 5 min before the start. I would also get to the race about an hour before start time so I can have a good warm up and not stress about enabling me to start the race relaxed and calm.

 

After the race I would get in as much healthy food as I can and drink water sports drinks for the next 2 days to make sure my body recovers right and gets back all it has lost during the race. I would do a light few km’s the day after the race even if it really hurts it helps to get blood flowing and help with recovery.

 

Vlad Ixel is a running personal trainer and an ultramarathon runner from Australia who has won in 2014  TNF 100km in Thailand and Singapore as well as a 3^rd place finish at the Vibram 100km race in Hong Kong.

Vlad recently moved to Hong Kong and will be training many runners to take their running to the next level.

 

Contact Vlad via Facebook, www.vladixel.com or on 551 10926 for training info and personal and group training.