LA Marathon Daily Tip #1 of 5

penny the cat
Take a Cat Nap This Week

Sleep, how much do we need before race day? Ah, a million dollar question. The answer is: It depends. You can go by the medical community’s standards defined by the general population’s averages or you can listen to your own body. I know some people need more and some people need less. Some people need to be in bed early the night before a race, where I usually can’t go to sleep early. Everything is individual, figure out what you need.

Ten, eight, seven, six, five hours or less? I like around seven. Do you know many hours of sleep you need to feel great the next day? In your training, have you been paying attention to what you did the night, day and week before a great long run. Have you been burning the candle at both ends? What about napping? Nothing beats a cat nap.

Here’s some sound advice before your big day, “Lighten your schedule this week and plan your sleep.” Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are key sleep nights. As we get closer to the race, nervousness can kick in. Don’t worry about it at this point and sleep the best you can. The night before your marathon is no big deal. Restless nights are typical. I have never had more than 6 hours before a race, closer to 4 – 5 hours. I take my time getting all my stuff laid out the night before so all I have to do is wake up eat and walk out the door.

So sleep well these next few nights. Pay attention to how you really feel each morning. This is the week to rest and take it easy. Keep you runs short, quick and think about recharging. Look for Gary and I at the Expo at the Long Beach Marathon booth and/or Sunday morning.

Sleep Focused,

Steve Mackel, MarathonTraining.TV and the Beach Runner’s Head Coach

February 25, 2008 | Filed Under Marathon Training, Steve's Posts 

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