Wednesday morning’s run was incredible. I woke up at my normal time of 4:40 am and laced up my shoes and got out the door very quickly. I learned a long time ago it was better to just do it then wait around. Plus, at that time in the morning the more I wait the more inviting my bed begins to look again!
The weather was so wonderful – cool and lot less humid than it had been in a while. I had 7 easy miles on the schedule, and that is exactly what I did. I took it easy, relaxed and enjoyed a music free run. I can’t imagine a better start to my day!
It is tough to get up but that cool morning air really is unbeatable! It is also nice to know I only have one more super early run of the week.
Wednesday nights are always my most anxious day of the week. It is always the night before my tempo run so I end up a little on edge about it. This week my tempo run extends from 7 to 8 miles. It may only be one more mile, but for some reason that extra mile makes me very nervous!
In order to make myself feel a bit more relaxed about tit I started by making sure I got a good dinner in full of both protein and carbs.
It was hard to get it in the picture but I made a chicken stir fry and some pasta with olive oil, herbs and tomatoes. I always try to fix somewhat simple foods before a big run to make sure I avoid any stomach issues. That is the last thing I need when I know I am going to be pushing harder.
I also learned from my even on Saturday, that I need to hydrate, hydrate and hydrate some more.
Every day at work I make sure to drink a minimum of 32 oz of water and then focus on another 32 oz once I get home. This has made all the difference in my runs recently. This is important whether you have a hard tempo run, workout or an easy run that day or the following day.
The other must do’s before a hard workout:
- Lay out all my clothes to make sure I am ready to go the next day. I lay every single thing out including my iPod, Garmin and shoes. There is nothing I have to decide come 4:00 am.
- Foam roll and stretch before bed. When I do this it always make me feel better the next morning.
- Go to sleep! Seriously, sleep is one of the most important things for proper recovery. Don’t miss out on your sleep it is important to make sure you go to bed at a decent time. I used to be horrible at this, but have made it more a focus over the past several weeks and it has made a big different.
- Don’t skip your warm up. Even if it is early or you are short on time make sure you are at least doing a small warm up before getting into it. You want to make sure your muscles aren’t cold to start a tempo run.
- Try to relax. I know it’s hard but part of the battle of tempo runs is staying relaxed. Even when it is hard try to keep your body relaxed and it will help immensely.
Tempo runs are tough, but they are doable if you set yourself up to succeed. Sometimes they don’t work out, but doing the right things ahead of time gives you the best chances of a successful run!
Do you have any rituals you do before a hard run?
What is the run that makes you most nervous throughout the week?
water and sleep!
Great tips! Water makes a big difference for me too.
My interval run makes me the most nervous too! Last night didn’t go as well as I had hoped…despite following all my rituals! I’m feeling extra stretching and foam rolling are in my future tonight 🙂
Great tips! Thanks.
My ritual… I roll my calves at least twice a day and before every run with the Trigger Point Therapy tools. I had a doctor I went to in Austin give me a routine on how to use them. It saved my running career. I get such knots in my calves that I would have given up long runs and stuck with short races (5k/10k) without the tools.
Nerves… I think I used to dread the 20 mile runs of the Hal Higdon plans A LOT – not really a nervousness, but a feeling of dread that I was going to suffer for hours. I like that with Hanson’s, you don’t have those super long runs, but you run every day instead. So right now, I enjoy every type of workout on the training plan and I feel like I am in better shape.
-Run with joy!
My speed work runs make me the most nervous. Not sure why, but its definitely just a mental thing because they usually go pretty well! I just focus on having more carbs the night before a harder run and make sure to drink alot of water and nuun!
Tempos always make me anxious too!
I wish I’d seen this before 9 mile tempo run this morning. While it’s the toughest SOS workout mentally, I also find it the most rewarding. Looking forward to applying some of your advice next Thursday, especially the part about staying relaxed!
Water helps with everything! Sleep is always good too.