NAIL DOWN POST-RACE FITNESS WITH SHORT RUNS
‘MASSAGE TYPE’
After training meticulously for 18 weeks to a year for a race, many people then ask: “Now what?” To avoid suffering from post-race syndrome following your big race, set some new goals for yourself. First and foremost, do not lose the new level of fitness you have attained through your recent training cycle.
This is the time to think of maintaining the level of performance your body has reached as an athlete. The key to maintaining your level of fitness is a maintenance program while you contemplate a new goal.
For the 10K racer, keep your long run in the eight-kilometre (five-mile) range and use your new level of fitness to race some fast 5Ks. Your base training is in place, and you can use the 5K distance to improve your overall self-assurance and speed.
Half marathon runners can schedule a long run of 12 km (7.5 miles) to maintain their endurance. The half marathon runner on the off weekends can schedule in some 10K races to work on strength, speed and self-confidence.
The marathon runner can keep their long run in the range of 16 km (10 mi.). In addition to keeping you in shape, 16 km every other weekend can be a great way to abbreviate your training for the
Give yourself adequate recovery time after a race
next marathon. By maintaining your long run in the 16 km range, you can prepare for the next marathon in as little as 12 weeks. Or you can prepare for a half marathon in six weeks.
Give yourself adequate recovery time after your race — two weeks for a 10K race, three weeks for a half marathon and four weeks for a marathon — before you race any distance or do any high-quality running. You can run, but think of your runs as “massage type” running to loosen the legs.
Select your races sparingly and aim for great results. Run some for time goal achievement and run some for fun. A race can provide the stimulation to compete to your very best level of performance or it can awaken you to the joy of running and the fun, camaraderie and festivities of race day.