North Strides

Pre-marathon thoughts:

It is autumn in Finland like you can see from the picture: super beautiful running sceneries and fresh air, so it has been great to continue running after an amazing summer. New York marathon is getting closer and the countdown + endless weather app refreshing has started now that it is just two weeks before the start.

The temperature should vary between 10C and 20C and at the moment it looks mostly sunny. I have read plenty of NYC marathon “top tips” articles and they all advice to take warm clothing because it is going to be a long and cold wait before the actual start. Coming from a country where winters are usually properly cold and snowy, I am not sure how seriously I should take these tips. Anyhow, since I need to get up early on the marathon day and I am going to be a little bit nervous, it means I will feel cold too. I have usually used just big garbage bags to protect me from wind and rain, but last year in Chicago I was slightly jealous seeing runners wear bathrobes, thick sweaters etc. It looks like I don’t have any old clothes to take with me, so maybe I need to go and buy some used ones. What you take to the starting area, you will either have to leave there or carry with you until the finish line. And that is why you don’t want to wear your newest gear to keep you warm for a few hours.

Two weeks before the marathon I usually still have a pretty normal weekly training, but with a couple of more resting days. 12 days before the race I ran 4x4k below marathon pace plus warmup and cooldown. Then a relaxed 12k 10 days before and still 22k 8 days before the marathon. Next week it is just going to be two short runs, one of which at a marathon pace. This works for me the best. I also have a massage a week before the marathon to ensure my leg muscles are not too tight, but also to ensure my shoulders stay down and thus allow me to keep a good running posture.

Like mentioned in the previous post, during the marathon week I pay specific attention to what and how much I drink and eat. Starting from Monday I measure the amount of water I have and for a Sunday race I eat more carbs (min 400g) on Thursday and Friday (sometimes starting this already on Wednesday).

More to come next week just before the race when I am in New York.