Training Tips and Race-Day Prep
Training can be rewarding, challenging, and fun! Here’s a few pointers from our runDisney training consultant Jeff Galloway that can get you moving—and keep you going past the finish line.
Preparing For The Race
Here are the proven strategies for better running form, staying safe, while avoiding injury and exhaustion and safety.
Run Walk Run® Method (RWR)
Take short walk breaks early and regularly during all runs to restore resilience to your muscles, erase fatigue and soreness, and speed recovery. By shifting from a short run to a 30 second walk, you'll extend your endurance by reducing muscle fatigue. This allows the muscles to rebound with each walk break so you’ll run strong at the end—passing other runners. Reports from thousands of half marathoners show a time improvement of 10 to 40 minutes when non-stop runners find the right RWR strategy. Run walk run® can also reduce or eliminate the stress buildup on “weak links” that can prolong recovery and result in injury.
What Is The Best RWR Strategy For Me?
Our large database shows that the best strategies of running to walking are based upon pace per mile and are used by our Galloway pacers in all of the runDisney half marathons and the WDW Marathon. Here is a basic guide taken from the Jeff Galloway App.
- 10 min/mi: run 90 sec/walk 30 sec
- 11& 12 min/mi: run 60 sec/walk 30 sec
- 13 & 14 min/mi: run 30 sec/walk 30 sec
- 15 min/mi: run 15 sec/walk 30 sec
- 16 min/mi: run 10 sec/walk 30 sec
Proper Running Form
Running mechanics are determined by strength, flexibility and body build. There’s no single best way for everyone, but keeping the basic principles in mind can help you avoid aches, pains and lingering tiredness.
The basics:
- Maintain a quick, short stride—overreaching can cause injuries.
- Touch lightly with your foot and don't bounce off the surface.
- Knees should be in line—your feet should strike under your knees, not out front.
- Relax hands and arms in rhythm with your feet. Feet should set the cadence.
- Upright body posture is best for most—don’t lean forward!
Running In The Dark
Because the first hour of the race will be run in the dark, it would help to have at least 2-3 runs during the pre-dawn hour. This also allows you to practice getting your gear ready the night before, finding the right snack and water ingestion strategy, and get used to the challenges of night running.
Safety first! Wear reflective gear—even a headlamp—and run in well-lit areas. If your route is roadside, run facing traffic so you can see what's coming, and keep to a simple route like a loop, which lets you get familiar with all the bumps in the road as you do laps. Plus, you can give your emergency contact an actual location.
Keeping Your Motivation
Don't let boredom or negative mental thoughts hold you back. Use positive mantras and count steps!
Overcoming Off-Days
Eating a snack within 30 minutes or so before a run can boost a low blood-sugar level—and motivation. Are you taking an easy recovery day between runs? It’s during the recovery days that your legs and body rebuild stronger with better performance potential. If you’re having a bad day during a long run—just walk. You will get the same endurance based upon the distance covered.
Make sure you are eating a 100-300 calorie snack right after a run and are eating a balanced diet. It’s not a good idea to cut calories dramatically when you are training for long distance events. Finally, try to drink 4-6oz of water every hour. Not enough calories or chronic dehydration can really affect your performance—as can sleep deprivation.
Positive, Cognitive Mantras Can Counter A Negative Mental Attitude
Every runner has rough runs. Don't give up—take control mentally! Slow down, take a 3-5 minute “reset walk break” and start back with a much more gentle run walk run® strategy using easy run segments that you know are sustainable. Have positive mantras ready, say them, and count your steps. This shifts your brain operation and can cause the negative hormones from stress to go away—at least for a while. Saying positive mantras can lead to positive brain chemicals, to help you to power on!
Connecting with another person can pull you out of a slump. If possible, run or walk with a friend. When this is not possible, call a friend during a tough run for an “energy connection”.
Training Locations
The right running route can improve motivation. Appealing scenery, changing the venue for variety, having courses between home and work for convenience can mean that you get your runs done on more days. For those wanting to improve performance through faster training, try to find a track or park, etc., with measured segments for those workouts.
For more fun, run slowly for the first half of a boring run. Then turn around and pick up the pace and time yourself to see improvement. It’s exhilarating to finish strong.
The Final Preparation
What to do pre-race, day of race and for post-race recovery.
Days Before The Race
In the last 2 days, you can significantly enhance the quality of your performance—and the way you feel afterwards:
- Be positive! Repeat affirmations as necessary.
- Drink! During the 48 hours before the race, consume at least 4 to 6 ounces of water every hour.
- Avoid dehydrating fare like salty food and alcohol.
- Eat easily digestible snacks throughout the day, but avoid a heavy meal the afternoon and evening before the race.
- Rest. Nothing strenuous! Read, watch TV, listen to music—do whatever relaxes you.
Race Day Warm-Up
The walk to the start will get your legs moving nicely. When you get to your corral area, find a part of the corral where you are not confined and can move a bit. Every few minutes, walk a few steps to keep the legs moving. It’s OK to be at the back of your corral because the other runners will have started and spread out before you get to the start line.
- If the crowd is still congested after the race has started, get over to one side of the road that seems less crowded and do your run walk run® strategy as best as possible.
- At some point, the runners will spread out and you can get into your strategy that has worked best.
- Take every walk break from the beginning.
- As you move to the side to take a walk break, wave your hand to signal to others.
- Enjoy the Disney venues, take pictures with your favorite characters. But when you are rejoining the runners after a photo-op, look at the flow and enter the stream when there’s a break.
Cool Down & Recovery
Crossing the finish line with a smile is your ultimate goal, but heed our advice. It's best to keep walking for at least half a mile to avoid cramping. Going to the runDisney refreshments, then the gathering area will take care of this distance—keep moving. Drink about 4 to 8 ounces of fluids. Within 30 minutes of finishing, have a mostly carbohydrate snack (100-300 calories) but it’s OK to have about 20% of the calories in protein. If you can soak your legs in cool water, during the first 3 hours after the race, do so for 10 to 20 minutes. Also, take another walk for 20 to 30 minutes later in the day. The following day, take very easy walk(s) totaling 30 to 60 minutes. Keep drinking 4 to 6 ounces of water (or sports drink) per hour.