If you’re running this Sunday, here are our top 8 tips for preparing for, pacing yourself throughout and recovering from this year’s City2Surf. Plus all the details for our after party!
Make sure you watch the video from our international running guru, Veronica Wallington, as she takes you through the perfect warm-up and cool-down on race day.
1. Taper Properly
This is important… no long runs this week people! It’s important to keep moving and stay limber but don’t chalk up too much mileage. On the cards for this week: a few cruisy, mid-length street runs, an easy hill session or two (keep it short and nothing too steep) and some quality stretch/yoga sessions. As a guide, training should be about 40-50% of your usual volume and intensity.
2. Stick With Your “Usual” Pre-Run Meal
This one’s important – race day is not the time for experimentation. No matter what’s usually on your plate, that exact meal is the “perfect” fuel for your run on City2Surf day. Putting something exotic/new/different on your plate before one of the biggest races of the year might result in a protesting gut, or more toilet stops than usual… and that is definitely not cool! Go for foods you know your body can digest comfortably and keep it pretty light. A meal that contains a little carb and some protein are perfect and unless you’re well practiced at running with a full stomach, make sure you eat a few hours away from your start time.
3. Don’t Mix Your Drinks During The Race
We’re talking mixing sports drinks with other things here, which is a really bad idea during a long run or race. For example, sports drinks + water can result in a diluted solution in your digestive system, which slows the absorption of carbs and leaves you short on energy mid-race. On the other hand, mixing sports drinks with gels or other energy boosting products is not gonna end well, unless you love visiting portaloos! If you need a little mid-race hydration, stick to either water or one sports drink.
4. Dress For The Occasion
14km of swinging your arms and putting one foot in front of the other can result in chaffing underarms/feet/legs pretty quickly if you don’t choose the right items of clothing. Our top tips: choose seamless garments made from high performance fabrics, wear shoes with a little room in them as your feet swell up over the course of a long race but make sure they’re not brand spanking new trainers, or blisters may be forthcoming. Comfy earphones for your iPod are critical, as are good quality socks that don’t slip under your feet every two seconds – choose socks made from Merino wool (Icebreaker brand socks are great), or coolmax/drifit type socks will help to wick the sweat and moisture away from your feet, minimising any rubbing. Lastly, layer up so you can easily warm up/cool down throughout and after the run.
5. Warm Up Properly
Watch the video for warm up/cool down tips from our running guru, Veronica Wallington. A few quick hints if you don’t have time to watch: On race day, start your warm-up with a slow 5-10 minute jog and a little mental prep, then move on to some dynamic stretching/movement (walking lunges, high knees, butt kicks, side-skips, knee kickouts) and finally, mark out 50-100m and run some speed builds. Now ditch your warm gear and get ready to rumble.
6. Pace Yourself
Don’t go out too hard… the worst thing you can do is start the race at a sprint, desperately try to hang on to some semblance of pace through the middle and then do the “survivor’s shuffle” at the end/over the finish line. Ideally, you want plenty left in the tank by the time you crest Heartbreak Hill. In basic terms, you want to go out a bit slower (don’t worry if loads of people are passing you), pick up your pace through the middle of the run and finish with your strongest/fastest leg of the race.
7. Cool Down Effectively
See our video for a few quality post-race stretching ideas, but generally try to target the calves, quads, hammies, hips, glutes, core and back after a long run. We’ll have personal yogis and massage therapists on hand at our after party (details below) for those of you who want some more personal attention!
8. Party Right!
Post-race rules: rug up, re-hydrate, refuel, stretch… then you can party on through the afternoon.
AGOGA After Party
See you at the finish line athletes! Make sure you come find us at our secret courtyard after-party, where we’ll spoil you with free superfood brekky/treats, hot chai tea, protein shakes from Sunwarrior, coconut water from Raw C, massages and stretch sessions courtesy of Lululemon, a chill zone complete with toasty heaters, a few cheeky beers and most importantly, great company!
Where:
Just a stumble from the finish line. Find the entrance right near Aquabumps/Civic Video on Curlewis Street (number 155 to be precise, close to the corner of Gould St). Look for the red gate with Vicious Cycle written on it. Walk through that gate, down the long alleyway and voila! There you’ll find your crew from Bottoms Up, AGOGA, Lululemon, The Running Co, Sunwarrior, Raw C & a bunch of our other fitness lovin’ friends.
When:
Officially between 9:30am and 12:30pm but stumble in whenever you finish the race, we’ll be there early. First in best dressed with the food!
Who:
You, your family and friends, anyone in our little Bondi community really. Kids are VERY welcome, it’s a nice open space so scooters & toys are also A-OK. And yep, you can still come along and hang out if you haven’t run the race.
Libby Babet
Libby is the founder of AGOGA. She is also the new trainer for Channel TEN’s "The Biggest Loser: Transformed," fitness expert for Women’s Fitness Magazine and 'entertrainer’ for the Hit Network. Libby also founded BUF Girls and Chief Bar.
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looking forward to crossing that finish line…woohoo