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	Pre-Run Routine

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Having a pre-run routine will help you calm down and give you confidence because it is familiar to you. You don't have to think as much which can be difficult early in the morning. If you are out of town try to take along everything that you will need to stick to this ritual.

I thought it might be helpful especially to new runners to know what I do before a run. As you get more experience you can adjust this to better fit your style.

• Be sure all of your electronics (cell phone, music player, GPS watch) are charged.
• Starting 2-3 hours before my run I’ll drink 16 ounces of water.
• Eat something light and not too much. In the morning this could be a bowl of cereal, oatmeal, bagel, banana, or apple. In the afternoon, a bowl of pasta or rice with butter and salt, sweet potato, or baked potato. If you are running late just have a glass of orange juice.
• Get ready – dress and get all gear ready including stuff from pack list for before, during, and after the run/race. Fill water bottles, sports drink, and nutrition.
• Hopefully sometime during this period you will have a bowel movement. It’s always nice to get that out of the way. I don’t know if it is the water or eating that helps or maybe my body has adapted to my schedule. Worrying about where a bathroom is while you are running is not fun! See Digestive Issues for more information.
• 30 minutes to an hour before the run take 8 to 12 ounces of sports drink. I think of this as the energy that I am going to use in the first 30 minutes of my run. This also serves to make sure you are hydrated.
• 15 to 30 minutes before the run do several minutes of some easy jogging and Dynamic Stretching.
• Check your shoes and retie them if they feel loose. When you first tie your shoes the laces may not be tied pull tight enough, that is the top may be tight, but the middle loose. As you wear them the laces will normalize the tension so retying them will make them a little tighter. But don't tie them too tightly or you could bruise the top of your foot.
• Turn on your GPS watch. Set the virtual partner to the desired pace. For races turn off the auto pause feature because race clocks don't stop for you. During training runs, leave the auto pause feature on for water stops and other interruptions.
• Immediately before the run take an ounce of some kind of nutrition (goo, gel, block, jelly beans, chews). This is the nutrition for the second 30 minutes of my run.
• During my run, I take an ounce of gel at every water aid station (about every 30 minutes) along with water.

The night before, I'll get everything out that I'm going to need and pack it just in case I'm not fully awake in the morning.