Luke Lombardo. Photo: Courtesy of Da Ping Luo
Luke Lombardo is an experienced running coach in NYC with an impressive seven marathons under his belt. He has the power to make you fall in love with running with his exuberant passion and infectious attitude for helping others become better at not just fitness, but at life! Look for him coaching runners for the Mile High Run Club during the week or this weekend buzzing past you somewhere along the race route! Below, Luke shares with us his best tips to get you ready for the big day!
-Dr. Laura Miranda, DOWNTOWN Magazine’s Fitness Editorial Director
In just a few short days, over 50,000 runners will be lined up in Staten Island waiting to cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to begin their 26.2 mile journey across all five boroughs of NYC. Are you going to be one of those lucky runners on November 2nd? Are you starting to feel the pre-race jitters? While a little bit of anxiety is completely normal leading up to the marathon, I have some helpful tips that will assuage your fears during the last few days before the race!
1) STICK TO THE SCHEDULE!
The two or three weeks leading up to the marathon are referred to as part of “tapering time.” So once you hit the last few days before the race, you will have already decreased your mileage and intensity of training in order for your body to be rested and ready for the race! It is imperative to not get antsy and go out really hard on a training run days before the marathon or add a bunch of mileage because you are nervous about being prepared. It is necessary to give your body some time to heal, as it will undergo quite an extensive feat this Sunday! It is recommended to not run in your last 48 hours before the race. Spend that time stretching, foam rolling, and conserving energy!
2) DON’T “FUEL UP” ON SOMETHING YOU HAVEN’T TRIED BEFORE
This is not the time to try the brand new energy bar that just came out that proclaims it provides your body with “unlimited endurance.” Don’t buy into any gimmick last minute! The days leading up to the marathon can be stressful enough and you want to refrain from putting any extra stress on your GI tract as well! Stick to what you already know works for you and your stomach.
3) STAY HYDRATED, STAY OFF YOUR FEET AND GET SOME SLEEP!
It is very important to consider hydration and sleep for the entire week leading up to the marathon. Anticipate that it will be difficult to get an amazing night of sleep the night before, so make an effort to get at least 7 hours of sleep as many nights before the race as possible! Furthermore, just because you aren’t actively running doesn’t mean standing all day won’t tire you out. Take into consideration how often you are standing, especially 48 hours prior to the race. Trust me, you’ll be on your feet enough Sunday morning! For now, give them a rest and drink up!
4) HAVE A REASONABLE “GOAL” AND “REACH”
This tip is especially for my first timers! You’ve gone through all of your essential runs at this point and you know how you performed. Be realistic about your goal finishing time based on your training. My advice is to have a goal time in which you have realistic expectations that you will finish in X hours, but also have a “reach” time that gives you something to strive for (note that this reach time should still be a realistic time!)
Finally, don’t stress! You’ve been training hard, you got this! Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy every moment of it, as running the NYC Marathon is the event of a lifetime! Good luck everyone!
-Luke Lombardo*
*Luke Lombardo’s first loves are running and fitness, as witnessed by his credentials as a personal trainer, running coach and fitness writer. Luke has been a dedicated athlete from a very young age. He belongs to a running team in NYC and has also run marathons for numerous charities, raising money for children as well as for ALS. Currently he has a record high of placing 16th in his age group for the LA Marathon. Luke is a run coach and trainer at Mile High Run Club and Brooklyn Bodyburn. Find Luke on Facebook and Twitter.
