When running, the blood vessels in your muscles dilate to allow more oxygen-rich blood to flow to them, just as a hose expands when water runs through it. TRAINING PLANS: Find a Runner’s World Half Marathon Plan to run your first, or fastest, 13.1.Īnother priority in the final days is to increase blood flow to your muscles. "The neuromuscular adaptations you make can result in more motor units being recruited and a more economical use of all your motor units," says Jonathan Dugas, exercise physiologist, athlete and co-author of the blog Science of Sport. The best way to optimize running-specific neuromuscular communication is to run, especially at or near race pace. Optimizing the neuromuscular system-the communication vehicle between your brain and your muscles-requires constant stimulation because the growth and recovery cycle is very short. In contrast, neuromuscular coordination can improve or deteriorate in less than a day. Research has shown that the metabolic changes we gain with training stick around for some time. Gaining-or even maintaining-metabolic fitness (e.g., aerobic development or lactate threshold) is not important in the final 48 hours, because your body will not have time to adapt. In the days before a race, preparing the body to perform doesn't mean training to get stronger or faster. The neuromuscular system is sending signals back and forth quickly between the muscles and brain, muscles are able to activate the maximum percentage of their fibers and fire them forcefully, and your heart is ready to pump oxygen-rich blood where it's needed. This occurs when all the body's systems are functioning as efficiently and effectively as possible. The primary goal in the final two days before a race is to prime the body to perform at its peak level. If you're well-rested, shouldn't you feel better? For every athlete who doesn't cut back enough before a race, there are others who rest too much and lose the edge that had them feeling great during workouts. You've trained, tapered, watched your diet and done your stretching.īut you show up on race day and feel slow and sluggish.
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