For many Philadelphians, the annual Independence Blue Cross Broad Street Run is the event of the season—a chance to run the 10-mile length of the city’s central north-south artery, see the urban landscape in a new light and perhaps set a personal record along the way.
For beginners or pros, there’s plenty that runners at all levels can do to gear up for this or any other major running event. And it’s not just about physical training.
In a free public lecture on April 15, three Drexel experts will offer their top 10 tips for the 10-mile run in each of three domains: nutritional, psychological and physical training. The event is the second in a new quarterly series of running lectures offered by the Drexel University Center for Running Performance and Research in the College of Nursing and Health Professions and will be held in Center City Philadelphia as well as webcast live online.
What will the experts have to say? As a preview for the event, here are a combined top 10 running tips to prepare physically and mentally for the 10-miler (or the run of your choice).
- Physical training: “Taper” means reduce; not catch up on the training you didn’t do.
- Nutrition: Hydrate adequately the night before. Over-hydrating the day of the event can lead to electrolyte imbalances and discomfort.
- Sports psychology: Plan how you’re going to mentally handle fatigue.
- Nutrition: Eat a pre-run breakfast 30 minutes before the race to fill your fuel tank with carbohydrates for energy.
- Physical training: Epsom salts and tape can really make you faster!
- Sports psychology: Be aware of your thoughts – think positively.
- Nutrition: Don’t avoid salt. The longer you exercise, the more sodium will be lost in sweat. After a workout replenish your sodium stores with pretzels or by choosing a higher sodium sports drink.
- Sports psychology: Set some structure for yourself for the run.
- Physical training: When the race is over, it is NOT time to hit the couch!
- Across the board (and all the way down Broad): Enjoy the race!
Sarah M. Whitman, MD, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry in Drexel’s College of Medicine, will expand on the above and more sports psychology tips, helping attendees make their run easier and more enjoyable through the use of mental toughness skills.
Nyree Dardarian, RD, director of Drexel’s Center for Integrated Nutrition and Performance, will help attendees realize the role nutrition plays in attaining peak performance as well as race recovery.
And Kevin Gard, PT, DPT, OCS, clinical professor and director of the doctoral program in physical therapy in Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions, will share how training strategies, strength programs and running form modification can prevent injuries. For more information about the personalized assessment services available at Drexel to help runners improve their form and prevent injuries, see DrexelNow and the Center for Running Performance and Research site.
Parkway Health & Wellness Running Lecture
The free running lecture will be held Wednesday, April 15, 2015, from 6 pm to 7:15 p.m. on Drexel’s Center City Campus, New College Building, Geary B Auditorium,
245 N. 15th Street. It will also be webcast live online and available via archived webcast for later viewing.
Click here to register to attend the free lecture in-person or via live webcast.
For more information about the event, call 215.571.4287.
To view the previous lecture in the series, “Maximizing Your Running Performance,” click here and view the links in the right sidebar.
Members of the news media interested in interviewing a Drexel expert about running should contact Rachel Ewing, re39@drexel.edu or 215.895.2614.
