Should I avoid exercise in the hours before a half-marathon?

WobblyDog

I do the occasional half marathon, and usually finish within a few minutes of 2 hours, so I'm far from an elite athlete. I travel to most events by car or train, so don't exert myself much beforehand.

There's one event which is about 4 miles from where I'm stay, and I usually walk or slowly jog to that. In that event, I seem to run out of energy around 8 miles, which generally doesn't happen in other events. I've tried eating Jelly Beans during the event but it didn't help much. Could I be substantially depleting my Glycogen stores (or something) by doing any kind of endurance exercise like this immediately before the event?

stephen77

WobblyDog wrote: »

I do the occasional half marathon, and usually finish within a few minutes of 2 hours, so I'm far from an elite athlete. I travel to most events by car or train, so don't exert myself much beforehand.

There's one event which is about 4 miles from where I'm stay, and I usually walk or slowly jog to that. In that event, I seem to run out of energy around 8 miles, which generally doesn't happen in other events. I've tried eating Jelly Beans during the event but it didn't help much. Could I be substantially depleting my Glycogen stores (or something) by doing any kind of endurance exercise like this immediately before the event?

Go by car if you want to do well.


Rest for a few days before will help as well.
Save your energy and glycogen for the race.

Newdirections

I would not do exercise 4-5 days before a HM (not even light jogging). I am of a similar fitness level to you by the sounds of it

indesisiv

Personally I would recommend a mile or 3 a couple of days before, just gently to keep the body ticking over.
But do wind it down in the week before.

I would def not jog to the start of a half marathon.

jenniewb

Warm up and do a few dynamic stretches, but I'd leave the running and and cardio beyond an aerobic level (eg anerobic exercise) off the list. Your warming up will probably take around 10-20 minutes and literally be just that- to get your circulation flowing and to ease your joints enough. Dynamic stretches will help further but they shouldn't take more than around 5 -10 minutes pre-race.


But at the end of the day OP, you know your own body best, it just depends where you're at really and what your aims are for the marathon.