By training the muscles of the lower body, you can build the leg strength required to help you navigate hilly and technical courses. Explosive power exercises, like plyometric jumps and Olympic-style lifts are very effective for this, but these advanced moves should not be attempted by novices without instruction from a trainer. Beginner-friendly bodyweight lunges and squats are a better place to start.
Boost Your Nutrition
Don't let months of training go to waste because your body is too depleted to perform optimally on race day. Focusing on nutrition throughout the year, but especially during the month leading up to race day, will help you meet the heavy demands you'll be placing on your body. Avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol is paramount, as is limiting your intake of fried foods. Emphasizing lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables will ensure that you not only get the right number of calories, but that those calories contain the vital nutrients your body needs to recover from a workout and refuel for the next one.
More: Top Nutrients for Women Runners
Have Fun
Don't focus too much on performance. When training feels more like a job than a fun pastime, your motivation is bound to sag, and that translates into a worse performance. Even if you train alone most of the time, running really is a social sport. Embrace others in this supportive community, and give yourself over to the hype and hoopla of race day. When training is getting you down, don't forget to look around you, enjoy the scenery and be grateful that you're able to get out and move through this wonderful world on your own two feet.
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