Run a faster mile by preparing for it ahead of time.
Running a faster mile is all in the preparation. It's the small things that add up. It's proper nutrition and weight control. Its giving your body what it needs to perform at its highest level. Listen to your body, get to know it's intricacies and fine-tune it to get that extra second and shatter your own personal barrier.
Carbo Load
Your body needs fuel to perform at its peak level. For deep muscle fuel eat carbohydrates the night before your run. A good choice is fried rice or noodles from your local Chinese restaurant. Some athletes have even made this a ritual, engaging in it before every race. After dinner, don't snack.
Eat Light
In the days leading up to your run, eat light. Focus on wheat bread, vegetables and whole grain. Avoid things that are hard to digest like beans and red meat. The idea is to go into your run without carrying any extra baggage. If possible time your morning elimination so that you can go into your run with a completely empty system.
Hydrate
The night before your run, drink plenty of your favorite sports drink. Sports drinks are actually better than water for this purpose because they contain added electrolytes. Drink at least one 32 oz. bottle in the evening before bed. If you have to get up during the night because of it, that's okay, it only means you have properly hydrated yourself.
Lose Weight
Nothing can help you run faster than losing weight, however you choose to do it. Lose at least 10 pounds and you will run faster. Results are based on your individual power-to-weight ratio. Your body is accustomed to a given weight. When you lose weight, your power and endurance go up. Don't lose enough weight to be anemic, but enough to make you feel lighter without giving up energy.
Warm Day
Run on a warm day. All records are set on warmer days. Muscles perform better when they are warm and the air is actually lighter and easier to move through when it's warm. Cyclists, sailors, pilots and cross-country endurance runners have known this for many years.
Stretch
Stretch before you run. Take at least ten minutes to stretch anyway you want. Stretching feels good and loosens up your muscles for quicker starts off the line. In addition, it opens up the muscle fibers to take in more blood enriched oxygen faster.
Coffee
Caffeine has been used for many years to get the heart rate up before a run. One cup of coffee has about 80 milligrams of caffeine. That's just enough to give your cardio system a slight boost without sending you into overdrive. Some athletes can tolerate far more than this, but start out with only one cup.
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