This was one of the first axioms I learned about competitive running. "Sleep 2 nights before is the most important." Can anyone provide me with the science behind this or find a study? I've never seen it referenced in any books, not even Lore of Running, so I question its veracity.
The thought behind sleeping 2 nights before a race is that you might be too nervous or anxious the night before to get as good a sleep as you might get otherwise. So if you sleep well 2 nights before, then any sleep you lose the night before won't hurt you as much.
The 48 hour rule is more important. As my father used to say, no spanking the monkey within 48 hours of a race
What a kick wrote:
The 48 hour rule is more important. As my father used to say, no spanking the monkey within 48 hours of a race
I don't think that's true. I've had sex within 4 or 5 hours of a race multiple times and run well more often than not. Don't know that the sex helps necessarily, but it doesn't seem to hurt.