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TRAINING TIP
The Art of Taper

Tapering before the biggest race of your life can be unnerving at best, detrimental at worst. Runners who learn that tapering is more of an art than science often begin to respect the tapering process rather than just disliking it all together. The trick to tapering is keeping the body alert for race day battle, but not overworked so that you feel flat on the big day.

If there's one piece of advice I have it's this: stay on schedule. Example: for weeks you've been running long runs on Sunday, long intervals on Tuesday, and short speed work on Fridays. An ideal taper keeps those elements in place but incorporates a gradual reduction of total volume per session. Sunday's run becomes 15 instead of 20. Tuesday becomes 3 times a mile instead of 6, and so on.

Tapering is not always about taking away. It's about keeping the core principles of your training intact with a gradual reduction. Good luck.


- Keith Dowling
Race Director
2:13 marathoner

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Runner's World Race Day Documentary, National Half Marathon Challenge

Half Marathon ChallengeThey're three runners with three goals, culminating in one race: the 2008 SunTrust National Half Marathon. As they train, Deb, Kate and Valdi are recording their progress on RunnersWorld.com via blog posts and weekly videos. A documentary crew will also be on location race day morning, following the Challenge participants and chronicling the final steps in this inspirational journey.

Now you can not only read their full stories in the August 2008 issue of Runner's World magazine, but also have the chance to catch a glimpse of yourself running through the streets of DC as Runner's World completes the National Half Marathon Challenge with a race day documentary.

For more information - CLICK HERE
ONLINE STORE
2008 Online Store
The SunTrust National Marathon online store is now open. Browse through the pages of our online store for great SunTrust National Marathon apparel for race day and gear to commemorate your run.

Reebok is the official outfitter of the 2008 SunTrust National Marathon & Half Maraton.

To visit the National Marathon Store - CLICK HERE

REGISTRATION INFORMATION
REGISTRATION IS STILL OPEN

Registrationfor the 3rd Annual SunTrust National Marathon and Half Marathon is open until March 28th, the day before the event. Don't miss out on the opportunity to run on the streets of our nation's capital.

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SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
The Red Bull Negative Split Challenge

Red Bull not only gives you Wiiings, it also could help your performance at the SunTrust National Marathon. Red Bull would like to wish all the participants of the SunTrust National Marathon a great race. And because a negative split is always a positive, wings will be available at miles 13.1, 19, and 23.5. A year's supply of Red Bull will go to the runner with the most improved negative split time over the final 13.1 miles of the marathon.

To get your results, visit NationalMarathon.com after the race.
MARATHON NEWS
Back Again for 2008 - Active Release Techniques Available at Expo

ARTART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. ART will be available, and complimentary, for SunTrust National Marathon Runners at the Health and Fitness Expo on Friday, March 28th, at the DC Armory. Complimentary treatment will also be available on race day near the medical tent.

The SunTrust National Marathon would like to thank doctors from the Greater Washington Region for providing this service.

For a full list of ART providers who will be on site the event and for more information on ART - CLICK HERE
FEATURED RUNNER
Samia AkbarSamia Akbar, an All American and eight-time school record holder at American University, is now one of the U.S.'s brightest distance prospects. Her personal bests include a 2:34:14 marathon and 1:13:12 half marathon performance, both in 2006. Akbar lives in Herndon, Virginia and works as a part-time teacher. She was named a Road Runners Club of America Roads Scholar in 2006.

She was invited and welcomed into the National Half Marathon elite field of women using the race as a tune-up for the Women's Marathon Olympic Trials in Boston this April.
VOLUNTEER INFORMATION
VOLUNTEER NOW

Would you, or someone you know, like to Volunteer for the 2008 SunTrust National Marathon? As always, feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone who may be interested, or point them to the National Marathon website.

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As always, good luck to everyone in their training and preparation for the 2008 SunTrust National Marathon & Half Marathon!

Keith Dowling
Race Director - SunTrust National Marathon