(or Things I Think Are Important to Remember in a Marathon)
Wear clothes you've run in before. You never know how a funky seam, bunching or shifting, or even a different length in new apparel is going to affect your performance. Wear comfortable clothes you like that aren't smelly.
Don't wear brand new shoes. If you've been sporting kicks for 500+ miles, it's probably best to have a newer pair, but if that means getting them the day before the race, skip it. Just wear the old shoes. You want to try to have at least two weeks in the shoes you're using in the marathon
Have a hydration plan. If you aren't carrying water with you, then take a look at the marathon's water stops. Plan accordingly. If it's hotter than normal on the day of your race, take more water. Drink from each water stop and throw some water on yourself, too. Also, when drinking from paper cups, pinch the cup to close it off so it doesn't splash, then drink out of the pointy side of the fold.
Have a nutrition plan. Find out if the marathon is supplying any kind of energy gels, snacks, etc. If you haven't trained with that stuff, don't try it for the first time at the race. Take your energy gels with you and use those instead.
Double-knot your shoelaces.
Go to the bathroom before the race. If it's a big city marathon, plan to get in line more than a half hour in advance. You may have to wait for awhile.
Lay out your race outfit the night before the race.
Charge your Garmin before the race!
Make sure you have a friend out on the course who can hold up a silly sign for you. It might just give you the push you will need.
Relax and enjoy the work you put in to make this event possible! Have fun!
Miles today: 3.0
Miles this week: 5.0
Miles in 2010: i give up
refer to 1:46 to see a clip from the song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" which I can't seem to get out of my head.
possibly because it's been so darn cold.
I met Shelley for a run this morning at Percival's Island. It was pretty cold. I wore long tights for the first time since the Old Man came to visit.
I also was wearing these:
which might just be my favoritest running gloves ever.
Now, you are reading about someone who typically wore gloves that you get from the dollar store (those little knit one-size-fits-all shrink-up and not fit between your fingers and feel the wind when it blows gloves) so any glove would definitely be an improvement.
However, I got these gloves from Riverside Runners sometime in 2009 and I have to say that they are surely the most amazing little trinkets ever.
They are made by Saucony and they're called the "Ulti-Mitt" haha...get it...the "ultimate" running glove/mitten!
Features include:
5-finger gloves that have a fingertip opening in both the thumb and index finger (great for touch phones, tying shoes, picking nose, etc. so you don't have to take off your whole glove.
a wind-resistant mitten shell that stows in a pocket on the back of each hand or pulls out to create an extra mitten layer over your glove layer (great for the beginning of the run to warm up and then tuck away once your hands get warm).
an L.E.D. light in a little pocket on the back of one glove that goes from steady to blinking to "off" and provides just enough light for you to see if you need to find your keys, for someone else to see you when you're running at night, or even if you're scared of a dog and you need to light the path ahead so you can see it as it runs up to maul you.
a fleecy-soft panel on the top of your hand that's made for a dripping nose. (literally, you can wipe your nose on it)
fasteners that clip together so you can store your gloves as a pair (you all know you lose gloves if they don't stay together...they're just like socks and we all have a sock cemetery)
reflectivity panels
Anyway, I love, LOVE, LOVE these gloves and recommend them to everyone.
The glove has been updated and is now called the Ulti-Mitt II. Biggest change is that the LED light is now rechargeable in a USB port on a computer. How great is that? (the old model just would need a new watch-size battery).
We have some at the store and I just ordered some more. Check them out. They'll be in by Friday, December 17, they make great gifts, and they're only $40.00. Come in two colors: black and blaze orange (vizi-pro).
Back to the run: Shelley and I ran on the blackwater creek trail at Percival's and it was cold. We had great conversation...I'm pumped too because I'm going to her work tomorrow (L'Arche) to bake cookies with her peeps. Should be a blast.
Go to the bathroom before the race. If it's a big city marathon, plan to get in line more than a half hour in advance. You may have to wait for awhile.
