February 14, 2010. So, here I was in Austin, getting ready for my first half marathon. As the racing T-shirt so eloquently states, "This seemed like a good idea 3 months ago." I had run 13.1 miles exactly once before...on my treadmill...in my nice comfy indoor home gym. Good enough, I was ready! I thought I'd post some lessons learned from my experience in case any of you decide to actually prepare for your big race ahead of time!
1. Bring an inexpensive warm-up shirt for the start.
In typical newbie fasion, I packed all my brand spakin' new expensive race gear, including my fancy Under Armour pullover. Not wanting to carry it during the race, or bother with bag check, I decided just to tough out the cold in my thin racing shirt. After an hour of convulsive shivering before the start, I had a nice big cramp in my left shoulder, which stuck with me for most of the race. Lots of other racers arrived bundled up in disposable shirts or even trash bags, looking perfectly warm and happy.
2. Plan your arrival time at the race.
Coming from DC, the land of traffic, when I heard "downtown" start, I mentally built in a 2-hr. commuting buffer to arrive at the 7 a.m. start. Thinking I was already slacking, I slept in until 5:30 a.m. and called a cab at 5:45 a.m. But my downtown commute took all of 10 minutes, and I was standing at the start by 6 a.m. Sure, I was first in line at the port-a-john, but did I really need to get up that early? Take a cab, mass transit, or sucker a friend into dropping you at the start. Then sleep in a bit!
3. Energy Replacement is Good.
I typically avoid eating sugar, so the idea of energy gels and sport drinks, in my opinion, fell into the category of uncool. I bought a few gels at the race expo, in case of emergency, but I was determined to stick to just water and electrolyte capsules. Whoops, I forgot to pack my electrolyte capsules, so now it was just me and my H2O. This came back to bite me at mile 13, when my leg cramped, and I was stuck stretching practically in view of the finish line, while hundreds of racers passed me by. Next time, I'm running with coconut water, and a few Clif bloks, which I now consider very cool.
5. Take a picture, so you can brag.
We're all doing this so we can post a picture on Facebook, right? Don't forget to bring your cell phone for a good sweaty picture of yourself wearing a finishers medal. And if you're not too out of breath, call your cheering section when you're about to cross the finish line, so they can get ready to yell for you!
In the end, I crossed the finish line in 02:05:07. Not bad for a first-timer. I have to admit, it was insanely fun, and I went back to my hotel room to scout out my next race!
1. Bring an inexpensive warm-up shirt for the start.
In typical newbie fasion, I packed all my brand spakin' new expensive race gear, including my fancy Under Armour pullover. Not wanting to carry it during the race, or bother with bag check, I decided just to tough out the cold in my thin racing shirt. After an hour of convulsive shivering before the start, I had a nice big cramp in my left shoulder, which stuck with me for most of the race. Lots of other racers arrived bundled up in disposable shirts or even trash bags, looking perfectly warm and happy.
2. Plan your arrival time at the race.
Coming from DC, the land of traffic, when I heard "downtown" start, I mentally built in a 2-hr. commuting buffer to arrive at the 7 a.m. start. Thinking I was already slacking, I slept in until 5:30 a.m. and called a cab at 5:45 a.m. But my downtown commute took all of 10 minutes, and I was standing at the start by 6 a.m. Sure, I was first in line at the port-a-john, but did I really need to get up that early? Take a cab, mass transit, or sucker a friend into dropping you at the start. Then sleep in a bit!
3. Energy Replacement is Good.
I typically avoid eating sugar, so the idea of energy gels and sport drinks, in my opinion, fell into the category of uncool. I bought a few gels at the race expo, in case of emergency, but I was determined to stick to just water and electrolyte capsules. Whoops, I forgot to pack my electrolyte capsules, so now it was just me and my H2O. This came back to bite me at mile 13, when my leg cramped, and I was stuck stretching practically in view of the finish line, while hundreds of racers passed me by. Next time, I'm running with coconut water, and a few Clif bloks, which I now consider very cool.
4. Expect Hills.
In the last 3 miles of the race, I learned the true meaning of Texas Hill Country...a lesson I won't soon forget. Besides running hill training, I now think it's a good idea to practice hills at the END of your long slow distance runs, because you never know where they are going to show up in a race. You have to be able to handle them when you are already exhausted. Pay attention to the course description, and study it ahead of time, so you can know when to brace yourself!5. Take a picture, so you can brag.
We're all doing this so we can post a picture on Facebook, right? Don't forget to bring your cell phone for a good sweaty picture of yourself wearing a finishers medal. And if you're not too out of breath, call your cheering section when you're about to cross the finish line, so they can get ready to yell for you!
In the end, I crossed the finish line in 02:05:07. Not bad for a first-timer. I have to admit, it was insanely fun, and I went back to my hotel room to scout out my next race!
No comments:
Post a Comment