If you are planning a spring half-marathon or marathon it is likely you’ve been training for a few weeks already, or you are about ready to start training. How exciting!
As you are focused on starting or continuing your training for the big day this spring, we wanted to give you a few things to make sure you are ready for the big race:
Book Your Hotel Room Now
Seeing your race may be several hours away and you plan to stay the night before, you should book your hotel room if you haven’t already. Rooms fill up fast so get this done now so you don’t have to sleep in your car the night before.
Good Form Running
Some think Good Form Running is only for beginning runners, but that is not the case. Runners of all levels can gain some insight from this class, as Ben did before running the Bayshore Marathon last year. Read Ben’s testimonial to see how it helped him focus on the race.
Have a Race Plan
Think ahead to the day of your big race and how you want it to go. Everyone knows mile 22 can be challenging as you are so close to finishing yet this when most people bonk and may even drop out of the race. Be ready not only physically but also mentally for when you get in this situation and how you are going to react and push yourself through the challenging times to finish strong and meet your goals.
Determine Your Race Nutrition
Running a longer race you will want to make sure you include your nutrition in your race plan. Are you going to fuel with a technical brand like Gu, or a more all-natural approach like Huma or Stinger? This is an important decision to make, and also takes some testing during your training to make sure you fuel the right amounts at the right times to perform at your peak level.
Listen to Your Body
A sore muscle here or there can quickly turn into something much more serious, so pay very close attention to your body and how you are feeling. An unplanned day of rest may not be desirable but will be better in the long run than stressing your body more than it can handle, so be ready to make adjustments as needed to take care of yourself so you won’t get injured before the race.
Watch Your Shoes
As you are racking up the miles on your shoes during your training make sure you replace them before your feet start hurting, which is usually a sign you should have replaced them all ready. You probably know how many miles you can get out of your shoes by now from past experiences, so don’t try to extend the life of your shoes more than you know you can as you don’t want to risk injury. Here are some things to look out for when your shoes start to go bad.
What to Wear
Ok, so it’s not like you are planning your wardrobe for a wedding or anything like that, but what you wear on race day is super important to being comfortable and performing your best. Whether you are going to wear your favorite outfit or check out the new spring arrivals that will soon be on shelves, you should test out whatever you decide to wear on a longer run so you don’t get any surprises on race day.
There you have it! Think about these things now to ensure your spring marathon is a wonderful experience and goes as planned, well, as much as you can plan anyway.