"There's no such thing as bad weather. Just soft people."
- Bill Bowerman, legendary coach guy
In the midst of all this hurricane business, I hear a theoretical tiny, tinny, whiny voice crying out, "But what if it's raining?" Easy - we run in it. Aside from lightning, there's no reason not to run in the rain, and every reason to do it.
Races are run rain or shine - they, like us, will only cancel for lightning or major meteor strike at the start/finish area. What good would it do you to train in ideal conditions, just to show up and have to run in the rain? Very little. And if you think you're not all hardcore about running a race - when you slap down your money for a race, you'd be pretty lame to turn tail and go home because it's raining.
It's an exercise in commitment - If you're going to let moisture stop you from training and putting in the work, then what else are you going to let stop you? Not having clean socks? Everyone Loves Raymond reruns? Do you want to be someone who gives in that easily? Do you want to be someone that loves Raymond? No, you don't.
It's freakin' epic - Pounding the pavement or the track or the trail in a downpour, you feel like you're in the middle of a Rocky training montage, or in the climactic scene of a movie. Leave the iPod at home, because you can pretty much hear the orchestra churning along with you. People drive by, and those that don't "get it" may think you're an idiot, but the many who do "get it" will think you're a bad-ass, and maybe they'll think about their own level of commitment.
So, tomorrow, we run, and take pictures, rain or shine - anything but lightning, a decision I'll make at 6:30.
All this is not to say you shouldn't be prepared. Bring dry clothes and shoes to change into afterwards. Wet shoes and socks make for wet skin, which increase the chances of blistering - use some Bodyglide or Vaseline on your arches and anywhere else you tend to rub in your shoes.
It's gonna be fun, really.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
3M Race Plan
Again, this is a bit of cut and paste from last year. Why? Because it was right the first time.
The Approach - You have to put every race you run into the larger context of your training.
Half marathoners, this is, for some of you, your first half marathon. You just want to get through it safely and relatively happily. You'll have Austin three weeks later, which is enough time to recover, if you don't go absolutely nuts and blast yourself too hard on Sunday. I consistently see half marathoners actually run faster on the harder course in February than they were at 3M, just because they had that first experience under their belt, and because they benefit from more of a taper. So, appreciate this for what it is, work hard, but know that your true goal race still lies ahead.
For the marathoners - you really have to be disciplined about running this race, if you want to do alright at the marathon. Read the article by Mac Allen in Austin Runner. You all saw what Mercedes had to say about it. Hell, ask just about any coach in the city, they'll tell you that especially as a beginner, racing 3M hard is likely to derail your marathon effort. Period. Anyone who doesn't believe that and thinks they know better is a fool, period. I know, because I have been that fool every year, regardless of what I've preached. That shiny, three-week-old half marathon PR doesn't mean squat when you're walking the last chunk of the marathon.
That's not to say you shouldn't run it, but you have to be disciplined. I'd like to see the marathoners run it at MGP, no faster. You want to see how fast you can run a half marathon, run Zooma in April, or wait until next year. Your focus is the marathon, period.
At the race, and in these final weeks, you need to be aware of your body and conservative in what you do with it - this is a lousy time to get injured. If you have a problem now, talk to me about it. If a problem arises during the race, you've gotta be mature enough to assess it honestly, and put it and the race in perspective.
OK, let's talk about the race and the course. I think planning is one of the funnest parts of this sport. You get to play general, plotting and scheming your battle. For those of us that are prone to obsessing about a race, it's better to focus that energy on something useful than to sit around imagining that there are little gnomes planting explosives in your knee. Or something like that.
You have hopefully all reviewed the race preparation guide I posted. Some of you are prone to blowing things off, thinking it's not a big deal. Eventually, that will bite you in the gluteal region. Just humor me and do the prep work this week, OK?
OK, the course...
The start - Take it easy. It’s that simple. Unless you’re unusually experienced and disciplined, if you’re supposed to run 10 minute miles in a race, and you try to start at that, you’re going to run faster. Getting too swept up in the adrenaline and excitement, the press of thousands of runners, can all add up to an early critical error in your race. Going out too fast might not just be a simple mathematical fix of going slower later - you could burn yourself up, or at least take longer to get into your rhythm. And recovering from going out :30 or a minute too fast is not a simple matter of addition and subtraction - there's a multiplier effect, such that going out at a pace to break two hours might mean you come in at 2:20 when you could have/shoud have run a 2:10.
Do not bother trying to dodge around people - you’ll just burn energy. Look ahead, and pick a path through people that doesn’t have you darting around too much. This is not the Komen 5K. You have time, and the crowds will thin.
Watch your feet - People will be discarding clothing and plastic garbage bags - don’t trip on them. If you’re ditching clothing, for God’s sake, throw it safely off the road.
The first mile has you going north on Stonelake. It’s basically flat, but with some slight incline - only about 40 feet over about half a mile. At this point, that doesn’t matter - just relax, enjoy the start, and try to get into a rhythm.
Mile 2 - Running south on Jollyville should feel somewhat good. There’s about 50 feet of climb over the course of a mile - nothing to worry about.
Miles 3 and 4 - Running south on Mesa should still feel pretty good, because it’s somewhat flat. There’ll be some spectators here.
Miles 3.5-5 - This stretch down Spicewood Springs is fun, beginning about a 170-foot drop in elevation up through mile six. BUT, it’s also a great place to blow your race. You don’t want to go pounding down this. We’ve all learned that running downhill can still wear you out - moving your legs at a faster rate can easily overwhelm the benefit that gravity is giving you, giving you a net energy loss. On the other hand, if you try too hard to control your speed, you can break your rhythm and wear out your quads. Try instead to just relax and just hold your pace, taking advantage of the downhills to conserve your energy. This early in a race, it’s better to bank energy than time. And besides, on a decent downhill, you’re still going to get a little time benefit, whether you intend to or not.
The bagpiper is usually around here, too...
Miles 6-6.5 - Count your blessings. After a sharp right onto Shoal Creek, and a sharper right onto Foster, you spend just a few blocks on Great Northern. Consider this a fairly mellow part of the run - just stay on pace and cover this middle distance. Shake your arms out, relax your neck, shoulders, legs and feet, and just run.
Miles 6.5-8.5 - This is the long stretch down Burnet Road. There’s a minor but longish incline, here, but you guys have had slightly more hill training than most groups probably have. You’ll do fine. Stay relaxed, keep your hips under you, and enjoy this stretch - there are usually plenty of crowds here. In the last half mile, you get rewarded with a long downhill, but again, use this to relax and recharge, because you have a couple of long climbs coming up...
Miles 8.5-10 - North Loop - the long incline. But most everyone in this group has run it at least 3-4 times just in the past six months, if not more. You know it, you’ve beaten it time and time again, even after more distance and more hills. Just hold your pace and your form, and get up it. Around 10, you get another climb, but grind through it - you’re about to get this course’s big reward.
The Big Finish -
At mile 10, you'll be turning right off of North Loop's long incline, onto Duval, beginning a great 3.2 mile fast stretch of downhills and flats to the finish. It’s almost a 200 foot elevation drop, a lot of it coming in a couple of smooth drops.
There are still occasional fluctuations, where there’ll be a slight incline for a block or so. Just ride through them, knowing another drop is coming.
Here's where you can take a look at how you feel, and decide whether to turn it up or not. If you do increase pace, do it gradually. Don't go from 11:30 per mile to 11:00 unless you are darned sure you can hold that for 3 miles. The best plan is to try to pick up 5-10 seconds in mile 11 and 12, with the option to crank it up a little more in the last mile.
I like to pick several “go points” near the end of a race, where I think the factors will come together to make for a good place to boost my speed a bit. I ran a 5K last once seriously hung-over. The first mile was a struggle. But, I hit my first go point, where for a week, I had known it was where I would make my move (insofar as I ever have “a move”). Being psychologically prepped for that made a tremendous difference, and I was able to pull out a PR.
The stretch through campus can be challenging - the crowds get sparse, and it gets relatively quiet, and you lose sense of how close you are to the finish. Trust that you are very close. If you haven’t keeled over or given up yet, then you've missed your chance to, and it’s too late for that - keep running.
In the last mile, feel it. Regardless of what's happened so far, it's going to be over soon. That last mile is all yours, and you are in control of how you end the race. Think of the finish line, and the crowds cheering, and your friends that'll be there, proud of what you've accomplished.
You’ll come out of campus crossing MLK, and you’ll be able to see the finish. Try to boost your pace a little (but don’t burn up too early). Pick someone ahead of you, and catch them. Pick another, catch them. Stay relaxed - you want to think of running strides, not sprints. You don’t want to pull anything, here, you just want to pick up the pace.
Run all the way through the finish. Do not let up at all until you've crossed both finish mats.
Some other things to think about:
Pace. In terms of pace, I can talk to you individually about that. For almost everyone, I just want to give you a speed limit. Here's what I'm doing: your time trial time gives us your predicted pace for the half. I'm adding 10 seconds per mile. The first two miles, you need to try to be 30-45 seconds even slower per mile. After that, you don't exceed that predicted pace, until mile 10... Marathoners, MGP for at least the first ten miles, then if you feel great, you can go.
Run your own race. Ignore people passing you. Some won't finish, you'll pass some of them back up if you're smart, and hey, everyone but one person is going to have at least one faster person out there. You get sucked into someone else’s run, and you’re probably ditching at least six months of training and experience. Run your own race.
Do what you have to do, as soon as possible. Gotta pee? Pee. The first mile of the course will be lined with men facing bushes, and women hunkering in the weeds. Might be gross and unseemly, but you're there to run a race. Got a rock in your shoe? Get it out right then. Give up 10-15 seconds early rather than 5-10 seconds a mile for the rest of the race.
Fight the urge to strip. I mean, in addition to your usual urge to strip. If it's very cold, you're going to heat up in the first couple of miles. DO NOT DITCH ALL YOUR LAYERS unless the temperature drastically changes. I did this at the 2006 marathon (29 degrees), and it was perhaps my biggest mistake. Initially, your body will act normally, and you'll feel hot. Before long, though, your body will decide to shift blood flow to keep your core warm, and you'll feel cold again. Give it an hour or two, and your core temperature could even drop, and then you're having problems. Leave the gloves on. If you do take them off, keep them. Stuff them in your waistband. Keep your hat and your long sleeves. You can always push the sleeves up.
Run friendly. Remember who we are - the group for non-uppity, non-elitist runners. Thank the volunteers, especially the kids. Thank the cops guarding the intersections. Wave thanks at the spectators. Encourage your fellow runners. You can be focused on your race, but make it part of your routine to spread some love. You’ll feel better for it.
Drink water. If it's cold, cold water doesn't always seem appealing, but you need it. People get dehydrated in winter races because they're cold and don't drink as much water as they usually would. Take it, drink it. And thank the volunteers.
Run the crown of the road. When possible, run the center stripe.
Draft. Drafting is not just for doped cyclists and NASCAR. If we get winds, use the crowds to your advantage to, um, break wind for you. You know what I mean.
Break the race into manageable chunks. Don't try to bite off 13.1 miles, run a mile, or two or three miles at a time. Think about these chunks when you familiarize yourself with the course.
No iPods. Use it before the race to get in your happy place, but during the race, you want to hear the crowds and the bagpipes, and you want to find the motivation in yourself. If you're going to ignore me (susan), then you damned sure better have it at a reasonable volume.
Again, run your own race. This includes your running partner. If you're running with someone, and you get separated, be prepared to be alone for a while. DO NOT try to speed up to catch them. If you do decide to catch them, give yourself a long time to do it. Keep an eye on them, and make it a multi-mile mission. It’ll give you something else to focus on, too. Decide you'll get to them near the finish.
Dealing with trouble. You're likely to get some combination of tired/sore/stiff/dejected, unless you're a freak and/or you're running waaaaayyy too slow. When you do, focus on your form - keep your head up, shoulders back. you may be tired, but slumping makes things worse. You get less air, and it will turn your stride into a shuffle. It all starts with your eyes. If the eyes drop to the ground right in front of you, your head will follow. Your neck, being tilted, will cause your shoulders to shift forward. Pretty soon, your butt is hanging out behind you, and you’re wondering why you can’t breathe well, and why your neck, shoulders and back hurt.
Think about all the time and effort and will you've spent training. You've had tough runs, and gotten through them. Get through it now. Don't trade away a few minutes, or even an hour, of moderate discomfort for regret that'll last until you get a chance to race again.
Which, granted, will just be in three weeks.
The Approach - You have to put every race you run into the larger context of your training.
Half marathoners, this is, for some of you, your first half marathon. You just want to get through it safely and relatively happily. You'll have Austin three weeks later, which is enough time to recover, if you don't go absolutely nuts and blast yourself too hard on Sunday. I consistently see half marathoners actually run faster on the harder course in February than they were at 3M, just because they had that first experience under their belt, and because they benefit from more of a taper. So, appreciate this for what it is, work hard, but know that your true goal race still lies ahead.
For the marathoners - you really have to be disciplined about running this race, if you want to do alright at the marathon. Read the article by Mac Allen in Austin Runner. You all saw what Mercedes had to say about it. Hell, ask just about any coach in the city, they'll tell you that especially as a beginner, racing 3M hard is likely to derail your marathon effort. Period. Anyone who doesn't believe that and thinks they know better is a fool, period. I know, because I have been that fool every year, regardless of what I've preached. That shiny, three-week-old half marathon PR doesn't mean squat when you're walking the last chunk of the marathon.
That's not to say you shouldn't run it, but you have to be disciplined. I'd like to see the marathoners run it at MGP, no faster. You want to see how fast you can run a half marathon, run Zooma in April, or wait until next year. Your focus is the marathon, period.
At the race, and in these final weeks, you need to be aware of your body and conservative in what you do with it - this is a lousy time to get injured. If you have a problem now, talk to me about it. If a problem arises during the race, you've gotta be mature enough to assess it honestly, and put it and the race in perspective.
OK, let's talk about the race and the course. I think planning is one of the funnest parts of this sport. You get to play general, plotting and scheming your battle. For those of us that are prone to obsessing about a race, it's better to focus that energy on something useful than to sit around imagining that there are little gnomes planting explosives in your knee. Or something like that.
You have hopefully all reviewed the race preparation guide I posted. Some of you are prone to blowing things off, thinking it's not a big deal. Eventually, that will bite you in the gluteal region. Just humor me and do the prep work this week, OK?
OK, the course...
The start - Take it easy. It’s that simple. Unless you’re unusually experienced and disciplined, if you’re supposed to run 10 minute miles in a race, and you try to start at that, you’re going to run faster. Getting too swept up in the adrenaline and excitement, the press of thousands of runners, can all add up to an early critical error in your race. Going out too fast might not just be a simple mathematical fix of going slower later - you could burn yourself up, or at least take longer to get into your rhythm. And recovering from going out :30 or a minute too fast is not a simple matter of addition and subtraction - there's a multiplier effect, such that going out at a pace to break two hours might mean you come in at 2:20 when you could have/shoud have run a 2:10.
Do not bother trying to dodge around people - you’ll just burn energy. Look ahead, and pick a path through people that doesn’t have you darting around too much. This is not the Komen 5K. You have time, and the crowds will thin.
Watch your feet - People will be discarding clothing and plastic garbage bags - don’t trip on them. If you’re ditching clothing, for God’s sake, throw it safely off the road.
The first mile has you going north on Stonelake. It’s basically flat, but with some slight incline - only about 40 feet over about half a mile. At this point, that doesn’t matter - just relax, enjoy the start, and try to get into a rhythm.
Mile 2 - Running south on Jollyville should feel somewhat good. There’s about 50 feet of climb over the course of a mile - nothing to worry about.
Miles 3 and 4 - Running south on Mesa should still feel pretty good, because it’s somewhat flat. There’ll be some spectators here.
Miles 3.5-5 - This stretch down Spicewood Springs is fun, beginning about a 170-foot drop in elevation up through mile six. BUT, it’s also a great place to blow your race. You don’t want to go pounding down this. We’ve all learned that running downhill can still wear you out - moving your legs at a faster rate can easily overwhelm the benefit that gravity is giving you, giving you a net energy loss. On the other hand, if you try too hard to control your speed, you can break your rhythm and wear out your quads. Try instead to just relax and just hold your pace, taking advantage of the downhills to conserve your energy. This early in a race, it’s better to bank energy than time. And besides, on a decent downhill, you’re still going to get a little time benefit, whether you intend to or not.
The bagpiper is usually around here, too...
Miles 6-6.5 - Count your blessings. After a sharp right onto Shoal Creek, and a sharper right onto Foster, you spend just a few blocks on Great Northern. Consider this a fairly mellow part of the run - just stay on pace and cover this middle distance. Shake your arms out, relax your neck, shoulders, legs and feet, and just run.
Miles 6.5-8.5 - This is the long stretch down Burnet Road. There’s a minor but longish incline, here, but you guys have had slightly more hill training than most groups probably have. You’ll do fine. Stay relaxed, keep your hips under you, and enjoy this stretch - there are usually plenty of crowds here. In the last half mile, you get rewarded with a long downhill, but again, use this to relax and recharge, because you have a couple of long climbs coming up...
Miles 8.5-10 - North Loop - the long incline. But most everyone in this group has run it at least 3-4 times just in the past six months, if not more. You know it, you’ve beaten it time and time again, even after more distance and more hills. Just hold your pace and your form, and get up it. Around 10, you get another climb, but grind through it - you’re about to get this course’s big reward.
The Big Finish -
At mile 10, you'll be turning right off of North Loop's long incline, onto Duval, beginning a great 3.2 mile fast stretch of downhills and flats to the finish. It’s almost a 200 foot elevation drop, a lot of it coming in a couple of smooth drops.
There are still occasional fluctuations, where there’ll be a slight incline for a block or so. Just ride through them, knowing another drop is coming.
Here's where you can take a look at how you feel, and decide whether to turn it up or not. If you do increase pace, do it gradually. Don't go from 11:30 per mile to 11:00 unless you are darned sure you can hold that for 3 miles. The best plan is to try to pick up 5-10 seconds in mile 11 and 12, with the option to crank it up a little more in the last mile.
I like to pick several “go points” near the end of a race, where I think the factors will come together to make for a good place to boost my speed a bit. I ran a 5K last once seriously hung-over. The first mile was a struggle. But, I hit my first go point, where for a week, I had known it was where I would make my move (insofar as I ever have “a move”). Being psychologically prepped for that made a tremendous difference, and I was able to pull out a PR.
The stretch through campus can be challenging - the crowds get sparse, and it gets relatively quiet, and you lose sense of how close you are to the finish. Trust that you are very close. If you haven’t keeled over or given up yet, then you've missed your chance to, and it’s too late for that - keep running.
In the last mile, feel it. Regardless of what's happened so far, it's going to be over soon. That last mile is all yours, and you are in control of how you end the race. Think of the finish line, and the crowds cheering, and your friends that'll be there, proud of what you've accomplished.
You’ll come out of campus crossing MLK, and you’ll be able to see the finish. Try to boost your pace a little (but don’t burn up too early). Pick someone ahead of you, and catch them. Pick another, catch them. Stay relaxed - you want to think of running strides, not sprints. You don’t want to pull anything, here, you just want to pick up the pace.
Run all the way through the finish. Do not let up at all until you've crossed both finish mats.
Some other things to think about:
Pace. In terms of pace, I can talk to you individually about that. For almost everyone, I just want to give you a speed limit. Here's what I'm doing: your time trial time gives us your predicted pace for the half. I'm adding 10 seconds per mile. The first two miles, you need to try to be 30-45 seconds even slower per mile. After that, you don't exceed that predicted pace, until mile 10... Marathoners, MGP for at least the first ten miles, then if you feel great, you can go.
Run your own race. Ignore people passing you. Some won't finish, you'll pass some of them back up if you're smart, and hey, everyone but one person is going to have at least one faster person out there. You get sucked into someone else’s run, and you’re probably ditching at least six months of training and experience. Run your own race.
Do what you have to do, as soon as possible. Gotta pee? Pee. The first mile of the course will be lined with men facing bushes, and women hunkering in the weeds. Might be gross and unseemly, but you're there to run a race. Got a rock in your shoe? Get it out right then. Give up 10-15 seconds early rather than 5-10 seconds a mile for the rest of the race.
Fight the urge to strip. I mean, in addition to your usual urge to strip. If it's very cold, you're going to heat up in the first couple of miles. DO NOT DITCH ALL YOUR LAYERS unless the temperature drastically changes. I did this at the 2006 marathon (29 degrees), and it was perhaps my biggest mistake. Initially, your body will act normally, and you'll feel hot. Before long, though, your body will decide to shift blood flow to keep your core warm, and you'll feel cold again. Give it an hour or two, and your core temperature could even drop, and then you're having problems. Leave the gloves on. If you do take them off, keep them. Stuff them in your waistband. Keep your hat and your long sleeves. You can always push the sleeves up.
Run friendly. Remember who we are - the group for non-uppity, non-elitist runners. Thank the volunteers, especially the kids. Thank the cops guarding the intersections. Wave thanks at the spectators. Encourage your fellow runners. You can be focused on your race, but make it part of your routine to spread some love. You’ll feel better for it.
Drink water. If it's cold, cold water doesn't always seem appealing, but you need it. People get dehydrated in winter races because they're cold and don't drink as much water as they usually would. Take it, drink it. And thank the volunteers.
Run the crown of the road. When possible, run the center stripe.
Draft. Drafting is not just for doped cyclists and NASCAR. If we get winds, use the crowds to your advantage to, um, break wind for you. You know what I mean.
Break the race into manageable chunks. Don't try to bite off 13.1 miles, run a mile, or two or three miles at a time. Think about these chunks when you familiarize yourself with the course.
No iPods. Use it before the race to get in your happy place, but during the race, you want to hear the crowds and the bagpipes, and you want to find the motivation in yourself. If you're going to ignore me (susan), then you damned sure better have it at a reasonable volume.
Again, run your own race. This includes your running partner. If you're running with someone, and you get separated, be prepared to be alone for a while. DO NOT try to speed up to catch them. If you do decide to catch them, give yourself a long time to do it. Keep an eye on them, and make it a multi-mile mission. It’ll give you something else to focus on, too. Decide you'll get to them near the finish.
Dealing with trouble. You're likely to get some combination of tired/sore/stiff/dejected, unless you're a freak and/or you're running waaaaayyy too slow. When you do, focus on your form - keep your head up, shoulders back. you may be tired, but slumping makes things worse. You get less air, and it will turn your stride into a shuffle. It all starts with your eyes. If the eyes drop to the ground right in front of you, your head will follow. Your neck, being tilted, will cause your shoulders to shift forward. Pretty soon, your butt is hanging out behind you, and you’re wondering why you can’t breathe well, and why your neck, shoulders and back hurt.
Think about all the time and effort and will you've spent training. You've had tough runs, and gotten through them. Get through it now. Don't trade away a few minutes, or even an hour, of moderate discomfort for regret that'll last until you get a chance to race again.
Which, granted, will just be in three weeks.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Race Preparation
I am not going to reinvent the wheel (especially such a perfectly mostly round one), so, yes, this is a repost (not a riposte) from last year.
OK, it's time to start thinking about and prepping for 3M. You can't just piddle through the week and show up to run Sunday morning. Well, you can, but it would be, um, dumb. This is not a 5K. This bit here is about just general race prep. A race plan will follow tomorrow...
Preparing this week:
Get familiar with the course - it makes a difference. You've all seen how much better runs go in familiar territory. Go to the race website and print out several copies of the map. Put one in your car, one on your desk at work, one on the nightstand, or on the fridge.
Drive the course - I even tend to stop at the bottom of hills, get out, and walk or jog up them, so I know in my head what it feels like. When you near the top, think about how it's going to be to beat it and not let it wear you down. You've run most of the course at one point or another, but you haven't run down Spicewood, which is a key point in your race strategy (we'll discuss this later). You've only run down Burnet once, and it's good to take a look at where the hills are there.
Visualize - After driving it, pick up one of those maps every now and then, and run the race in your head (at high speed - please don't sit at work staring at a map for three hours). Run chunks of it in your head. Feel the rhythm of the stretches that will require more effort, and the ones where you'll be able to recover. I promise you this will be a huge benefit to you.
Segment the Course - Break the course into manageable chunks of two to three miles each. Getting through each chunk will be an accomplishment, and it'll be easier than going at all 13 miles at once.
Plan Nutrition - Part of knowing the course is knowing when you'll take your nutrition. What I do is work backwards - I want my last Gu 3 miles out from the finish, and I want them every 30-40 minutes. Water stops are at every even-numbered mile. So, I know I'll Gu at miles 10 and 6. Figure out how many you'll need, and go buy them now - RunTex sells out of everything but "Your Nephew's Dirty Diaper" flavored gel before races. You can also get gels at bike shops, REI, and Academy. You also need to know how you're going to carry what you need to carry.
Have your outfit ready.
You've all run in a variety of conditions. Now, just accept that the weather will be what it will be. That acceptance will give you another big advantage over people that are agonizing about the weather all this week. It might be 29, windy and cold. Fine - what will you wear? Find those pieces, lay them out now.
It might be 65 and humid. Fine - what will you wear?
The rule is to dress for 20 degrees warmer than the temperature. You should know by now what you like. Now is also not the time to try new shorts, socks, jogbras, or some shirts. That's a sure entry to that popular game show, “What’s Gonna Chafe?”
Remember, up to 40% of body heat is lost through your head, most of the rest through your extremities. Plus, blood flow is redirected by your body to keep your organs and brain warm. So, hat and gloves are the most crucial things in cold weather.
In case of rain, have something disposable, or a trash bag with holes for the arms and head. It's nice to be dry while standing around at the start line, then you can rip it off when you get moving.
Got Bodyglide? Bandaids?
Thursday and Friday:
Hydrate. Get a couple of liters of water in you a day, depending on your size. Use some ElectroMix or something similar - available at Central Market, Whole Foods, RunTex, or bike shops.
Friday night:
This is actually your best night to get your carbs. Have a reasonable-sized plate of pasta, not too late in the evening. We're making this easy with the pre-race party at Katie's house Friday night. You should be there.
Saturday:
Stay off your feet. This is not the time for a hike, lawn work, walking at the race expo for four hours like I did in Chicago trying to decide if I should buy and wear new clothes for the marathon when I know not to do that (I didn't, other than a new hat).
Oh, and don’t forget to pick up your race packet.
Eat early - eat at 5:30 or 6, be done by 7 or 7:30. Why? Because you want to be able to sleep, and you want the food to digest, so that it'll be usable in the race, but yet not filling up your lower intestines demanding immediate release at mile five. Having to pee is fairly common, but you do not want to have to go #2, losing time while your legs cramp up in a cold, nasty porta-potty. And if you try to hold it, your core will tighten up, expending more energy and messing with your mechanics.
Don't drink too late - you want to be able to sleep without getting up constantly through the night.
Get everything together Saturday night, not Sunday morning:
OK, it's time to start thinking about and prepping for 3M. You can't just piddle through the week and show up to run Sunday morning. Well, you can, but it would be, um, dumb. This is not a 5K. This bit here is about just general race prep. A race plan will follow tomorrow...
Preparing this week:
Get familiar with the course - it makes a difference. You've all seen how much better runs go in familiar territory. Go to the race website and print out several copies of the map. Put one in your car, one on your desk at work, one on the nightstand, or on the fridge.
Drive the course - I even tend to stop at the bottom of hills, get out, and walk or jog up them, so I know in my head what it feels like. When you near the top, think about how it's going to be to beat it and not let it wear you down. You've run most of the course at one point or another, but you haven't run down Spicewood, which is a key point in your race strategy (we'll discuss this later). You've only run down Burnet once, and it's good to take a look at where the hills are there.
Visualize - After driving it, pick up one of those maps every now and then, and run the race in your head (at high speed - please don't sit at work staring at a map for three hours). Run chunks of it in your head. Feel the rhythm of the stretches that will require more effort, and the ones where you'll be able to recover. I promise you this will be a huge benefit to you.
Segment the Course - Break the course into manageable chunks of two to three miles each. Getting through each chunk will be an accomplishment, and it'll be easier than going at all 13 miles at once.
Plan Nutrition - Part of knowing the course is knowing when you'll take your nutrition. What I do is work backwards - I want my last Gu 3 miles out from the finish, and I want them every 30-40 minutes. Water stops are at every even-numbered mile. So, I know I'll Gu at miles 10 and 6. Figure out how many you'll need, and go buy them now - RunTex sells out of everything but "Your Nephew's Dirty Diaper" flavored gel before races. You can also get gels at bike shops, REI, and Academy. You also need to know how you're going to carry what you need to carry.
Have your outfit ready.
You've all run in a variety of conditions. Now, just accept that the weather will be what it will be. That acceptance will give you another big advantage over people that are agonizing about the weather all this week. It might be 29, windy and cold. Fine - what will you wear? Find those pieces, lay them out now.
It might be 65 and humid. Fine - what will you wear?
The rule is to dress for 20 degrees warmer than the temperature. You should know by now what you like. Now is also not the time to try new shorts, socks, jogbras, or some shirts. That's a sure entry to that popular game show, “What’s Gonna Chafe?”
Remember, up to 40% of body heat is lost through your head, most of the rest through your extremities. Plus, blood flow is redirected by your body to keep your organs and brain warm. So, hat and gloves are the most crucial things in cold weather.
In case of rain, have something disposable, or a trash bag with holes for the arms and head. It's nice to be dry while standing around at the start line, then you can rip it off when you get moving.
Got Bodyglide? Bandaids?
Thursday and Friday:
Hydrate. Get a couple of liters of water in you a day, depending on your size. Use some ElectroMix or something similar - available at Central Market, Whole Foods, RunTex, or bike shops.
Friday night:
This is actually your best night to get your carbs. Have a reasonable-sized plate of pasta, not too late in the evening. We're making this easy with the pre-race party at Katie's house Friday night. You should be there.
Saturday:
Stay off your feet. This is not the time for a hike, lawn work, walking at the race expo for four hours like I did in Chicago trying to decide if I should buy and wear new clothes for the marathon when I know not to do that (I didn't, other than a new hat).
Oh, and don’t forget to pick up your race packet.
Eat early - eat at 5:30 or 6, be done by 7 or 7:30. Why? Because you want to be able to sleep, and you want the food to digest, so that it'll be usable in the race, but yet not filling up your lower intestines demanding immediate release at mile five. Having to pee is fairly common, but you do not want to have to go #2, losing time while your legs cramp up in a cold, nasty porta-potty. And if you try to hold it, your core will tighten up, expending more energy and messing with your mechanics.
Don't drink too late - you want to be able to sleep without getting up constantly through the night.
Get everything together Saturday night, not Sunday morning:
- Pin your race bib to your shirt or shorts. If you are slightly OCD like some coaches, this could take you half an hour to get it perfectly straight. It has to be straight. It just does.
- Put your gels, electrolyte capsules, whatever you're taking on the course, in whatever you're taking them in.
- Pack your drop bag with your pre and post-race stuff.
- Make sure you have what you need for breakfast.
Figure out your morning schedule - work it backwards:
- The race is at 7am.
- You need to be parked and out of the car at 6am AT THE LATEST.
- Maybe it'll take you 30 minutes to get there, so you need to leave your place at 5:30.
- You want to use the restroom (#2) before you leave. Give yourself time (because you never know) - so, on the pot by 5:15.
- You need to allow at least an hour for your breakfast to digest, so you need to be eating at 4:15.
- Set your alarm for 4:15 (you'll eat first). Yeah, this is insane. But so is running 13 miles, so... what the hell?
- Set multiple alarms. Use your alarm clock, your phone, yuor running watch. Get a friend to call you. Leave nothing to chance.
Race morning:
- GET THE HELL UP. No snooze button. This is when being nervous is a good thing, because it'll wake you up.
- Eat first, and have a glass of water, and coffee, if you need it.
- If you've done things right, you have an hour to check the weather, put on your laid-out clothes, make sure your bib number really is straight, and relax. I always turn on News 8, not so much for the crappy reporting, but to check the weather. On the other hand, one morning, the weatherperson’s first words were, “Wow, it is really unpleasantly hot and humid out there.”
At the race:
- DO NOT BE LATE. Period. Non-neogtiable, no excuses. You need to park, pick up your chip, drop your bag (if there's a bag drop), not be overly frazzled, and be ready for a warm-up at 6:15. I have to say, as a group, we’re lousy about this, for our long runs, and the races so far. Well, now it’s showtime, and whether we’ve developed good punctual habits or not, it’s time to get our crap together. BE ON TIME.
- Don't guzzle water. If you've hydrated well, and had some when you got up, you'll be fine with what you get on the course. Drink too much, and you'll have to pee.
- Still, hit the porta-potty after the warmup.
Get to the start line by 6:50. Find your friends. Then... relax. Soak up this moment. Look around at all the people that are about to do something pretty cool. You're one of them. You're probably also better trained and better prepared than most.
This is a lot of stuff, I know. But again, you're running 13.1 miles, asking a lot of your body. You've all worked so hard, you deserve nothing less from yourself than to be as knowledgeable and prepared and mindful as you can possibly be going into this. You're all going to do great.
Tomorrow: The Race Plan. Really, I promise. It's already written. I'm artificially creating suspense, like in a Bruckheimer movie.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Upstarts Monday Workout...
Our first workout is at the Austin High Track.
If you're coming from south of the river, it might be easier to avoid traffic by taking Barton Springs Road, turning north on Stratford, parking under Mopac, and walking/running across the pedestrian bridge.
I'll be down with grabbing food/drink after, if anyone else is. It's one of the fun bits about this.
Getting to Austin High's track:
From Southbound Mopac:
- Exit at Lake Austin Blvd.
- Continue down the access road, through Lake Austin Blvd., past RunTex
- At Stephen F. Austin Drive at the bottom of the hill, either park under the bridge in the dirt to your left, find street parking, or park in the lots around the tennis center.
From Northbound Mopac:
- Take the 1st-5th Streets Exit)
- Stay to the left (towards 5th street)
- Turn left on 6th/lake Austin Blvd.
- Turn left at Run Tex
- At Stephen F. Austin Drive at the bottom of the hill, either park under the bridge in the dirt to your left, find street parking, or park in the lots around the tennis center.
From Downtown:
- Take Cesar Chavez west towards Mopac
- Veer right just past the Animal Shelter, before you go up the ramp to Mopac (this is known in running circles (pardon the pun) as the Dog Pound Loop
- Go under the overpass, then turn right on Stephen F. Austin drive - you'll see the track
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