Your number one piece of Half Marathon Advice
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~Save a bit of juice for the last .1....so you can sprint across the line!
~If there is a turbo boost on the course, always hit the turbo boost!
I agree completely! Its always fun to race people nearby at the end.
I love turbo boosts! I never saw one installed on a course until my first marathon this year but they really do help! If you are unsure if they will be available perhaps you could ask some friends/family to bring some chalk and draw them on the course for you!
I need to see about these turbos boosts!! What is it exactly?
Sometimes they can be found on the ground in chalk as well. Keep your eyes open or you may miss them!0 -
If you're like me, even after 12+ races, I still can't manage to run and drink out of a paper cup at the same time without spilling all over myself...or start choking, etc...
Therefore, my advice is - there's no shame in walking for a minute while you drink. Lots of people will be doing it, and for me, it helps insure I'm drinking enough.
If you want to fuel, try and find out what the race will be providing (exact brand and flavors if possible), and try them out on one of your long runs to make sure they work and taste half-way decent.
OH, and of course, don't forget to smile for the cameras!!! All of my first half marathon pictures are of me looking like I'm about to die! I'm starting to get better about seeing them ahead of time now, so I can smile
Thanks these are all great tips. I usually do stop and walk a bit when drinking water 0 -
Having pasta or any other carb-rich dish the night before isn't a bad idea.... but when I think of "carbo loading" I imagine "Thanksgiving.... but with Pasta!" Have a good sized meal but don't go overboard. Otherwise you'll spend the whole race pooping. I guess that's my number two piece of advice, though.0
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My advise is to have fun, its your only your "first" once. It will be great!!
Great advice I will definitely remember this ^^^0 -
~Save a bit of juice for the last .1....so you can sprint across the line!
~If there is a turbo boost on the course, always hit the turbo boost!
I agree completely! Its always fun to race people nearby at the end.
I love turbo boosts! I never saw one on a course until my first marathon this year but they really do help! If you are unsure if they will be available perhaps you could ask some friends/family to bring one alone for you to use!
Now I am curious I hope I see a turbo boost on the course.0 -
Have 3 goals for your race.
A) The achievable reach - best time you think is possible
A slower range that you will still be happy with
C) To finish
I am always happy if I finish but even happier if I can hit my A or B goal.
Take time to really enjoy the moment. It is a blessing to be able to move your body in this way. A blessing that not a ton of people experience.
I love the idea of setting 3 goals for the race0 -
~Save a bit of juice for the last .1....so you can sprint across the line!
~If there is a turbo boost on the course, always hit the turbo boost!
I agree completely! Its always fun to race people nearby at the end.
I love turbo boosts! I never saw one installed on a course until my first marathon this year but they really do help! If you are unsure if they will be available perhaps you could ask some friends/family to bring some chalk and draw them on the course for you!
I need to see about these turbos boosts!! What is it exactly?
Sometimes they can be found on the ground in chalk as well. Keep your eyes open or you may miss them!
This is so cool I hope I see one!!!0 -
~Save a bit of juice for the last .1....so you can sprint across the line!
~If there is a turbo boost on the course, always hit the turbo boost!
I agree completely! Its always fun to race people nearby at the end.
I love turbo boosts! I never saw one installed on a course until my first marathon this year but they really do help! If you are unsure if they will be available perhaps you could ask some friends/family to bring some chalk and draw them on the course for you!
I need to see about these turbos boosts!! What is it exactly?
Sometimes they can be found on the ground in chalk as well. Keep your eyes open or you may miss them!
This is so cool I hope I see one!!!
They are usually hanging around near the 13 mile mark...saving the turbo for the last .1. But I have seen them at difficult hill climbs too. Our turbo boost sometimes mistakes themselves as turbo dancers...they have been known to appear at the MRTC parties every now and then.0 -
Forgot some of the most important advice there is...don't forget the body glide!!!0
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Forgot some of the most important advice there is...don't forget the body glide!!!
Where do I body Glide? every where?0 -
Anywhere where there will be contact with your skin. Under your bra straps and band, the insides of your arms if they're going to rub against your shirt, anywhere and everywhere you think there might be chafing. You can never have too much body glide. :laugh:Forgot some of the most important advice there is...don't forget the body glide!!!
Where do I body Glide? every where?0 -
How many miles do you run before you decide to apply body glide? I have never chaffed except the HRM strap connection.0
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How many miles do you run before you decide to apply body glide? I have never chaffed except the HRM strap connection.
I use it for anything over about 9. Unless it's extra hot and humid and then I use it for anything over about 5.0 -
Yeah, totally depends on the temperature. In the summer anything over 4 miles. In the winter probably anything over 8 to 10.How many miles do you run before you decide to apply body glide? I have never chaffed except the HRM strap connection.
I use it for anything over about 9. Unless it's extra hot and humid and then I use it for anything over about 5.0 -
How many miles do you run before you decide to apply body glide? I have never chaffed except the HRM strap connection.
As other have said, it depends on the temperature. It also depends on the planned intensity of the workout. If I know I'm going to do fast stuff, I will apply regardless of temperature.0 -
So I am a month and a week away from my very first Half Marathon, I am getting excited and nervous at the same time. Let me give you a brief background in my training.
I started my Half Marathon training pretty early, I started last year ( I know pretty early) but since I had issues with my knees prior to the training I wanted to make sure I gave myself enough time to heal in case knees were going to be an issue. I followed the Hal Higdon Novice 2 Half Marathon training guide. During the training I managed to run 10k and 15k races. Right before the holidays I was able to complete 10 mile run of the program I still had the 11 and 12 mile runs.
But than came the holidays and even though I did run during the holidays just never had the time to get those long runs in. Fast forward to the the new year, I ask Hal on his Facebook page if I should repeat the Half Marathon training program and he said no, that maybe I should start with his Marathon Novice 2 training which starts you at 8 miles for the long run (but not complete the whole program). I started two weekends ago and have already done the 8 mile run, this Saturday I am scheduled to do 9 miles.
So based on my calculations, I will get up to the 12 mile long run and than I will have one week to taper.
1. So how should I fuel prior to the race? Do you carbo load for a Half Marathon?
2. Any advice you could give me will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Matt Fitgerald's book on nutrition for the marathon and half marathon was money well spent for me. The book includes nutritional advice as well as a training plan for the Half and the Full Mary. Even if you skip the training plan, the nutritional advice is valuable.
Case in point - Fitzgerald points out that regular users of caffeine should do a caffeine fast that last for two weeks because even a 5 day fast won't clear the system. I haven't seen that in any other source.
He also discusses the value of carboloading for the Half, different approaches to carboloading, as well as the value of fat loading.
Hard to beat that sort of info for $9.99 (Kindle price).0 -
Matt Fitgerald's book on nutrition for the marathon and half marathon was money well spent for me. The book includes nutritional advice as well as a training plan for the Half and the Full Mary. Even if you skip the training plan, the nutritional advice is valuable.
Case in point - Fitzgerald points out that regular users of caffeine should do a caffeine fast that last for two weeks because even a 5 day fast won't clear the system. I haven't seen that in any other source.
He also discusses the value of carboloading for the Half, different approaches to carboloading, as well as the value of fat loading.
Hard to beat that sort of info for $9.99 (Kindle price).
This is very interesting will have to check it out thanks0 -
it might sound silly, but I found that drinking TONS of water the week leading up to the race helped me out a LOT. There were some races that i'd go out drinking one night or just not drink enough water, and it was a noticeble more pleasant race the times I drank plenty of water leading up to the race!0
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Good read and great answers! I am just beginning to train for my first half marathon and this post was very helpful!0
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Helpful post! Thanks!
I'm behind in my training --- six weeks left -- eek!
I've been babying an injury. (I've done 8 miles previously, so I'm hoping to be able to get right back up there without overdoing it.)0
