Running and clueless

Storey621

This summer I am running in a 5.5 mile dirty dash, ogden 10k, 15k in the Park City trail series, and a half marathon in September. I have never ran in any race before and I am looking for pointers. How do runners take advantage of the stions every so many miles? Would you recommend an ipod while running the races if you train with one? What tricks are there I need to know? or what has worked for you in the past? I'm open to anything! Thanks in advance!

scorpio516

water stations: I usually skip half of them. I always take water - I don't want to get sticky from gatorade, etc. I know I'm going to spill, and water I can also pour over my head to cool down.

I train with music but I don't race with it. Many races are OK with them - especially running races, but if you ever do a USAT sanctioned triathlon or duathlon, you'll get disqualified for using headphones.

gdunn55

I never take water during a 5k. My 10k last year I took one water, but that was because my mouth was dry. I wouldn't hit every station unless you thought you needed the water.

I run with my headphones, but mainly because some of the music on it helps me set a pace.

There are no tricks. Just remember to run your race at your pace.

A helpful tip I've discovered, it doesn't matter how you line up, there'll always be those in front of you that start out slower than you, so start slower than normal and when you can pass them do it. Don't get into a foot race in the first mile and burn all your energy, just run your race.

CarsonRuns

For races under 10K, I skip the water stations entirely. For a 10K, I *might* grab a cup half way if it's really hot.

When you grab the water, don't try to grab around the cup like you would normally hold it. Grab it by the lip with your fingers inside and then pinch the top so that the opening is a small hole, about the size of a walnut. Then tip your head to the side to drink. You'll get lot more of the water in you than on you this way.

For races lasting over an hour, do 2 waters to 1 Gatorade if it's really hot.

I would strongly discourage you from wearing headphones in a race. If you do choose to, please just use one earbud and keep it turned down. It's very important that you be able to hear the other runners around you, the safety crew and the race staff.

Storey621

Thanks everyone! very helpful hints! I appreciate it all.

zoom2

I would strongly discourage you from wearing headphones in a race. If you do choose to, please just use one earbud and keep it turned down. It's very important that you be able to hear the other runners around you, the safety crew and the race staff.

There are few things that p*ss me off more than people with their tunes cranked so loudly during races that they can't hear emergency vehicles coming up behind them. During a big 25k a few years back I had to actually grab a woman's arm to get her attention, since yelling at her and the ambulance tapping their sirens wasn't working. I think in that case the driver had every right to run the idiot over. :grumble:

LilRedRooster

For races 10K amd under, I don't stop for water unless it's hot or hilly. I did a 10K course last October that was nothong but hills the first half, and at the turnaround, I grabbed a refreshment before heading back down. Half-marathon and up I usally swing by every other station, and prefer Gatorade, because I sweat like a beast, even in milder weather, and lose a lot of salt.

I train with an iPod, but when I'm racing, I'll only do one ear, and have it just loud enough for background. I never use both earbuds, and never have it loud. For some races, I skip it entirely, so I can pay attention to everyone around me.

And remember, don't worry about trying to surge in the beginning! Run your race and keep slower (not super slow, but adrenelime can make you feel like zipping out in the beginning, which is bad news bears later on). Save your legs for the emd kick.

Good luck!