Vegan by Valerie

How to run your best marathon: Top 20 tips

Hello! I hope you all had an excellent day   I for one was dragging a bit… it’s always a bit hard to go back to reality after big events, and returning to work after running the marathon felt a bit like it did going to work last October after getting back from my honeymoon! I was just so sad to no longer have the marathon to look forward to.

I’m pretty much 100% going to sign up for my 4th marathon, but I’m just unsure when to run the next one, and which race to do – I love running in the fall and I would certainly consider doing Chicago again, but I’m also open to traveling, as well, and I would maaaaaaaaaaybe consider doing one over the winter or in the spring. 

Winter running is a b*&%$ in Chicago, but nothing I can’t handle, right?

Before I get back to my regularly scheduled posting tomorrow (promise!!) I wanted to touch on a few things that I’ve learned about marathons.  Some I learned during past marathons, and some I didn’t realize the importance of until this past marathon. 

However, I’m no expert and I am always open to tips from you guys, as well! Also keep in mind that I’m by no means a fast runner (my PR is 4:49 but this most recent one I ran in 4:56) so I’m not the foremost expert on how to be a speed demon   Basically, I’ve learned that there are two ways to run a marathon:  one is to run it with a time goal in mind and a specific plan of action, and the other is to run it with the intent of enjoying the process and of feeling happy (and hopefully not feeling like death) at the end.  Everyone runs a marathon for their own reasons, but I personally prefer the latter method!

*** What I’ve Learned ***

1) You will hear this over and over again in Runner’s World mag, running seminars, etc, but it bears repeating because it’s true:  the week/night before the marathon, do what you are used to doing!!  This is pretty much even true if you don’t have the “best” habits – the night before the marathon is not the best time to revamp your dietary habits.  Don’t start cutting back on calories or trying to fit it extra doses of veggies into your diet because it sounds like it will be good for you… any drastic change in your diet, sleep habits, or lifestyle can wreak havoc on your body and it may effect you in ways that you won’t be happy with!

2) That said, while some people can eat whatever they want the day or two before a race, be smart about it.  Stick with what has worked for you in the past – I’ve found my perfect day-before meal to be couscous with kidney beans and veggies, with a banana soft serve for dessert to get a last-minute dose of potassium – but also keep in mind that certain foods are to be avoided, such as dairy, which is mucus-forming in most people and can end up coating your throat and nasal passages, kind of like when you have cold – not something you want to deal with when you are running a marathon!  It’s also just as important (if not more important) what you eat TWO nights before the marathon, not just the night before, as this is how long it takes your body to digest the meal.

3) If you have the option of going to the marathon expo the Friday before the race, do this instead of going on Saturday.  You really do want to rest your legs and body as much as possible on Saturday, plus I personally find that forcing myself to lounge around the house and be lazy the day before makes me even more antsy to get out there and run on race day!

4) Try your very best to get extra sleep the week leading up to the marathon since chances are you will have a hard time falling asleep the night before, and you will want to “bank up” your stash of sleep so that you won’t be dragging as a result of tossing and turning the night before.  However, don’t do something crazy like take a Tylenol PM in hopes of getting enough sleep – the last thing you want is to be groggy during the start of the race because your sleeping pill hasn’t worn off yet!

5) Although you will most likely want to get as much rest as possible, try to get up extra early so that you can get to the race in time to use the porta-potties at least once, if not more often.  Even if you usually don’t have to go before or during a race, you will probably be nervous which often can throw off your body.  Also, don’t underestimate how long it may take you to cross the start line – I learned this the hard way!  During a marathon a couple years ago I stood in the porta potty for ages before the race, waited the 20 minutes it took just to cross the start line, and then by mile 2 I already had to go again.  Plan for this by minimizing fluid intake before the start, and by getting in the porta potty line as late as you possibly can without losing your starting spot.  I personally think it’s much preferrable to be a tad bit dehydrated (you can always hit up the nearest water station) then to be miserable because you have to go during the race!

6) Speaking of, you really shouldn’t be dehydrated early in the race anyway because you should be drinking water, and salting your food (to avoid hyponatremia) the week before, not just the night before!

7) Plan for the weather, but don’t overdress.  Your body temperature heats up approximately 20 degrees once you start running, and I spoke to many runners on Sunday who were distressed that they wore pants instead of shorts because they heated up so quickly even though the temps were in the 30s.  It’s much easier to wear many layers of “throw away” clothing than to wear your favorite, expensive running jacket that you can’t bear to part with.  If you don’t have any junk clothing that you can spare to throw away, hit up Goodwill before hand to grab a couple cheap long sleeve tops and a pair of gloves.  However, this is assuming that you hit the marathon jackpot and have cool weather for your marathon
Wear your name on your shirt!!!!!!! I cannot emphasize this enough!!! I mentioned this to a few of my running friends this year and I’m pretty sure some of them thought I was crazy   But trust me, at the marathon tons of people will have their names of their shirts and these people will have 10x the encouragement from spectators.  I’ve tried various techniques, from using electrical tape for writing my name on my shirt to using marker on my arms and legs… this year I think I stumbled upon the best idea, which was to write my name in large font on a piece of paper, laminate it, poke holes in the corners, and then to pin this on, which is both waterproof, sweatproof, and won’t come off while you are running.  Trust me on this, having hundreds of strangers cheer you on by name will be just the type of motivation you will need after you have been for hours and hours!!

9)  However, while you will love hearing your name get called, don’t get TOO excited about it: conserve your energy.  What I mean is, the first 10 miles or so I would yell “thank you!” to everyone who cheered me on by name.  As silly as this sounds, this expended more energy than I originally thought.  It’s better to respond with a small wave or thumbs up, or just a smile   Same goes for other energy-sucker-uppers… it’s so easy to get caught up in the neighborhood band blaring the “Rocky” soundtrack and to start dancing, but stifle that urge and focus on keeping your pace!

10) Wear sunscreen!!! We should all know by now how important this is, but I thought it was important to mention it anyway.  After every run that I’ve had over 3 hours, I’ve found that regardless of the fact that I used sunscreen with a high SPF, I still end up with a tan line where my shorts were, so clearly I was getting too much sun despite the fact that I had on the sunscreen.  I HIGHLY recommend the Neutrogena Sport SPF 85, which is a very light, non-greasy formula that sprays on effortlessly.  I have tried many other spray sunscreens and this is by far the best product I have tried!  If you have the ability to reapply during your run, do this, since you are bound to sweat off some of it even though the products all claim to be sweat-proof.

11) Respect the distance!!  Oddly enough, going into this recent marathon I really wasn’t nervous.  I was slightly worried since I had been sick for a few weeks and had missed a few runs during the taper week, but other than that I was pretty much just plain excited!! I’m not saying you should be nervous, but I do think it’s important to keep in mind that the marathon is an enormous feat and not to get too excited at the beginning.  Having done two marathons before I really should have known better, but nonethless there were a few miles were I sped up and this definitely came back to bite me during the latter part of the marathon.  STAY YOUR PACE…. it will help you in the end!! If you don’t believe me, keep in mind how most marathoners actually cut minutes off their marathon time by using the Jeff Galloway run/walk method, so clearly slowing down is not a bad thing!

12) Cheer on other runners when you are able to,  and high five and thank the spectators as long as you don’t expend too much energy while doing so!  I don’t mean to contradict what I said earlier in point #9, but if you don’t go crazy wasting your breathe, I do think it’s important to cheer on other marathoners.  I did this a lot more at the Indianapolis Marathon because there were many many miles with no spectators and I knew it gave the fellow marathoner a boost.  However, it’s just like volunteering – cheering on someone else usually helps you feel good just as it helps them! 

13) Some of you probably run without tunes which is fine, but for those of you who are used to running with an iPod, it definitely helps! I know this isn’t a brand new idea to anyone, but if you can get through the majority of the marathon on your own – I think it’s nice to do at least part of it without music to be able to appreciate the sights and sounds of the marathon and the city and the spectators – having a great marathon mix as  a “backup plan” for the last few miles will probably give you the extra boost that you need!

14) During my first marathon, I was pretty much petrified that I wouldn’t be able to get through it.  So, in a last ditch effort to do whatever I could do get myself to the finish line intact, I had my friends and family email Mike with short phrases of encouragement.  Then, he printed them off and put them in a ziploc bag that I carried with me during the race.  This seems kinda silly, but if you have the equipment, I thought of a great way to make this into something less cumbersome and awkard to carry…. for my recent birthday my mom got me a handheld tape recording advice that you can plug into your computer.  If you have something like this or have the capability on your computer, you can have your friends and family tape record messages to you that you can listen to as an mp3 while you are running the marathon! How cool would that be?!?! Especially if they were pre-recorded messages that are a surprise to you so that you hear them for the first time during the race?  I love this idea, especially if it is your first marathon!

15) Know what side of the street your cheering section will be on.  This is especially beneficial if you are running a huge marathon, like Chicago, that has over 40,000 runners.  There were so many parts of the course that were so crowded with runners and spectators alike that if I hadn’t know where to look for my cheering section, there’s no way I would have been able to find them and they likewise would not have been able to spot me in the crowd.  It also helps if you can have your cheering section all wear the same color, so that they are easier for you to look for in the crowd!

16) Have “mantras” to keep you going during the tough parts.  There are so many great running/inspirational quotes out there, but these are some of my favorites that I repeated to myself during the challenging moments of the race:

* Do what you think you can’t! (this is the quote on my Road ID shoe tag)

* You have done this before – if you can run a marathon, you can do anything you put your mind to!

* Think of how far you have come – 10 years ago you could barely run a full mile, and look what you can do now!

* You have worked so hard and made so many sacrifices for this moment – don’t give up now!

* There are many people who are unable to do what you are doing due to illness, poor health, or lack of time and resources – be grateful that you have the opportunity to take part in something so amazing!

* You are doing something that less than 1% of all people ever even attempt to do!  Amazing!

I also reminded myself of the amazing charity, Ceasefire (an anti-violence organization) that I was running for, which reminded myself that it wasn’t just ME that I was running for, but also the children of Chicago.

 After the Marathon:

1) Eat soon after…. it’s crucial to eat something within 30 minutes of the time that you stop running.  This time I had a Raw Revolution bar and some coconut water to replenish my lost electrolytes, which hit the spot!

2) I know, I know, the idea of an ice bath is very scary but trust me that it will be worth it!! You don’t have to fully submerge your entire body, just at least lower your calves and lower thighs into the cold water.  If you are worried you will freeze to death, keep on a few sweatshirts and have a cup of a hot beverage to drink while you are lying in the cold water.  Also, be careful not to jump straight from the ice bath into a warm shower, as this can lead to major swelling and pain.

3) You may want to wear sandals instead of shoes the next day or two to avoid blisters….. my toes are always in the worst shape, and they appeciate being able to breathe a bit versus getting trapped into a stifling pair of shoes immediately after.

4) If you can get a massage soon after, this will also be worth it!! You don’t have to spend a lot of money… local massage schools offer discounts, or you can try to get a group discount at a local salon by bringing fellow marathon friends with you.  I was also recently told about the glorious website “Group On.com” where you can sign up to get great discounts.  I got a massage yesterday (it worked out well since I went with my MIL whose birthday was yesterday!) and while it was probably the least enjoyable (read: most painful) massage of my life, it was definitely a good move.  This morning I was sore, but not nearly as sore as I think I would have been without the massage… it’s important to get that lactic acid out of your muscles.

***

Thanks for reading this post, friends! It was a long one but I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned with others just as I look forward to learning more from you all!!  Please feel free to re-tweet this if you like, and also please share your own tips for races/marathons! I can’t wait to hear your tips, keep ‘em coming!

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