My first half marathon was a memorable one. I exceeded my goals, placed second in my age group (it was a small race), and fell in love with long-distance racing. But most of all, I remember just how cold that race was. I hovered by the space heaters, bundled up in sweatpants until 10 minutes before the race started. Even though I wore shorts, I donned a lightweight running shirt, a jacket, and gloves to stay warm. The 25+ mph winds colored my nose pink in the race photos. Afterward, I ...
racing
How to Include Tune-Up Races in Your Training
You picked your goal race for the season and you have already put in weeks of hard training, but your race feels weeks away. You're eager to test your fitness and enjoy a race atmosphere - so why not run a tune-up race? When done correctly, a tune-up race can boost your fitness and your confidence before a goal race. The Benefits of Running Tune-up Races What exactly is a tune-up race? A tune-up race is a race run in preparation for a goal race. It is not a goal race itself but rather ...
Tips for Racing in the Heat
When race day temperatures spike into the mid-70s or higher, your entire approach to the race changes. Racing in the heat presents a whole host of challenges: core temperature regulation, hydration, higher perception of effort, and higher heart rate. You simply cannot race the same in hot weather as you can in ideal conditions. That does not mean you are doomed to have a bad race. You can still race your best for that day, with these tips for racing in the heat. Acclimation and heat tolerance ...
Race Day Fueling Options for Sensitive Stomaches
After months of hard training, every runner wants to perform their best on race day. There are a few culprits for a bad race - inclement weather, poor pacing - but few seem to strike as often as gastrointestinal distress. Whether it manifests as nausea, vomiting, mid-race bathroom stops, or cramping, research published in Human Kinetics Journals suggests that up to 90% of runners experience symptoms of GI distress on race day. Severe GI distress can play out in one of two scenarios on ...
Should You Do a Shakeout Run before a Race?
When I first started racing, I thought a shakeout run was absolutely necessary. It’s ingrained in racing culture; many races or groups even offer hosted shakeout runs before major races. Every single plan out of Runner’s World or Hansons included a shakeout run. But what is the purpose of shakeout runs, exactly? Should every runner do one in their training? I will preface this post with a disclaimer: I do not do shakeout runs before half marathons or marathons. Sometimes I do a shakeout run ...