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 ...
racing
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 ...
Racing During Pregnancy
From Paula Radcliffe running at 10K at 7 months pregnant to Alysia Montano competing in the 800m during both of her pregnancies, racing during pregnancy is becoming more common. For some women, racing during pregnancy is part of maintaining their identity as a runner. Others opt not to miss out on events they registered for prior to pregnancy or on the community experience of racing. Some women choose not to race during pregnancy. For those who do, you can safely approach racing during ...
Ringing in Spring 10K 2019 Recap
When I signed up for the Ringing in Spring 10K back in January, I originally to race it for a PR and possibly even top 3 women. I craved a hard, demanding training cycle and a gritty race. I had just healed my metatarsal stress fracture and dealt with a chemical pregnancy (early loss at ~4 weeks). I wanted to push my body again to feel like myself. Shortly after registering for that (and a fall marathon!), we found out I was pregnant. A gut-busting training cycle and a big PR were no longer ...