Race Day Dos and Don’ts
The TCS New York City Marathon is an iconic, bucket list race for so many. Athletes from all over the world come together and run through 5 boroughs while absorbing the rich and diverse communities.
I had the opportunity to participate in this marathon in 2016. I was hoping it would be the best race of my life, but it wasn’t. Looking back, however, it taught me so much about myself as an athlete and person.
*This race taught me I am strong, and determined and can do challenging things.
*This race reminded me that I have an amazing support system who believes in me.
*This race inspired me to be more present and mindful while on the course and during future training cycles.
This marathon taught me the dos and don’ts of Race Day, too.
Here are some of my Do’s and Don’ts- I share this a lot, but what works for one person, may not for another. Each runner is unique and different- So, I hope you find some tips as you prepare for your next race.
DO Your Research- research the commute and mechanics of getting to the start line. Oh yea, and listen to the tips, too. I knew going into the NYC marathon, I would have to take a subway, ferry, and shuttle bus. But, I didn’t correctly process the amount of time that it would take to get there. 4 plus hours. Yikes.
DON’T eat your breakfast 30 minutes before you start- I know better but I didn’t follow my own advice- I shoved a bagel into my mouth once I realized I didn’t time things well. As a result, I had a stomach ache a few miles into the run.
DO eat something substantial 90 minutes before you begin- Eat something filling and easy to digest…. Make sure it is something you’ve had before- nothing new.
DON’T eat anything new on the course- my energy was low around mile 18, so I thought it would be a great idea to start eating snacks the spectators were giving out. Then, I felt dehydrated around mile 20, so decided to let a Nuun tab dissolve in my mouth….I’ve never done that before- yikes!!!!Please, don’t do any of this!! Bring your own snacks, and hydrate the same way you’ve been while on your training runs.
DO go into the race with an open mind and flexible plans- Create a plan A, B, and C. As soon as my original plan of a PR was not going to happen, I shut down. I didn’t have a back up plan.
Here are my plans for my April marathon…
Plan A- Complete the marathon in 4 hours 30 minutes
Plan B- Finish the race in under 5 hours
Plan C- Finish the race with a smile on my face
Most importantly…
DO CELEBRATE- your journey, training and race day. You are participating in something magical. No matter the distance or your time… you are doing something FOR YOU- Get after it and have fun. YOU GOT THIS.
No matter what happens at my marathon (plan a, b or c), I plan on celebrating every mile with a smile on my face.
What’s on your list of dos and don’ts? I’d love to hear about them.
