Hi there! Full of resolve and renewed resolution? Desperate to get out and get some mileage under your belt? Yep, me too 😍
If you’re aiming for a specific event there are some points you can consider now - building them into your training helps you train smarter, minimising the unexpected on race day! For those who aren’t event driven, these are still elements you may wish to think about, although you will be able to pick and choose!
★ Researching your race
There are lots of sources of information available for most events; being a Cautious Colin I always check them out to the nth degree before signing on the dotted line, whereas others turn up on the day full of anticipation with no knowledge of what lies ahead!!! If you tend to the former, here are some pointers:
★ Check the race website for information. There’s usually a FAQ or Race day guide with all you need to know - race starting time, bag drop availability, whether they collect throwaway clothes (to keep you warm before you start), frequency of water stations on the course etc.
★ If this level of detail is not on the website, try googling Race Day guide for the previous year
★ You might find someone has put a video of the race on YouTube.
★ Check for reviews of your event on sites like Findarace or Racecheck for additional info
★ Check race reports here on HU - many of these are invaluable, particularly if you’re entering your first large event.
★ Of course, if your race is local you can even run portions of the route in training (I ran pretty much the whole of one of my HM’s in advance of the race)
★ Terrain
Check the race website and reviews for any details they provide about the terrain (Youtube videos would be helpful here too). Reviews of one trail HM I looked at ALL mentioned a final very muddy hill that required trail shoes most years - this wasn’t mentioned on the organiser’s website🤔 Ideally your training (and footwear of choice) will reflect your HM day environment. Of course it’s always good to mix it up a bit during training, but this is all about being race-day ready!
★ Elevation
Many event websites provide an elevation profile of the course, but if they don't try Googling '[your event] Strava' which may well find a run someone has made public on Strava. I find this really useful as I’m used to looking at my runs on Strava.
Here’s the one from my LLHM last year (my first ever HM) which could be relevant for some of you: strava.com/activities/22368...
While your training should definitely prepare you for any hills you encounter on race day, bear in mind that there are many benefits of building in some hill training runs, even if your race is going to be pancake flat!
★ Aid stations
Most events mark aid stations on the route map, or at least give the distances at which they will be found. It really varies from event to event (4,2 and 3 stations in the three events I’ve done).
There is usually water available at all aid stations - worth checking in what form e.g. cups, bottles, fill your own - or even seaweed pods at the London Marathon last year!
Sometimes there are sports drinks and/or gels available at some of the stations (depending on who the race sponsors are!).
Check it out, then try eating and drinking at the same points in your training run. If that doesn’t work for you, then you need to plan what you will have to carry on race day. Practice, practice, practice!
★ Time of day
It's useful to take note of the time of day you will be running your race. You’ll need to consider how early to set off, when to eat your pre-race breakfast, what snacks you may need before and immediately after.
I’ve entered the Bath HM and it starts really late - 11.00. This is helpful in some ways (I don’t need to get up at dawn to eat my porridge, I can even have a lie in if I struggle to get to sleep the night before), but tricky in others (more than one cup of tea before a long run is a problem for me - and I’ve SEEN the loo queues at a big event 😨.I think a lie in is my best strategy - and that doesn’t sound all bad😀
Try to emulate race-day with a similarly timed training run so you know in advance what issues it may cause you.
★ Weather
OK, we can’t influence this in training or on race day, other than try and prepare for the worst (yay!). Check the forecast! Some coastal events are notorious for their headwinds so it’s good to be mentally prepared at least.
★ Test out different paces
Now you've been training for a while, have a think about your paces. It's good to plan in one or two 5k or 10k races to remind yourself just how empowering the race atmosphere is and to help you judge your racing performance, and see how much your paces have changed during training.
If you rush off too fast at the start (it can’t be just me who does that 😂), think about how you can curb your enthusiasm when you're feeling fresh and ready to go!! If you're struggling to keep up your pace later on in a run, some intervals sessions will help you learn how to pick up your pace when you're tired.
Don't forget, though, if it's your first half marathon your main job will be to finish the race and have loads of fun doing it!!!
★ Keep checking in
If there’s one key thing I learned in 2019 it’s that injury can come from nowhere. Continue to train smartly - check your training load for recovery periods, your plan for down weeks; check in with yourself on runs to make sure there are no niggles or tension creeping in. If necessary adjust your plan. Train smart and train safe.
Finally - and most importantly - don't let the fun slip away!!! At the end of the day, the priority is to enjoy ourselves whilst getting fitter, and I hope you will take the majority of your runs wherever they most please you.
Here’s to having fun! Let us know how you feel your training is going – does your event have any idiosyncrasies you need to prepare for?
linda9389 & roseabi xx
January 7th, 2020
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Spring 2020 Half Marathon Group list: docs.google.com/spreadsheet...
HUHM Strava Group: strava.com/clubs/huhm
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