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Advice for a first time marathoner? What to bring? Doing my first marathon at the end of the month. Right now I'm planning on wearing a belt or vest (leaning towards a nathan belt) with energy goos and my phone and depending on water stations for hydration. Any tips would be appreciated
Seattle marathon if it makes a difference
Bandaids for your nips.
Some lube for those potential chafe areas like inner thighs. I use Squirrels Nut Butter.
Have fun and enjoy yourself!
Winter shoe update:
I ended up buying a pair of Icebug Pytho6 for myself and Arcus for the wife. Haven't had a chance to use them as intended yet, but the fit was great for my wide feet and the overall quality seems very impressive.
I find belts to be more comfortable and easier to access than a vest during supported runs but as I’m sure you know, go with what has worked for you on my previous training runs.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeachesNCream
Eat and drink every 30-45minutes, a Watch alert is great for this. Squirrel nut butter on the legs, if you have nipple chaffing, find a better shirt! It’s 2022, there’s fabrics out there that won’t chaff your nips
Good luck!
When I ran the Seattle Marathon a few years back, we really hadn't had any cold weather until the week of the race so I was kind of freaking out because I hadn't done any runs of any consequence in gear for cold weather. I broke the the rule and ran with some leggings that I hadn't properly vetted. It worked out fine except for some chaffing. I'll 2nd the squirrels nut butter recommendation. Put it on your feet, between your legs, and on your nipples.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeachesNCream
My big takeaway from the road marathon was that long trail runs are way more fun. But the other takeaway is that you really should resist the urge to go out fast. I was feeling really stoked that I felt so good at a little faster pace than I expected right up until about the 20 mile mark when the wheels started coming off. Running 30 second slower miles for the first 20 miles would have only made my time 10 minutes slower but honestly might have resulted in an overall faster race because the last 6 miles would have been so much better.
Have fun, it looks like they've improved the course from when I ran it.
Heh. I find the popularity of road marathons completely baffling.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buke
They seem to change that course every year. Looks like more than 1/2 the miles are on freeway this year. Not sure if thats better or worse than running most of it on the Burke-Gilman Trail. Gone too is the Space Needle start/End!Quote:
Originally Posted by Buke
Got my PR in Seattle despite all the hills.
Good luck, Peaches!
Why are you taking your phone?Quote:
Originally Posted by PeachesNCream
Adding squirrels nut butter to the list. Forgive my rookie question but you said put it on your feet? Where? Between your toes?
Thanks for the advice on pace and reminder to vet gear, will keep that in mind. And thanks for the good luck!
Phone is for podcasts/music (too much of a hassle to download onto the watch, also the watch always starts the podcast from the beginning). Plus a few pics would be nice
^maybe some put it on their feet but probs not necessary if you have the right shoe/sock combo.
Put the nut butter on your nuts and anywhere in that general region. One application has lasted me 12+hrs on the timberline trail
To add to what's already been posted:Quote:
Originally Posted by PeachesNCream
If you're planning to grab water from the water stations without stopping, practice! Get a friend to hand up dixie cups of water to you or just set them on a wall or fence and practice grabbing them as you go by. Or do a half marathon for practice and take all the water feeds. The trick is to move your hand backwards while grabbing the cup to keep from spilling it everywhere. Or just stop for a few seconds (but it can be hard to get going again, particularly when you start getting tired).
Plan on when to take on water and feeds. You may not feel like it (particularly if the wheels are coming off) but stick to the schedule. I do one goo just before the start, one at 1 hour, then every 45 minutes after. Good to eat just before a water station so you can wash down the syrup.
Practice eating and drinking at marathon pace. Do at least one long run doing all your intake according to schedule. Also some long runs with whatever shoes you're planning to race in (if not your standard trainers).
Take a dump before the start. Hopefully there are enough portapotties.
Think about clothing - it'll probably be pretty cold to start but you'll warm up a lot in the first few miles. If you have someone to help you can arrange a clothing drop.
Good luck!
I’m sitting in Seattle airport waiting for connection to Kona for a month
So. Fucking. Stoked. To get out of the very beginning of winter in Alaska !
It’s been a long work stretch through the summer with this date on my mind for like 3 months
Bringing road bike and running gear . Doing my first tropical half marathon on the 12th so I have 10 days to heat adapt somewhat.
I’ve done 5 and 10k races there but nothing longer . For a while I was worried about the heat then I watched the Kona Ironman broadcast early in October and that puts things in perspective in terms of outright suffering . And it is a 6am start to beat the heat
It has been difficult keeping the mileage up in colder darker conditions , but if you gonna be dumb you gotta be tough I guess
Anyway, stoke level is high that is all …!
Good stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by teledad
Are people eating before races or just a goo before start? I assume not since races are usually very early but sure would be nice to have some fuel
love doing it from time to time
Whether a marathon or a 100 miler, I'd have a banana and some yogurt (real yogurt, not that non-fat shit) a couple of hours prior to the start.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeachesNCream
Don't obsess over hydration- drink when you feel like it. More, if you do need water from an aid station, just stop and down a cup or two. It will cost you just a few seconds. Don't go grabbing at cups and trying to drink while running. That is so fucking stupid. Maybe in a few years when you're trying to shave a minute off your PR this will matter.
Finally, run YOUR race!
Quote:
Originally Posted by teledad
And after your dump get back in line and take another dump/pee. Repeat until you are sure its all out!
Although Seattle is not as big a race to where the potty lines are 15 minutes long...
You can eat something 5-10 minutes before the start or several hours before the start, but avoid anything in between. You need to get moving before your blood sugar starts rising and your pancreas pumps out insulin in response. Insulin inhibits an enzyme called hormone-sensitive lipase (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone-sensitive_lipase) that is the key rate-limiting step in the enzymatic chain that mobilizes stored body fat. In a marathon a lot of your calories are going to come from body fat so you do not want to inhibit that process.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeachesNCream
Never would of come to that conclusion but that actually makes a lot of sense and lines up with my own experience that I do better if I eat right before running or not at all...versus waiting 30 mins. Do you know what the resulting feeling would be if you ate 45 mins before? Less energy? Earlier muscle fatigue?Quote:
Originally Posted by Dantheman
Sorry, missed this question. Theoretically, you should burn through your glycogen more quickly and be unable to maintain your pace or outright bonk. Endurance exercise is a calorie deficit situation. You are burning 600-800 cals/hr and only able to digest 200-300 cals/hr. The difference has to come from body fat or glycogen and even in the leanest individuals body fat is a 20x larger reserve.
Got the Icebugs out yesterday. Holy shit, incredible. Conditions ranged from dry-ish dirt to mud, rock, slush, and wet pow. They absolutely crushed everything. Worth every penny over spikes. I was climbing 25% slushy greasy half dirt/half rock like velcro.
So if I’m understanding correctly, this is why I’ve bonked with a ‘full stomach’? For example eating a small meal or larger snack around an hour prior to running then bonking a bit.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dantheman
Plausible, especially if you weren't trying to push a really hard pace. Above a certain intensity you're going to burn glycogen almost exclusively redardless.Quote:
Originally Posted by stapes
imo, this is bad advice. If you have nipple chafing issues, the shirt matters for shorter runs, but long runs will get you regardless of material. NexCare waterproof bandages work great and will not come off over really long distances.Quote:
Originally Posted by benk
Buy a cheap sweat shirt and pants from a thrift store to wear to keep warm before the start of the race. Then toss to the side. (Most big races will usually donate to a good cause).Quote:
Originally Posted by teledad
Agreed with most points. A few additional:
-nipple bandaids are a good idea
-walking is fine when you grab water
-on race day, don't try anything for the first time (food, nutrition, clothes, bfast, etc.)
-have fun! It's a cool experience, so enjoy it.
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I ran my first marathon last weekend. Moab Trail. Totally unplanned (and untrained) - my wife and I have run the half there several times and planned on the half again this year, though driving to Moab the day before we decided “why not go longer?” Painful? Yes. Should I train next time? Yes? Will I do it again? Yes. Course runs though the Kane Creek area. So amazingly beautiful. Red rock + snow up high is an awesome combo.