Alright, so based off of the fact that this past weekends Half Marathon was ridiculous (not in a good way) and the fact that I had to back out of the original first one of the season, I figured I'd write a post of how NOT to run a half marathon, or perhaps how to not succeed in a half marathon is a more accurate title?
Either way, here it goes: (in no particular order)
1- do not get sick two weeks prior to and refuse to go to the doctor until the week of
2- fit time in for running if you go on holidays 3-2 weeks prior to your run (make time for your training, it is important)
3- drink lots of fluids the day and week leading up (e.g. don't get dehydrated the day before... it will effect you the morning of, and may prevent you from eating dinner the night before. Your body needs fuel in order to function!)
4- if its unusually hot, ensure that you drink plenty of fluids the morning of, with the exception of nerves you likely won't need to pee excessively as you will be sweating it out
5- nothing new the morning of! one of the biggest mistakes you can make is doing something differently, a new gel, a new breakfast that unknowingly upsets your stomach, don't risk it! It aint worth it
6- make time for your long runs! At the end of the day it is your long runs that teach you how to run on tired legs. Sprints, hill and tempo runs are good things if you have time. But if you only have time for one run, it is true what they say, make it be your long run.
7-do not run with gadgets that aren't fully charged, if you train with them you are going to need them in the run. Even if you are planning on using pacers, you never know what is going to happen and it is best to be over prepared then under prepared.
8- look at the course map before hand (this way you know what hills lie before you or gradual inclines)
And lastly, if you are completely struggling and you realize that your goal is not going to be achieved, do NOT give up! Seriously, you will regret. And what is the worse that can happen? You have to walk? Then walk :) if you have to crawl, well... then maybe consider stopping by a medical tent because something is likely seriously wrong.
From my experience at the BMO Vancouver Half Marathon all I can do is shake my head and chuckle, I really hope that I do not fall flat on my face in the Rock'N'Roll Marathon Seattle... I have a lot of work to do up till then, but through all of this I have been reminded that at the end of the day, if you are not getting some sort of enjoyment out of it, it may not be worth it. Now I'm not saying it is all going to be fun, it isn't. We all run with self doubts at some point throughout a race, but you need to take a step back and appreciate, admire and acknowledge how great running and the running community is.
So happy running, training, and walking to you! I hope that you don't experience these do not's but if so, remember, it isn't the end of the world and running isn't the enemy.
*Disclaimer, these thoughts are mine, and what works or does not work for me. Each person is different*
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