Runner's Forum: Race Day Advice for a Newbie

Hello,

Around 7 weeks ago I started training for a 10k which is on Sunday.  I can now run 10k.  My time is slow (65 minutes) but I figured that after 7 weeks of training, that's not too bad and my goal this time around is just to finish.  My training route has been relatively flat with the odd hill.  Apparently, the race route does have some challenging hills, though, they are at the beginning of the run.  The thought of hills is making me nervous...any advice?

 Thanks.

Malkster,
Congrats on your decision to do this race!!  I'm a newbie as well and have only run one 5k before deciding to do this half marathon I'm training for.  Do let us know how you do, will yah?!  Good luck to you!!  : )  I run pretty hilly courses for my training and I just take them slow and try to focus on keeping my breathing and heart rate at around the same as I was running on flat ground.  Of course, it will be a bit higher, but in order not to waste too much energy, especially on the longer runs, I try not to push it too far.  That's my only advice that would be good, as I'm new to this too!

I have a question as well for those seasoned racers out there... 
I have two long runs left until my first half marathon.  I ran 12 last week.  Should I do two 13's or another 12 and a 13, before taking my training down the week prior?  The race is on June 22nd.  I am soley concerned with finishing and running the entire distance.  My 12 mile last week, I was able to run the whole time, but crashed after due to inadequate food/water.  Kind of scary for me.  I'm wondering if I should attempt the 12 again before moving my mileage up.  I also ran the 12 on a ridiculously hilly route.  It was really pretty and I'm actually one of those weird people who like the challenge of hills...especially the big ones.  What better a feeling than looking behind you and knowing you just ran up that beotch?!  LoL!  Perhaps the fact that I'm a climber/backpacker as well makes me privy to the challenge of a climb during my runs.  The race that I'm running is supposedly pretty flat, but I figure if I can run a more challenging course, the race should be a bit easier for me.
KJ

Congrats, Malkster!!!  : )

Okay, well, I'm in that "taper" section now.  My race is a week from Sunday!  I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (did I mention so?) nervous!  I didn't run a few days due to a ridiculous heat wave here in Jersey.  I ran yesterday (a fast 3 mile - heat was brutal).  I feel like I don't know what to do!!!!  This is where I could either help or hurt all the training that I have been doing! 

I am going to try the sports drink thing (the lady at the running store suggested the same thing) and I also bought some Gu, though I haven't tried using it yet because I haven't done a long run since I bought it.  I feel like I should do another medium run, but is that a bad idea?  Maybe an eight or a nine?  Ten?  I don't know!!!  Everything on the internet is conflicting. 

So today is Thursday and even though it is hot, I'm going to try and pull another 3 (I had so much to do this morning and it's already 11:30am and hot, but I won't have time tonight either!).   I figure that I will run consistently through Sunday, take Monday off.  Then consistently through Friday.  Take the Saturday before race day off.  How far to run on those days is beyond me!!  I'm scared, people. 

This week is supposed to be hot and humid through at least Sunday, so I figure I maybe need to keep doing these 3's - a 5 perhaps depending on how I feel.  I feel unprepared...I really do.  I feel like I may have expected too much, too soon.  My last long run (a 12 mile) I threw up in front of a bunch of people that I didn't know well afterwards (why do I keep throwing up?  Lactate Threshhold?  Is my body not ready for this yet?  Can short, fast runs help train for long runs by raising your LT?  Is my LT not high enough to pull the 13?  I've only been running for 3 months! I am rambling via typing.  I feel like this is probably anxiety talking for me. 

OMG! I did so much better than I even imagined that I could!!! I started getting sick with what I now think is just bad allergies on Thursday and got my *ahem* "lady thing" on Friday. It was supposed to thunder and lightning on Sunday-right in the middle of the race!! Things were not in my favor and I was SO nervous!!! My last 12 mile run (besides vomiting after) took me 2 1/2 hours. My official Champion Chip time for half marathon was (dun dun dun dahhhhhhh) 2:20:12!!! I couldn't believe it!

My goal was to run the entire time, no matter what....no stopping/no walking. I DID IT! Even on some sick hills (thank goodness I like hills and trained on them!) I was running by tens of people! There was one particular sustained hill on mile 10 (yes...mile TEN) that was pretty darn steep and after running ten miles, it is not easy trucking up that, but I used some serious positive self-talk and I banged it out.

I ended up running a 10.4 minutes per mile pace (which is great for me!). I used Gu at the start line, mile 5 and mile 9. I spanned it out perfectly and no cramps or vomiting! Yayyyyy! I walked it off with my cousin and Aunt for a little more than a mile afterward and that helped a lot! Today, my thighs and back are sore and my knees ache, but it's not that bad.

I thought I was going to cry at the finish line. I got all choked up a few times during the race, just thinking, "I am seriously running a half marathon right now", but I made myself stop thinking it, because it was not helping my breathing! LoL! I thought I would lose it when I saw everyone cheering for me at the finish, and my son clapping and yelling, "Yayyyy, Mommmmmmyyyyyyy!" LoL! I held it in, though!

It was an awesome experience! There were people everywhere on the course with signs, clapping and cheering us on. It was humid and a bit warm, but there were a bunch of water spouts to spray us down as we ran, which felt SOOO good, and there were even people out standing with hoses from thier houses, spraying us, too! : ) I'm so happy that I decided to run this race! It was one of the best experiences of my life. My next race is a five mile on July 12th.

Jocks,

You can usually safely add 10% to your weekly milage each week, anymore than that you can injure yourself. I found that by adding distance I could increase my pace on my shorter runs. So even if you go with the 5k, you can knock some time off the race by adding distance to your training. You could replace a 3 mile run with a five mile run this week and see how you feel, or replace a 4 mile run with a five mile run...just adding a mile to your weekly total. I wouldn't say that the 10k is out of reach for you in 10 weeks. In fact, sounds like a reasonable goal.  

Thanks, guys!  : )

Jocks...YAYYYYYYYY!!!!  You are amazing!  : )  I think that if you leave yourself enough time, you can go for the 10K.  The good thing about doing a 5K first is that it gives you the experience of the race without feeling too nervous about covering the distance.  So, you can see what the "racing atmosphere" is like before you do a longer race.  I did a 5K first, then jumped right into the Half Marathon!  LoL!  I think that if I hadn't done the 5K, though, I would have been much more nervous (and believe me...I was nervous ENOUGH!!) for the half, because I wouldn't have known what to expect when I got there.  Also, running with other runners is an awesome experience, but it is much different than running by yourself all the time, so it's good to do a shorter race first to see how that works out for you!  My 5K, I didn't push myself hard enough, because I was nervous about having to stop or how I would "look" in front of the other seasoned runners.  After the race, I realized that was the stupidest thing ever and I ran the half without even thinking about what anyone else thought about me.  I actually ran it only 40 seconds longer per mile than I did my 5K just 2 1/2 months earlier!! 

So, to make short advice long...I would say train for the 10K, but do the 5K first (during the training if you want), just to get a feel for the "racing atmosphere".  Good Luck!   Keep us posted on how you are doing!  You are doing a great thing for your body and your quality of life!  : )