Race day 101 - Marine Corps Off Duty | health, fitness, gear, gadgets, sports, travel - Marine Corps Times

Race day 101

You’re pounding out the miles, training to run your first road race, and race day is looming. Don’t sweat it. The race will be manageable and rewarding as long as you go in armed with essential advice.

“Running a marathon is part art, science, guts, faith in what you can do, and a little luck,” says Lt. Col. (Dr.) Mark Cucuzzella, a flight surgeon in the Air Force Reserve, medical consultant for the Air Force Marathon and coach and captain of the Air Force Marathon Team.

Whether your sights are set on a 5k or you’re training for your first full 26.2, take these tips to the starting line to ensure you finish in top form for the post-race party:

Sign in early

Marathons in particular start early, so racers need to pick up registration packets before race day. This packet will include a race number or “bib,” important race information, likely a timing chip and gear-drop tag, plus other swag to enjoy after the race.

The timing chip ensures you get an accurate time. When the firing gun goes off, everyone doesn’t start moving at once (they should, but as in rush hour traffic, it just doesn’t happen). The chip is triggered when you cross timing mats at the start and finish lines. Wear your chip as indicated in your packet, and don’t forget it. You can even put it on as soon as you get it.

Stay true to your routine

“Don’t wear or eat anything new on race day,” says retired Army Brig. Gen. Robert Gaylord, who estimates he’s run at least 100 distance races. “Do things the same way you did in training. Don’t change a thing.”

From food to clothing to stride, it’s imperative to stick with what you know. It doesn’t matter how enticing the samples are at the race expo — save them for later. Race expos are great for seeing new products, and if you really want something, buy it, but wear it after the race.

Also check your race website to learn what food, gels and electrolyte drinks will be provided on the course. Test it all out during training to see what works for you, or be prepared to suffer gastrointestinal issues from unfamiliar foods.

Don’t load up on carbs

Speaking of food, don’t overdo it at the pre-race dinner by eating too much pasta or trying exotic foods for the first time. Excess calories of any kind will only cause digestive distress. Eat a normal-sized, balanced meal of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats for optimum performance in the a.m. Remember, you know your body better than anyone else, and you know what fuel you need to perform.

Check your gear — then check it again

Nervous energy and pre-race jitters make the night before the big race an ideal time to triple-check gear. Lay out clothes, pin on your race number, review the course map, make a plan for getting to the start line and set an alarm.

Your race number is critical for on-course ID, race photos and identifying where you belong in the starting lineup. Pin it onto your shirt or shorts with safety pins — bring a few extra just in case. Pin down at least three corners to prevent the annoying number flap, but do not put a pin in the tear-off strip at the bottom of your number. These are torn off by race volunteers as runners cross the finish line, and misplaced pins cause racer backups — not what anyone wants at the end of a race.

To Gu, or not to?

If you’ve trained with gels, consider bringing them with you for the race. It’s the only way to ensure you’ll have what works for you — when you need it. If your shorts or shirt have pockets, put a gel or two in them. If not, put one of your trusty safety pins through the gel’s tear-off tab and attach it to your shorts. Make sure the pins and gels aren’t rubbing against you. Then all you need to do as you run is rip off a gel and replenish.

“Use pins, pockets or gel carriers, but do not use duct tape,” Gaylord says. “It may work for everything else, but it does not stick to wet running shorts and becomes a course hazard for other runners.”

Rest easy

Sleep may be hard to come by the night before a race, but do the best you can. And rest easier knowing the quality of sleep you get two nights before a race makes the most difference, according to a study reported in the 2004 Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness.

Fuel up

“Follow your normal morning routine,” Gaylord says. “Take a shower or do whatever you need to relax.”

Eat your breakfast. Ideally this is something easy to digest, which is consumed two to four hours before the race begins. You just need a couple hundred calories of fuel to top off your glycogen stores for the day. Good choices are oatmeal, energy bars and bananas.

Careful you don’t chafe

Before you get dressed, put on some Band-Aids. Men’s nipples (women are protected by a well-fitting sports bra) and any raised moles are subject to chafing when you are striding it out. Vertically placed athletic tape or Band-Aids — if the tape is horizontal, your shirt will catch on it as you run — should be a mainstay of everyone’s racing routine.

Liberally apply Body Glide or another anti-chafing product if you have chafing hot spots (inner thighs, crotch, under arms). Try Blister Shield powder if your feet are prone to blisters.

Leave early — dress warm

Plan to get to the starting area early enough to allow for transportation snafus, a bathroom pit stop (with lines longer than any ballgame) and dropping a bag at gear check.

Post-race, you are going to want a dry shirt at the very least. Pack a bag, often provided at race check-in, with your recovery food of choice, a fresh shirt and comfortable shoes for after the race. Gear checks are usually organized according to your race number or alphabetically — just follow the signs.

Early morning race starts can be chilly. You’re nervous, the sun isn’t up and the last thing you want is to be cold. Many marathons have volunteers to collect clothes left at the start and donate them to local shelters. Wear unwanted items until just before the race, and then toss them off the course — but not on the road, or your good deed will irritate fellow racers.

Where to line up

Runners are usually asked to put down their estimated finish time when they register for a race, allowing organizers to arrange racers according to times, handicaps and special needs. This ensures everyone has a good and safe race experience. Smaller races may offer some leeway, but remember to be courteous. If you plan to run nine-minute miles, don’t line up with the 8:30 runners “to push yourself.” Gaylord cautions it’s better to hold back at the beginning of the race and not get caught up in the mob energy. Look for starting corrals, banners or signs with estimated times, and line up accordingly.

Look for pace groups

Pace groups, found at larger marathons, are great to keep you on track for your race goal and offer the support of a smaller group amid the vast sea of legs and Lycra. Look for pacer flags in the starting area and find your time. Stick with the group for the whole race, to get you through a rough patch or just long enough to get over your jitters.

Aid station 411

As you approach an aid station, be careful not to wipe out on slippery cups. If you stop in the middle of the road, you could be at the bottom of a

10-runner pileup before you can say, “Water please.” Several people will be handing out drinks, so aim for someone midway down the line. If you plan on stopping, run to the side, grab your beverage of choice and move just past the aid station. If you don’t need to, don’t stop completely. Walking as you refuel gets you closer to the finish line and makes it easier to resume running. If you don’t want water down the front of you, pinch the top of your cup to make an easy-pour spout. Toss your trash in a waste bin, or at least to the side of the course.

Pushing through

“For runners having a ‘bad patch,’ they need to refocus on relaxing, refueling and having faith in their training and race plan,” Cucuzzella advises.

He also suggests changing how you think about the last few miles. Mile 21 of a marathon isn’t five miles to go - look at it as four miles and change. Mile 22 is three plus a bit, and so on. “Just run to the next mile marker.”

“Relax and enjoy the day,” Gaylord says. “This is the rewarding payoff from your months of training.”

Once the end is in sight, give yourself a final push and smile for the finish photo — you’ve earned it.

Pattillo is a Military Times fitness writer.