Workout Wednesday - 3/20

Next training

• Saturday, March 23 at 7:45 am
• Forest Park - Northwest Corner of the Visitor Center Parking Lot

Go! Course logistics

• Can you believe event day is just a few weeks away?
• Here are a few course facts:
• Course nutrition provided is GU energy gels
• Course hydration provided is Gatorade and water
• Pace limit is 14 minutes and 52 seconds per mile (6.5 hours for the full marathon total time)
• Pace regulation:  full marathoners under pace at mile 9 will be diverted to complete the half marathon; after that mile marker if you are under that pace then you will be picked up by the SAG Wagon and dropped off at the finish
• Take a look at the course map by following this link
• Watch a video of the actual course mile by mile following this link

Shoes, shoes, shoes!

• Your shoes are where the rubber meets the road...literally!
• If you have not yet purchased new running shoes, please do so now
• Go to any one of the Big River Running locations and have them professionally fit you for new shoes.  There locations are at this link
• I recommend wearing your new shoes for FIVE days of midweek mileage and then at least ONE day of your long run before running the race, which is why getting them now is vital

You are nearly to both the START and the FINISH line!  You have trained hard, worked hard, and hopefully played hard.  Now is the time to hone your focus and begin tying up any loose ends.  Running is a sport both of physical and mental strength.  Here are some bullets on things to consider in the next couple weeks:

• Start using GU and Gatorade because this is what will be provided on the course.  You don't want any last minute gastro surprises on the course if you've never adjusted to the on-course goodies!
• Get those new shoes and break them in.  Wear them for five short runs and at least one or two long runs to avoid any blisters on event day.
• Remind yourself of why you're even doing this in the first place. We all signed up for a reason and maybe that reason is the same now, or maybe it's changed.  But ultimately it's about the mission.  If our patients and honored teammates can go through their journeys, so too can you.
• Get pumped!  Avoid the headphone during training, and definitely try to avoid them on event day so you can soak up the energy and fun, but blast that favorite song when you're getting ready each morning.  
• Avoid unnecessary injury.  Well, none of it is needed, but don't do anything new you haven't done before and avoid anything potentially dangerous anyway. If you get hurt now you may not have enough time to recover before event day.
• Talk to you coaches about any final questions you have about training or preparation.  There's no time like the present.
• Start writing out a list of what you'll need and what you'll want on event day.  We'll cover this more later, but just make a list so as you think of things over the next few weeks you can add to it with plenty of time.

As always, you're already a hero for what you're doing.  We all continue to realize more each day and each season how impacting our fundraising really is.  Whether you've got more to go, or you're already there, don't stop now!

Cheers and run happy,


Jeffrey