Untied blog: Tip Jar

Here at Fleet Feet, we are proud to be home to some of the most experienced marathoners and coaches in the area.  The crème de la crème, as it were.  Our coaches have run more than 500 marathons combined – so they know their stuff.  With the Williams Route 66 Marathon and related events set for just about a week away, we wanted to share some of this valuable insight with you.  Read on to learn more from just a few of our wonderful coaches/motivators/friends/peers.

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“Other than proper training, proper pacing is the critical element to a good marathon.  It’s easy for any of us to get excited at the start of a marathon and start too fast, but that never ends well.   It takes some discipline and trust (and possibly a pace group), but I believe the best strategy is to start slightly slower (maybe 15 seconds) than goal pace for the first three to four miles, lock in to the goal pace, and pick it up over the last three to four miles.  Nothing feels better at the end of a marathon than passing a bunch of people and finishing strong.  – Ben Andrews

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Judy Bomer also shared tips for the several days before the race:
1.            Start carb loading and hydrating with sport drinks and water.
2.            Stay off your feet as much as possible.
3.            Keep stretching.  Run only short slow distances, and no hills.
4.            Trim your toenails.

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From Frank Muller:
“The first and most important rule is nothing new.  [These runners] have spent months on training and preparation and race day is NOT the day for anything new [don’t try new gear, new food, etc.]  Along with the nothing new rule is to control what you can control. This includes laying out race day clothes, knowing pre-race hydration and nutrition, and having bib and race supplies ready to go.*  Finally, have fun!”

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Finally…
“In each marathon, there will be a point(s) in which self-doubt starts to creep in.  Many runners create a mental marker at some distance in which everything after that will be extremely difficult or painful.  For novice runners that might be the distance of their longest run and often the point at which others had problems.  For more experienced runners, it might be the point of their last failure. During the race it matters not whether it is truly a physical or a mental breakdown; you still have to get from that point to the finish.  Focus on something other than running.  For example, set short term goals like running from water stop to water stop; running from light post to light post; repeating a mantra over and over; and ignoring  mile markers.   Or, think that you have five more miles to go when you really only have four.  Your mind is a powerful thing, but trust me, it’s easily distracted. – Kathryn White (also known as Captain Insane-O)

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Fleet Feet Tulsa will also be handing out race-day checklists at the Williams Route 66 Marathon Health, Fitness and Sustainability Expo.  Stop by our booth to grab one – we don’t you forgetting anything before the big day!

*Next week’s Untied blog will expand on Frank’s tip of laying out your gear in advance.  Have you ever heard of a race dummy?  Stay tuned for more info, and how to qualify for a great giveaway!

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