A few weeks back, I ran my first ever half marathon. It was huge – not just because I had to restart after breaking my foot but also because I knew I was not only training solo but would be fully running the day of solo. I knew a virtual half marathon would be an interesting experience. Here’s what I learned.
Figure out what motivates you and make it part of your plans for the day you do the race. It sounds silly. It sounds obvious. But man I found it to be true. There will be no crowd cheering you on. No music possibly pumping as you pass by. Just you and the pavement. I took my cheerleaders with me for the fun — they go by the name of Matty, Matt and Selena (Peloton instructors if the names aren’t part of your routine like they are for me.) I knew that taking a series of Peloton runs would keep me motivated and so that’s what I did. Maybe it’s no music for you, or perhaps audio books. Whatever it is — try out your options and know what helps you the most and make that your plan.
Plot out your course. Since you’re in charge, you have to figure out where you’re headed in those 13.1 miles. My longest run before race day was only 10 miles, so that meant making sure what that extra mileage might mean on my route — I.e. does the road feel safe? Is it hillier than I want to have for that point in the run? Try to test it all out in advance.
Figure out the hydration situation. If you are running an in person race, there are water stations. If you’re in a city, perhaps even an occasional water fountain. None of the above for a virtual race. I spent a lot of time during my training figuring how much water I’d need to get me through 13.1 miles – an issue of added importance running in July. I like to run with the Nathan 18 ounce handheld water bottle but it’s not enough water for even half of that. Day of, I ended up adding in my FlipBelt (and 11 ounce bottle made to fit) as well as this FITLY FLASK250 I found on Amazon. I liked the soft flask because I could put it in one of my two pockets. I used it first so then could collapse it and not have the bulk from it for the majority of my run. The top on it is a bit different so I was glad I’d used it previously on several runs so it wasn’t a surprise day of. And I also use LiquidIV’s Hydration Multiplier. I find it satisfies my thirst better so was a helpful addition.
Make a potty plan. The flipside of that hydration strategy is figuring out a bathroom one. I thought about this one a lot, because I find having to go to the bathroom one of the greatest distractions when running. And I didn’t want to not drink enough water throughout the run. I anticipated the race would take longer than I estimated (I was right) and that my body would need lots of fluids. I managed to find a route with a port-o-potty on it at a ball field. Genius! Before I found that, I was contemplating routes that either doubled back by my house for a pit stop (not ideal, as I knew I’d lose some steam) or one that went by a coffee shop where I could buy something small and use the restroom. Whatever your plan, definitely make one!
Own the upsides. I love running early in the morning — earlier than races ever start. My race, my timing, right? I started before 6am and it was glorious. I also paused my fitness tracker when I was crossing busier streets so I didn’t feel rushed and wasn’t penalized time-wise for being safe.
Have you run a virtual half marathon or other virtual race? What helped you cross your finish line?
Leave a Reply