Race Day Prep
With my Boston Marathon Virtual Experience just days away – I’m planning on running it on Sept. 13, it’s time for me to get my head in the game, think positive and do some race visualization for the big day. Obviously, with everything COVID-related, racing in 2020 is really more like “racing”. There’s not a crowd to run with, no race announcers, starting lines, pacers, people to run with, no finish line hoopla. I’ve ran three other virtual races this year and they’ve all been solo efforts, having to carry all my race needs on me, be my own hype man when the going gets tough and imagine the crowds and energy to sustain me throughout. Luckily, since I run a lot of local races, I’ve been able to run the actual race courses to add to the race vibe as much as possible. But running a marathon distance is different beast altogether. So having strong mental game is even more crucial in helping me finish strong on virtual race morning.
Visualizing the race course – For this marathon, I had to create my own route. I’m not much of an out and back kind of guy, so I chose a big, long loop through different parts of town. As such, it’s been easy to get out and run the course to get familiar with the roads, the inclines and nuances of it to take the surprise out of it on race day. So often I hear from runners that don’t run the course in their own town and are then surprised about a hill or rough patch that’s always been there. It’s an easy fix in your training plan to help you do your best. The last thing you want is an added curve ball when you’re going through it and trying to finding the silver lining in the back miles of your race. If you know it’s coming you can mentally prepare of it so it doesn’t sucker punch you.
Keeping your race week routine – With so many elements of traditional racing not available right now, it’s even easier to slack off during race week of your marathon. To make your virtual marathon more enjoyable, it’s important to stay on your normal race week that has prepared you for your previous marathon victories. Reel in your diet – you most likely won’t have access to bathrooms on your course so this is super clutch!! Get in a few more hours of sleep and rest instead of runs too. You’ve been training for twelve to sixteen weeks, so let the body recover and recharge before you expend the efforts on race day. If you’re comfortable with massages during COVID, schedule one and get the kinks out. Or dust off your foam roller and roll it on out! The night before the big virtual day, get your gear together, just as you normally would. Be sure to post up that flat runner pic on social media too!
Get your friends and fam in on the action – Now’s the time to call in the cavalry for your virtual marathon. Since there are no aid stations for your race, enlist your run buds, friends and family to help you out, especially towards the second half of the race when fluids and nutrition become more essential. Shout out to my wifey, who will be posted up at different spot along my course to give me water, electrolytes and maybe a sweaty hug to get me through the finishing miles. This will help lighten the actual load of having to carry all the water, gels, salt tabs, Vaseline, whatever it is you need to get you running comfortably and safely. Likewise, if you have a running buddy or two, call in a favor and get them to run part of the course with you, it’ll be great to boost your morale and also give you a bit of the natural will to want to keep up with them as you tick off the miles. It takes a village.
Enjoy the day!!!! – Usually the phrase, “trust the process” is what you need to tell yourself to know that you’re ready to tackle your 26.2. And that still holds true. You’ve put in the work, you’ve ran all the miles, now it’s time to execute the game plan. But also, in this environment of COVID, fires on the west coast and more, virtual racing brings more potential of hiccups along the way. So learn to let go a bit and shrug off what race day mishaps may bring. A race PR probably won’t happen. Stop lights or trains crossing might slow you up. You can either let it ruin your race, or you can focus on all the positives of the day – you’re still out there running, you still qualified for Boston – one of a very small percentage that can do that, and it’s still 26.2 miles that you knocked out! All still very big deals despite not toeing the line in Hopkinton.
If you do what you can to manage all of the other variables of visualizing your course, keeping with race week routines and phoning a friend, enjoying your day will be easier to do as you cross your finish line feeling like a champ. The one thing that hasn’t changed with virtual racing are the post-race marathon eats and treats. Rest assured that I’ll be recuperating later that day with a phat burger and cold one. Or two!
