Ok, first-time marathoner, you’ve been training hard with a group or by yourself, running circles around Central Park until dizzy via bridle path or the Big Loop. But as we’ve just stepped into that crucial one-month zone prior to the BIG DAY, the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 6th, we have to make sure that we have everything in order.
This will be my first marathon too, and my simple goal is to survive it, plus to enjoy the magnanimous cheering spirits of the crowds along the way. They say that there’s no other marathon quite like it, and you are one of the privileged and hard-working few who will be running up onto the Verrazano Bridge, through Brooklyn and the Bronx, up First Avenue and into the greatest public park in the world…
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
For starters, we need to nail down the basics with a few essential questions to ask yourself about your training :
How many times a week and for how far a distance have I been running and plan to run?
Am I feeling good with the food I’ve been eating prior to runs, as well as the supplements (gels, protein bars, beans) that I take while running?
Do I hydrate enough?
Do I intake enough sodium, electrolytes, carbs?
And then there is a whole other set of questions entirely about Marathon Day :
What kind of running shoes should I get for the big event?
What other equipment do I need? Do I really need a fluid belt, $15 socks, and seamless garb?
What pace should I stick to?
Should I have a desired race time, pace, PR (runners’ lingo for “Personal Record” time) in mind?
Am I overly anxious or healthily expectant?
If I have injuries, can I still run with them?
Have I signed up for all the essential and fun marathon-related events leading up to the race?
Something else to keep in mind as you’re icing yourself after a strategic long run and looking your least glamorous:
Why am I doing this?!
These are the questions I aim to answer for you as the one-month countdown begins, with the help of experienced coaches, medical experts, and serial-marathoners.
Looking forward to coaching you towards the finish line!