5 Last Minute Boston Marathon Tips
Happy Friday!
I am so excited for this weekend because it’s the first time in 4 weeks that I don’t have to work on the weekend! It was originally going to be a 100% race-free weekend (between me and my team I’ve been at a race every weekend for the past 5 weeks) but after I was sick last week and missed my 5K race my coach and I changed gears and I’m going to be racing a 5K tomorrow at the Triton Invitational instead! It would have been nice to get a little break but I’m really, really excited to race!
Can you believe that we are 3 days away from Boston? Are you racing it? Will you be watching from your TV at home?
I’m really excited to see what unfolds on race morning but I feel like with the amazing group of American women there’s the best chance for a USA victory than there’s been in a long time. My bet is on Des Linden – how about you?
While I’ve only raced Boston once myself I grew up spectating every year and have coached many athletes to some impressive Boston performances – I’m looking at you Jess, with your crazy-awesome 17 minute PR in cold, rainy conditions! So I thought today would be the perfect time to share some last minute tips for those of you running the Boston Marathon on Monday!
1 – Save your legs for race day as much as possible.
I know, it’s Boston, and there are hundreds of fun activities to do all weekend. Expo, shake out runs, meet-ups, dinners, elite 5K and mile races, etc. and obviously you want to partake in some of them but I would really urge you to be selective with the activities that you choose in the two days leading up to the race. If you ever get the chance to attend Boston Marathon weekend as a spectator DO IT and do all the things – but if you are looking to run a good race on Monday only do some of the things.
2 – Bring throw away clothes and heavy duty trash bags with you to the start.
True story – one year my family and I were at the starting line and a runner handed my mom his nice running jacket and asked if he could give her his e-mail address so that they could get in contact after the race and she could mail him his jacket, haha. She took it and did actually end up mailing it to him but I don’t suggest relying on this method so that you don’t have to ditch a favorite jacket or sweatshirt. Wear clothes that you don’t mind throwing to the side of the road and never seeing again. Trash bags are great for wearing like a poncho and they’ll keep you surprisingly warm/dry while you wait in the athlete’s village.
3 – Let the cheers of the crowd propel you but remember to pace yourself!
Boston is unlike every other marathon. The crowds have always been crazy but since the bombings in 2013 there isn’t an inch of the course that doesn’t have people there cheering. In the moment the cheers of the crowd can propel you forward and make running feel like a breeze – especially in the first half of the race – but remember to pace yourself and run your own race. Once you are past the 20 mile marker and you’re really tired then draw on the energy of the crowds to get yourself to the finish line!
4 – Stay controlled first 6 miles.
The first 6 miles of the course are so, so downhill. If you don’t conserve your energy here you are going to pay for it later. Stick to your race plan and stay close to your goal average pace and you be able to finish feeling strong. That being said, don’t try to hold yourself back too much on the downhills because if you significantly “put on the breaks” you will beat up your quads. Allow gravity to do it’s thing and let it feel easy for those first 6 miles.
5 – Embrace the Newton hills.
Believe me – it can be done. After running downhill for so long you may find that it is actually nice to change up the muscles that you are using to run uphill. When I got to this point when I ran Boston running up the hills was actually the best feeling ever! As you are approaching the hills tell yourself that they are going to feel good, that you are going to power up them and get to the top so strong! As you’re running up them remind yourself that your hamstrings and glutes have gotten a break for almost the whole race until that point so they are fresh to propel you up and up!