12 Notes for 12 Hours
Pretty soon I'll be lining up to run my first 12 hour race. It's hard to know what to expect, but here are a few of the things racing around my brain:
It's a 12 hr race, I've decided my A goal should be to keep moving for 12 hours rather than think about a set distance to achieve.
Fueling is important from the get-go, it won't be fun to crash early. Don't overeat though (what, me?!) 'Little and often' approach.
My race has showgirls! I love Las Vegas.
Be careful of pace right away, it's not a sprint or a marathon it's a whole new ballgame. Slow and steady. Walk some of the first loop?
Am I overreacting with thinking I need 2 pairs of shoes? And a change of tops...headbands...and extra socks....? Should I get a charger for the Garmin?
At our base camp (which may be a chair and a cooler) we'll have pre-mixed Tailwind and a note on distances and time. My brain doesn't work well after 4 hours.
No music to start, the IPod(s) will be kept in reserve for later on. But...
...Live music starts at 11! How awesome is this race?
I might turn to Twitter a few times during the day to keep myself sane, tweets might not make any sense whatsoever #WTFdoesthatmean #I'mIntheDuckpondAgain #LostPanda
Is it possible to ever feel like you've trained 'enough'?
In this race there are 155 runners out doing 24 hours or 100 miles. I feel a bit silly having concerns over little things since I'm only doing 12, then I feel even sillier for thinking of my race as only 12 hours.
The last note is from the BLU race directors, it gave me a happy:
Remember to Live, Love & Run as if there's no tomorrow!
From doing Ironman I can tell you that mental fitness is far more important that physical. Keeping your focus where it needs to be at the moment is everything. There will be huge ups and downs, and you have to be ready to cope. If you're doing loops, why not have 2 or 3 or even 4 pairs of shoes? If there's a place to change, or even if there isn't, (big towel strategically wrapped!) being able to put on different pants can make a world of difference. Bring different snacks, you never know what cravings will happen. Good luck and have fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks Keith, that's great advice. I'll take advantage of the loop course for sure, it's not like I'm lugging stuff around with me. Yikes, off we go!
DeleteKeith is so right!!! mental!!! oops that sounds funny you know what I mean. And I agree...more than one pair is PRIMO important. you feet might swell...diff socks also important. Can I tweet #lookinGood #GTFoutthere #pieisatthefinish #showgirlselfie Holy SHIT this is an epic race. And you are better at the mental than me you got this!!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping my natural stubborn bitch streak helps with the mental part :) I think you'd be awesome at this type of race actually.
DeleteI must work on my stubborn bitch. #stubbornbitchface
DeleteWhen is the race? Wow 12 hours!
ReplyDeleteValentine's Day, how romantic eh?
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