Lessons learned and applied...what are you doing differently this year?

[goofeygirl]

Okay so January was my first marathon and I did the Goofy. I was sooo terrified of my first marathon that I over did it in the 'lets take this' department.

I had three belts...yes three. One with water bottles and two others with bags and bags of jelly bellies, gumps , gu's, and Tylenols. A third belt with money, d.l., room key and a cc.
I wore a back brace because I was worried I might have back pain...one of those things that wrap around you and are held with Velcro!

It was dreadfully hot that day and so I was overloaded with gear that I didn't use...with the exception of the jelly bellies (but I didn't eat all that I brought).

So this time around I am cutting back on the belts. I am using one belt with hydration...and they will hold a mixture of water and fuel meal (you know that powerdery stuff you buy at gnc) to feed my need for food...there are plenty of water stands and last year that is what I used...their water. In the bag with the fuel belt I will carry room key and Tylenols. I will put a bill in my sneaker.

I will not use a back belt but instead wear one of those compression tops.

No matter the weather, I am wearing shorts under my glitter patriotic skirt and a tank...no matter...but if cold I will wear toss away sweats.

That's the plan.

I over did it last year...I was like a walking thrift store.

 

[paxsarah]

I'm still not sure exactly what went wrong with my last marathon a year ago, though I do have some theories and I have/will be trying to make better choices this time around.

1. Not enough dedicated marathon training time.

Last year: My last triathlon was mid-October, marathon was late November, so about 6 weeks of dedicated marathon focus. (I did have the conditioning, just not the run focus.)
This year: Last triathlon was late September, marathon is January, so almost 3.5 months of marathon-specific training.​

2. Let a pace group leader take me out too fast.

Last year: I hadn't even planned to stay with a pace group but I ended up right near them at the start. I could tell from my Garmin that his pace was 10-15 sec/mile too fast but I stuck with them anyway for 8 or so miles which is my own darn fault.
This year: Don't worry about a pace group. Start conservatively, take at least the first 3-5 miles 10-15 sec/mile slower than my goal pace and then pick it up after that.​

3. No contingency plans for a bad race; no 'B' goal.

Last year: I was so sure I was in a position for a big PR (I was shooting for 25 minutes or so) that I didn't really have a B goal. When the wheels started getting wobbly around mile 16 and coming completely off by mile 20 (I was left with ITB issues that stuck with me for 6 months or so afterward) I was completely unprepared for it. I think I dug in pretty well to eke out a PR by 3 minutes but it was miserable.
This year: Have 'A', 'B', and maybe even 'C' goals. Prepare mentally for physical issues and how I'll respond to them. I had a pretty terrible run at Augusta 70.3 this year as well, but I managed to reset my expectations after a couple of miles, found a new running buddy, and mostly enjoyed the run at a much slower pace than I'd anticipated.​

So, hopefully with the tweaks that I've made and the mental tools that I've added, this can be a successful race no matter my time.

 

[goofeygirl]

I'm still not sure exactly what went wrong with my last marathon a year ago, though I do have some theories and I have/will be trying to make better choices this time around.

1. Not enough dedicated marathon training time.

Last year: My last triathlon was mid-October, marathon was late November, so about 6 weeks of dedicated marathon focus. (I did have the conditioning, just not the run focus.)
This year: Last triathlon was late September, marathon is January, so almost 3.5 months of marathon-specific training.​

2. Let a pace group leader take me out too fast.

Last year: I hadn't even planned to stay with a pace group but I ended up right near them at the start. I could tell from my Garmin that his pace was 10-15 sec/mile too fast but I stuck with them anyway for 8 or so miles which is my own darn fault.
This year: Don't worry about a pace group. Start conservatively, take at least the first 3-5 miles 10-15 sec/mile slower than my goal pace and then pick it up after that.​

3. No contingency plans for a bad race; no 'B' goal.

Last year: I was so sure I was in a position for a big PR (I was shooting for 25 minutes or so) that I didn't really have a B goal. When the wheels started getting wobbly around mile 16 and coming completely off by mile 20 (I was left with ITB issues that stuck with me for 6 months or so afterward) I was completely unprepared for it. I think I dug in pretty well to eke out a PR by 3 minutes but it was miserable.
This year: Have 'A', 'B', and maybe even 'C' goals. Prepare mentally for physical issues and how I'll respond to them. I had a pretty terrible run at Augusta 70.3 this year as well, but I managed to reset my expectations after a couple of miles, found a new running buddy, and mostly enjoyed the run at a much slower pace than I'd anticipated.​

So, hopefully with the tweaks that I've made and the mental tools that I've added, this can be a successful race no matter my time.

It is an interesting point about the pace group. I thought of finding and sticking with a pace group but then I think I am better off on my own...I do like the idea of going for a certain time and arriving at that time however I would probably end up in the boat you did...

Did you get swept in the full?

As for the mental planning...very important. I know last January I was in pretty decent shape mentally and not too bad physically...I mean I wasn't breaking any records by any means but I was okay...however at that dreaded mile 21 (and I talk about this all the time) I hit a horrible mental wall. It didn't stop me from finishing the race but I went from this really happy high of enjoying the race to this low of dreading every single step...every mile dragged on from there.. I was miserable..totally miserable. I do not want to experience that mental state again. My legs kept going but my mind was dreading it and I couldn't pull myself out of it.

I have this weird plan in my head...I don't like the belts because no matter what they get in my way. I was thinking of not carrying a belt at all. I was thinking of using their water and then stuffing Gu in my sports bra and money in my sock and not taking the room key with me and just get an extra one when I return. I am seriously trying to work out a way of doing these races (well mostly the full) without ANY fuel belt. I am forever adjusting it and I my arms hit it when it moves to my side. I drop it to my hips but that annoys me...

 

[paxsarah]

No, I didn't get swept. This was Space Coast last year, actually, so it'll have been over 13 months between my last marathon and this upcoming one. I wouldn't completely rule out the idea of sticking with a pace group in the future (and for me, since I run/walk, it was more like "orbiting" a pace group rather than sticking with it), but I'm going to be ready to drop them or let them drop me if the pace is off by more than I'm comfortable with.

I agree with paring down how much you carry. I do like to use a gear belt for my phone, fuel, keys, etc., but I don't wear a water/fuel belt in a race that should have adequate water stops. You don't want to cut so far back that you find yourself needing something that you don't have with you, so it's kind of a balance. The belt I've been using lately is a Flip belt, and I like that it has a pretty flexible capacity (depending on how much stuff you want riding around your midsection), I can kind of just shove stuff in there, and I don't have to fuss with a zipper.

 

[goofeygirl]

I am going to check out that flip belt.

 

[bumbershoot]

I was thinking of using their water and then stuffing Gu in my sports bra and money in my sock and not taking the room key with me and just get an extra one when I return. I am seriously trying to work out a way of doing these races (well mostly the full) without ANY fuel belt. I am forever adjusting it and I my arms hit it when it moves to my side. I drop it to my hips but that annoys me...

Wouldn't the gu packs chafe the heck out of you?

If you don't take the room key and plan to get another, if you are alone there at the desk I believe they'll want to see your ID. So you'd have to take that. And as another dis'er mentioned on a different thread a few days ago, you really should take your ID and your insurance card, just in case you end up on your way to the hospital after a race (her husband did just that at TOT).

Lastly...magicband. If you're staying onsite and have already gotten it, maybe try out some runs with it on, see if it works for you at all?


I hate trying something new so late in the game (and I'm doing my FIRST Half in January so this isn't really learning from last year, but learning as I go), but I've realized that I really do have to have a hydration backpack. I have a sensitive stomach that does NOT respond well to Orlando water (and that's what Dasani is...filtered municipal water in the local bottling area) and I need water when I need it, not when I come to it (and I had some issues stopping to actually drink ENOUGH water), so I really have to carry it with me. I wish there was more time to make sure it won't make me insane, but I've gotta do it.

 

[goofeygirl]

I did just order a flip belt....so I will try it out beforehand.

Yes as for the room key I would have told the front desk to make a note of it.

However the chaffing would be an issue. I do hope this new belt I ordered will work for me. I am not carrying water because I actually never drink anything I carry with me.

At the end of the day, if the flip belt doesn't work I will have to simply use the normal belt.but I just started thinking of ways to avoid carrying anything.

 

[afnaechiquita]

Wouldn't the gu packs chafe the heck out of you?

If you don't take the room key and plan to get another, if you are alone there at the desk I believe they'll want to see your ID. So you'd have to take that. And as another dis'er mentioned on a different thread a few days ago, you really should take your ID and your insurance card, just in case you end up on your way to the hospital after a race (her husband did just that at TOT).

Lastly...magicband. If you're staying onsite and have already gotten it, maybe try out some runs with it on, see if it works for you at all?


I hate trying something new so late in the game (and I'm doing my FIRST Half in January so this isn't really learning from last year, but learning as I go), but I've realized that I really do have to have a hydration backpack. I have a sensitive stomach that does NOT respond well to Orlando water (and that's what Dasani is...filtered municipal water in the local bottling area) and I need water when I need it, not when I come to it (and I had some issues stopping to actually drink ENOUGH water), so I really have to carry it with me. I wish there was more time to make sure it won't make me insane, but I've gotta do it.

what backpack do you have? i know i can't do a fuel belt because they bug me (get stomach pains if it's too tight, hate having it all flopping around if it's too loose). i've been trying to just carry a bottle but then that leads to hand cramping. i never thought about a backpack, but it seems the obvious answer

OP - i currently use a wristband (like this to hold my ID/keys when running. it gets the job done, but requires frequent washing because it is smelly smelly.

i've learned that moving about post-race plus a dip in the pool is best for me. i didn't do that at PHM '12 and paid the price. i spent most of the day in the hotel room shivering under blankets and just being miserable.

 

[bumbershoot]

what backpack do you have? i know i can't do a fuel belt because they bug me (get stomach pains if it's too tight, hate having it all flopping around if it's too loose). i've been trying to just carry a bottle but then that leads to hand cramping. i never thought about a backpack, but it seems the obvious answer

I should have said I "have to get" one. I kept trying them on and they annoyed me, but I was in the midst of some weird shoulder stuff that was making me hate moving it at all. It's easing a bit now. Alas, now no one has a Camelbak Marathoner for me to try on, and that's the one I was thinking of. The other night I saw a review for the Nathan Intensity for women and it intrigued me.

The more I think about TOT and my carried bottle of water and the relatively small amount of water I drank and how messed up I was after...I need to have more water. And if I have to deal with sloshing, then that might just be what I have to do. DS, however, has a kid's Camelbak backpack and SWEARS it doesn't slosh. I'm just not sure.

Oh and the other thing I learned from TOT was that a buffet as a recovery meal is NOT OK for my stomach. I'm just not quite yet hungry enough for that. Later I'll get hungry, but not 8 hours later. Small, GOOD food and some rest. Then a day later...mass quantities of food.

 

[afnaechiquita]

I should have said I "have to get" one. I kept trying them on and they annoyed me, but I was in the midst of some weird shoulder stuff that was making me hate moving it at all. It's easing a bit now. Alas, now no one has a Camelbak Marathoner for me to try on, and that's the one I was thinking of. The other night I saw a review for the Nathan Intensity for women and it intrigued me.

The more I think about TOT and my carried bottle of water and the relatively small amount of water I drank and how messed up I was after...I need to have more water. And if I have to deal with sloshing, then that might just be what I have to do. DS, however, has a kid's Camelbak backpack and SWEARS it doesn't slosh. I'm just not sure.

Oh and the other thing I learned from TOT was that a buffet as a recovery meal is NOT OK for my stomach. I'm just not quite yet hungry enough for that. Later I'll get hungry, but not 8 hours later. Small, GOOD food and some rest. Then a day later...mass quantities of food.

oh i see now "have to have," reading comprehension fail on my side

i don't have the option to try them on, so i'm going on faith of reviews and hopefully the one my DF picks up will work.

another thing i have learned is to put flip flops in my bag. after 13.1 miles, another step in my running shoes feels impossible, and it feels so much better to slip immediately into flip flops.

 

[taratru]

If you're planning on using their water, and if you have pockets, you don't need a belt for gus. I tucked two into a key pocket in Nike shorts and stuck another in my bra strap. And if your shorts have a zipper pocket on the back, your key/card/id/money/whatever can fit in there. Can you tell I don't like carrying extra anything for a full?

At W&D, I gave my magicband to DH, since he was meeting me at the finish line. I don't plan on wearing it for Princess either, even if it means I have to leave it at the front desk of the hotel.

 

[goofeygirl]

If you're planning on using their water, and if you have pockets, you don't need a belt for gus. I tucked two into a key pocket in Nike shorts and stuck another in my bra strap. And if your shorts have a zipper pocket on the back, your key/card/id/money/whatever can fit in there. Can you tell I don't like carrying extra anything for a full?

At W&D, I gave my magicband to DH, since he was meeting me at the finish line. I don't plan on wearing it for Princess either, even if it means I have to leave it at the front desk of the hotel.

I would love to do the full without any belts...I did order that other belt so I will check it out beforehand and see if I like it.

 

[FFigawi]

I would love to do the full without any belts...I did order that other belt so I will check it out beforehand and see if I like it.

You can also use safety pins to attach your gels to your shorts. If you do that and leave your keys in your drop bag, you won't need a belt at all.

 

[cewait]

You can also use safety pins to attach your gels to your shorts. If you do that and leave your keys in your drop bag, you won't need a belt at all.

Old School! Have not thought about this for a while

 

[PrincessV]

One lesson, and I only just learned it...

If it worked last year - DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING!

Following a slowed-by-coming-back-from-injury but otherwise great PHM this year, I decided I needed to carry water bottles on my waist so that I could hit some new routes in summer training that don't have frequent enough options for refilling my trusty handheld bottle. I also decided I "needed" different shoes for recovery runs. Result? Major issues with my lower back and hips that I'm trying desperately to fix in time for the January Half and GSC in Feb. I think my new motto is "Nothing new in TRAINING," not just on race day.

 

[RnbwSktles]

This is my first marathon so I only have training and half-marathons to go off of.

I love my fuel/hydration belt and plan to use it for the race. I really don't even notice it on my hips most of the time. The only thing that ever bugs me is if I have a shirt that tends to ride up because I have to keep pulling it out from under the belt. However, the shirt would ride up regardless of the belt.

I agree with a PP that you shouldn't change what works for you. I've debated trying new shoes to see if i feel any different, or training with only water so that I could just rely on water stops during the race. I'll save those experiments for after the marathon

 

[JillyBean1899]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that was thinking about a hydration backpack for when I get to being able to run a half or full marathon. I own a CamelBak that I use when I go to the theme parks, but it's a bit cumbersome for running, so I'm looking at a more streamlined "minimalist" one. I'm liking the CamelBak Dart (sorry, I don't have enough posts yet to be able to link to it, but it's easy to find if you know how to use Google), but I'm not sure how stable it would be without a waist strap, so I'm also looking at the Ultra LR Vest. I'd guess that 1.5 - 2 L would be enough to keep me hydrated between water stops (or if a water stop is crowded and I don't feel like fighting the crowd), plus it's easy storage for gels/energy stuff. But of course, I'd have to figure out how to integrate it into a running costume. Maybe add wings to it?

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that was thinking about a hydration backpack for when I get to being able to run a half or full marathon. I own a CamelBak that I use when I go to the theme parks, but it's a bit cumbersome for running, so I'm looking at a more streamlined "minimalist" one. I'm liking the CamelBak Dart (sorry, I don't have enough posts yet to be able to link to it, but it's easy to find if you know how to use Google), but I'm not sure how stable it would be without a waist strap, so I'm also looking at the Ultra LR Vest. I'd guess that 1.5 - 2 L would be enough to keep me hydrated between water stops (or if a water stop is crowded and I don't feel like fighting the crowd), plus it's easy storage for gels/energy stuff. But of course, I'd have to figure out how to integrate it into a running costume. Maybe add wings to it?

Wings sound like fun.

I ended up getting the Nathan Intensity for women hydration backpack. I couldn't find the Camelbak Marathoner for a decent price (or at all) anywhere. So I ordered the Nathan. I used it for my recent long run for the Half, and apart from being a bit noisy* it was good. I liked having water at the ready. I used one of the "vest" pockets for a small bottle that I tried out the clif electrolyte hydration powder with (took a swig of that plus extra water each time). Camera and sports beans and another new thing Pocket Fuel in the other pouch on the front. Keys, cards, etc in the back zippered compartment. (magicband on my arm to see if I could run with it)

It worked a lot better than I thought it would. I felt a little silly, though. There were lots of runners out and no one was even carrying a water bottle with them. But it was like 50 degrees and it's possible no one was running more than 5K that day, who knows.

The one I got is bright white. I'm not a costume person, but the bright white could be used for something costumey, I'm sure.

It's late in the game to be changing things up, but then, I was doing this before the TOT too.



*part of the noise was the sloshing. another noise was my ponytail hitting it. I normally run with hair in a bun to keep the hair movement to a minimum so I hope the noise is far less when I do that!

 

[JillyBean1899]

I know with the CamelBak I can turn it upside down and suck the air out of it so there's no air in the bladder. I don't know how the bladder is on the Nathan, but that may be a possibility to prevent sloshiness. The Ultra LR has a lumbar water system, so the weight sits on your hips instead of in the middle of your back, which I really really like. But yeah, the price is a little much, especially since I'm nowhere near ready for a long enough race to need one of those.

 

[bumbershoot]

Ooh, interesting idea. I'll have to see if I can do that.