Public Service Project, Help Bill Plan His First Race

[windwalker]

Our dear friend PatsFan Bill, will be doing his first race, ToT, here next week so I thought it would be nice if we all gave him our best tips and advice so he doesn't feel frightened when he gets there.

Stay hydrated, very important, several big glasses of water in the last half hour before the race will help you make it through even if there are not enouth water stops along the course.

Drinking a few cups of coffee just prior will help you stay alert. Thisd is important because if you zone out you can trip over a gator.

Eat a good spicey meal the night before, research has proven that spicey food especially Mexican food will help you go faster. Carbo loading is important so pile on the black and the refried beans.

Remember to pin your race # to the back of your shorts. If you pin it to your shirt you can't take it off if you get hot. Smart vets know that if you put the # on the front you will hit it with your pumping arms and tear it off.

Tie your shoes tight, you don't want them coming loose during your race. Remember the shoes swell so clinch them tight.

At each water station get one to drink and one to pour down your shorts, this is important, must keep your core cool.

This is all I can think of right now. Anyone else think of anything Bill needs to know?

Evil Panda

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Start out as fast as you can. You don't want to get swept.

At the ESPN club at our Mini Golf Dinner, have a few pitchers of beer. Beer is a liquid carb so will help later on in the race.

I know I am missing some. Anyone else can help?

 

[windwalker]

Start out as fast as you can. You don't want to get swept.

At the ESPN club at our Mini Golf Dinner, have a few pitchers of beer. Beer is a liquid carb so will help later on in the race.

I know I am missing some. Anyone else can help?

Very good points Robert, especially about going as fast as you can at the beginning, the more distance you can put between you and the sweeper the better. Besides if you get put in the sweeper van you can't use the porta potties till the race is all over.

Thanks Robert


Evil Panda

 

[Steffwalks]

Wear all new clothes! You want to look your best for pictures! You want brand new shoes, socks, shirt, shorts and skivvies....if you wear skivvies. Make sure everything is made of cotton. That's the very best kind!

Eat new and exotic foods! They are really good for you and make you feel all exotic and Fast!

Party really hard the night before, that way, you will be ready to stay up late and party after ToT!!

I think those are my best ones! Anybody else?

 

[scuba diver]

Don't for get your hat and long sleve shirt. It can get cold at nights in FL.

And don't forget to get at the start line several hours early to stand around and warm up. It's best to be in the very front to help your fast start.

 

[SilverE]

Excellent, constructive advice so far. Bill is so lucky; it took me years to acquire the gems of advice that have been offered! I would add, that similar to NFL football, you really need to get your "game face" on and psych yourself up for the race.

Prior to the start, pick a dozen or so runners and go up to them, point in their face, and yell "Your mine!" or "You'll be eating my dust Slowpoke" or "Take a look at my rear end; it's all your going to see of me Snail-boy!" Comments like these really endear yourself to other participants and give them a mental boost, as they also wish to confront other entrants but are too timid to speak up.

Bill, with the advice you are receiving on this thread, it is clearly obvious that an effortless, zen-like event awaits you. "Take the pebble from my hand Grasshopper."

 

[windwalker]

Excellent, constructive advice so far. Bill is so lucky; it took me years to acquire the gems of advice that have been offered! I would add, that similar to NFL football, you really need to get your "game face" on and psych yourself up for the race.

Prior to the start, pick a dozen or so runners and go up to them, point in their face, and yell "Your mine!" or "You'll be eating my dust Slowpoke" or "Take a look at my rear end; it's all your going to see of me Snail-boy!" Comments like these really endear yourself to other participants and give them a mental boost, as they also wish to confront other entrants but are too timid to speak up.

Bill, with the advice you are receiving on this thread, it is clearly obvious that an effortless, zen-like event awaits you. "Take the pebble from my hand Grasshopper."

I'm in the presence of greatness.

You have just earned membership to the brotherhood of the "YARC".

Evil Panda

 

[windwalker]

Wear all new clothes! You want to look your best for pictures! You want brand new shoes, socks, shirt, shorts and skivvies....if you wear skivvies. Make sure everything is made of cotton. That's the very best kind!

Eat new and exotic foods! They are really good for you and make you feel all exotic and Fast!

Party really hard the night before, that way, you will be ready to stay up late and party after ToT!!

I think those are my best ones! Anybody else?

Such worldly knowledge from someone so young


Evil Panda

 

[windwalker]

Don't for get your hat and long sleve shirt. It can get cold at nights in FL.

And don't forget to get at the start line several hours early to stand around and warm up. It's best to be in the very front to help your fast start.

Yes, Yes, absolutly getting in the front row gives you an additional few minutes of lead over the sweeper.


Evil Panda

 

[nepatsfan73]

Thanks everyone for the advice so far. Keep it coming. I especially appreciate the clothing and bib number tips as I was thinking of maybe doing the event "dressed" as a streaker, figuring I could be an extemely big, full, bad "moon" rising. Pinning the number to the back of a new pair of shorts definately sounds more comfortable than what I was thinking I might have to pin it to.

As I'll be a late arriver to Florida (6:45PM landing time), I'll have to play catch-up on the hydration. I'm thinking I'll just fill a large camelback with scotch and drink it along the course. Plus, this will give me quick energy as the body burns alcohol first. I'll also bring a couple of Snickers bars for energy and/or feeding to the gators.

 

[Hey Mickey]

Although conventional wisdom will tell you that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, I personally find that zig-zagging all over the course is the way to go. This has several advantages. First, you won't miss any of the sights that can only be seen from one side, like the Tower of Terror. Also, it increases your chances of running on a variety of surfaces, including uneven drop offs, which will keep you fresh and alert and prevent boredom from plain old concrete running. Best of all, it definitely increases the likelihood that some kindly runner will unexpectedly come barreling up behind you and give you a helpful nudge along the way. Besides, you are doing a distance race, right? the point is to fit in as much distance as possible. Duh!

Oh, another important thing is you don't want to miss any photo ops Its a little known fact that Disney uses the decoy/hidden camera method to get natural looking photos of the runners. So, whenever you see someone who appears to be a photographer along the course, the real cameraman is really on the exact opposite side, probably hiding in the bushes, so be sure to turn away from the phoney camera and wave at the nearest bushes while flashing those pearly whites. You will get lots of great pictures that way!

when you are thinking you need to stop for a potty break -- don't do it! It will only hurt your time. Its just mind over matter (solid or liquid....). just keep repeating my mantra: I can hold it a little longer, I can hold it a little longer....


Have a super race!

Erica

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Also, don't trust Disney to not lose your items at Baggage Check. You should carry all of your extra clothes and after race goodies with you. A large backpack that can hold about 80 pounds of post race items would be fine. You could also carry some of your firends items also.

This will save you time from having to stay in those long lines retriving baggage checks.

Also, don't trust Disney transport to get you to the race. They have a tendancy to get lost. It is best to run from you resort to the start.

 

[HMHunters]

Remember, just like soccer, pushing is acceptable as long as you don't use your elbows. If someone gets in your way you can do a nice shoulder tackle to clear the route.

If you need to stop and take a walk break, brake quickly in the exact center of the running path.

Carry your cups from the water stations with you to dispose of them all at the end of the race.

 

[princessrunner]

Also, do not forget to announce yourself passing people. "Look out, coming through" usually works or "passing right/left". That before the push works best. Oh, and never apologize for stepping on other's feet. Flat tires are just a race hazard as an NASCAR fan knows.......

 

[jeanneg]

You are so all going to hell!

(Just stick with me, Bill. I'll put little wheelies on your shoes and pull both you AND Nancy across the finish line.)

 

[windwalker]

So many wonderful ideas for our dear friend Bill. Erica I especially liked that about the distance.

One subject we haven't touched on yet is the critters. I have never raced in Florida except in January and the bugs weren't a concern then. But Oct probably still has some lurking about.

Here in Kentucky when we run in the summer we spray our shoes down real good to keep the crawly bugs from running up our legs. Then spraying our ball caps keeps the bugs from falling out of the trees on our heads.

The worst are the tiny bugs called, "No seeums". These nasty buggers will crawl inside the waist band of your shorts and knaw on your ummm naughty parts.

Keep the ideas coming, Bill needs all the help he can get.

Evil Panda

 

[windwalker]

You are so all going to hell!

(Just stick with me, Bill. I'll put little wheelies on your shoes and pull both you AND Nancy across the finish line.)

Darlin, can you imagine what taper maddness is going to look like on the old WISH forum?


Evil Panda

 

[princessrunner]

You are so all going to hell!

So, another tip is, if this is where we are all going.....choose an alternate route!!

 

[SilverE]

I'm in the presence of greatness.

You have just earned membership to the brotherhood of the "YARC".

Evil Panda

Have you forgotten so soon? I am already known in YARC-dom (a title bestowed by you) as Prince of Unusual Pleasures (it's the whole smelling the inside of the brand new running shoe thing, but we won't get into that here. )

 

[Steffwalks]

Bill, I am so glad you decided on clothes for your race! Afterall, the real point of clothing is to absorb the sweat and keep it from splattering the gators and giving them a craving for you!