One good thing about running two 10 mile races two weeks apart, is that I’ve had enough time to reflect on things I did right/wrong in the last race, but not so much time that I’ve forgotten them! Here I six things that I learned from my last race (the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler), that I hope to apply to my next race (the GW Parkway Classic).
- Pre-race fueling and hydration. I ate well in the days leading up to the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, and focused on drinking plenty of water the day or so before. I felt well-fueled during the race and, best of all, did not have any post-race GI issues.
(I have decided that I was hit by a bug on the Monday after. I refuse to accept the possibility that I could have a delayed reaction that was that severe.) - Race outfit. For the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, I wore a short-sleeved tech shirt, my CW-X compression shorts, and my Zensah calf sleeves, with a throw-away sweater to keep me warm before the start. Although I was chilly waiting for the start gun to go off, I was warm before the end of the first mile. I am ignoring the forecast for upper 30s/low 40s Sunday morning and planning on a similar outfit.
- Race logistics. My husband dropped me off at the race about 50 minutes before the start. This was enough time to warm-up and soak up some pre-race energy, but not so much time that I got hungry or cold waiting around (like I had at the Army Ten Miler). I think being dropped off about 45 minutes before the start is just about right.
- Pacing. I didn’t really have a race goal in mind before the race, and I hadn’t figured out target split times. I started out way too fast, and maintained that “too fast” pace for the first 5 miles–too bad it was a 10 mile race! I have a pace in mind for the GW Parkway Classic, and I will make myself slow down if I start out too fast. I will make myself slow down if I start out too fast. I will make myself slow down if I start out too fast.
- Equipment. I had bought a new water bottle to use in my One Direction fuel belt during the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, but when I ducked under a chain to take a short-cut to the race staging area, the spout snapped off. I wasn’t prepared to rely on the water stations, so I ran the first 6 miles carrying a disposable bottle of water. That was annoying and deprived me of the Gatorade I had planned to sip during the race. I bought yet another new water bottle for the GW Parkway Classic. Hopefully I won’t lose it between now and Sunday!
- Breathing. By the end of Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, my breathing was difficult, and I knew it wasn’t just because of the exertion. Right after I finished, I had a few asthma-style coughing fits. I made an appointment with my pulmonologist (my exercise-induced asthsma has been dormant since 2006!) and got some prescriptions to help my lungs work better, including some albuterol to use before running.
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Do you try to apply “lessons learned” to your next race, or is every race too different?
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for me race is life. since Im not a racer/runner I take lessons Ive learned in life and try to apply them to new situations. usually the have to bend and morph but the are still applicable and helpful.
Im in awe at your community. runners UNITE in a way we lifters do not.
Simply to enjoy. Plain and simple.
Breathing is huge! I am asthmatic so I must always take oxygen in right or my legs will feel it! What a pretty race!
I have a tough time with pacing too, I can't remember a race where I haven't gone out too fast!
I get caught up in the rush, and then I get tantalized by that first low mile split and think, just maybe I can keep it up for another 9 miles–not! 🙂
Great job on your races!!! I think every race is a learning experience. You take what you have learned from previous races and apply them to make the next race better. I personally think even if you've ran 100 races, you'll still learn something or re-learn something new from every race. I kind of like that part of racing:)
Good luck this weekend – and don't go out too fast 😉
I need to do this, even if only to remember to pack long pants to wear before the race starts and then ditch to the hubs! Happy Friday!
These are great things to take with you into your race this weekend. Particularly – I will make myself slow down if I start to fast. I need to remember to do that. I inevitably start out too fast.
I enjoy analyzing races and training runs. Good, bad, what worked, what didn't and what can I learn to make the next run/race better. My inhaler works wonders! I knew my breathing was bad but I didn't realize how bad until I was breathing clearly. Hopefully the albuterol will work well for you!
I always try to analyze what I did right or wrong to apply next time. Breathing and pacing are constantly a work in progress. I wish I had done the Parkway Classic. Sounds like a great race!
I'm always trying to figure out what went right and what went wrong so that the next race can be a great experience. My two toughest races are the ones that taught me the most–not to be too attached to my goals and expectations and be open to whatever may happen on race day, and not to run injured. Neither race was fun, but I know my future races will be better because of them!
I love analyzing every little step. I think that's why blogging is so therapeutic. No one else cares about all these little details except us. Even my father-in-law tells me that my blog is boring when I get all technical about running 🙂
Great job! And, since I'm reading things out of order, it's good to know that you applied your lessons learned to the GW Parkway race and got your PR. Yay for learning!
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