Jess is participating in the Little Rock Half Marathon and is scared out of her mind. She’s never done anything like this, but is chronicling the whole process, blisters and breakthroughs, right here on Little Rock Soirée. Start with the first installment here.
“You’re ready.”
From day one, panicking with a plate of chicken tenders and drowning my dread in cayenne ranch, I’ve been freaking out about this whole half marathon business. I still don’t know why I agreed to do this. I’m not a runner. I am superb at sitting down, though. And I’m the Michael Jordan of reclining.
But there’s been little time for that. I was quickly ushered through the doors of Go! Running in the Heights where Erin and Gary Taylor have taught me all about safety, gear, fuel and all things training to get me ready for 13.1 miles.
That’s still a long way, guys. Like, it’s a real long way. That’s like running from Slim Chickens on Markham to Zaxby’s in Sherwood. Although that would be a worthy payoff, you people who do this sort of distance for fun on any given day have lost your ever-loving minds.
“You’re ready.”
People keep telling me that. I’m not sure they’re right, so I gathered up a list of tips, tricks and to-dos that I’m told will get me through the race. Planning makes perfect, right? It does make me feel a little better, so these things will be on constant repeat in my brain over the next few days.
Before race day:
• Stop by the fitness expo to check in and get your bib (that’s runner speak for the fancy number you stick to your chest).
• Make sure you have whatever you’ll need for that morning in advance. Stock up on energy gels, wash your lucky socks and don’t be the idiot who shows up to the race without your bib.
• Don’t gorge yourself on pasta the night before. Go for a big lunch instead.
• Ignore the anxiety deep in your soul and get plenty of sleep.
The morning of:
• Watch the weather and dress accordingly. Spoiler alert: It’s going to be soggy, folks.
• Eat an hour and a half before you run. Protein is your friend.
• Get there early to get a good spot and settle into your surrounding. And definitely find a Port-a-John.
• Take one of your gels/goos/wafers/jelly beans 15 minutes before start time and then space them out as you go.
• Hydrate. But don’t over do it.
• Keep with what you’ve done in training and don’t try anything new. Change is bad.
• Stick with your pacers, they know what they’re doing. It’ll feel slow at first (I’m really good at slow), but they’ll keep you from burning out. Half-marathoners, do some quick math to find out who to follow. If you want to run the half in two hours, find the four hour full marathon pacer.
• Have fun. Yes, really.
And in the words of the incomparable Kid President, “Keep going, keep going, keep going.”
You’re ready.
If you see me out there on Sunday, say hello and make sure I’m still responsive. I’ll be the sweaty kid in shell shock, rocking the heck out of an iron lung.