How is your Wednesday shaping up?! For those runner friends racing the LA Marathon...
Holy heat!! Uh, yeah - can we please, please have spring and not skip to summer already?
For my LA peeps (and runner friends coming to LA this weekend), it is going to be a scorching 85 degrees at the beach this Sunday...which means it will be a curb burning 95 degrees in Hollywood and inland for the LA Marathon. WOW!
Okay. so you've trained hard over these last 12-18 weeks - you've done the long run every Saturday or Sunday morning, your tempo runs have been solid... speed sessions, yep, you've done those too.
You have been a good marathon cherub ------> you get an A+ and a gold star for sticking to the plan.
Oh crap! Now what? It's going to be hotter than Egypt on Sunday and you can see your PR flying out the window...
Man, you want that BQ and you want it - badly...
But, the most important thing is to BE SMART and SAFE. I've talked about safety before - cause I'm a safe kinda gal...
Seriously, you want to make sure you've got your bases covered so the extreme heat doesn't make it dangerous for you on race day.
The wonderful news is that the LA Marathon is running a tight ship and has changed the start time from 7:25 am to 6:55 am...
Smart move. When I ran THIS marathon in September (which was my very first blog post! Laughing, because my review of the race and the whole experience would be so much longer if I was writing it now...), the race began at 6:30 am and by 9:30 am it was HOT even with the course near the ocean with a direct ocean finish. I personally think they should start the LA Marathon at 6:30 am...
Here are 3 tips for staying cool during a HOT marathon:
(Of course, I am not a doctor or coach. These tips have worked for me, but consult your doctor or coach about your particular plan of action.)
1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate - you should be drinking during the race (even if its not hot!). Switch between water and performance drink at the aid stations.
2. Keep as cool as you can before the start of the race. More on this in the article coming up...
3. Listen to your body! Slow down in the heat - you can grab a PR another time.
Read THIS article for in depth details + more tips for running in the heat during a marathon!!
Check THIS out on how to adjust your race time due to extreme heat!
Yay!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! You did it! You raced the LA Marathon and you are finished!!
This is what you have to look forward to...
The incredible view of the Pacific Ocean greets you as you cross the finish line! Running down Ocean Blvd. is really, really beautiful and a great way to finish a marathon. So grab your medal and refuel. Then mosey on over to the bluff, take a whiff of the sea air, find your family and friends and EAT!!
Here are some of my favorite places for breakfast, brunch or lunch in Santa Monica...
1. http://www.corascoffee.com/
2. http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/santa-monica-beach-restaurants
3. http://blueplatesantamonica.com/bpsm/
4.http://www.hotelcasadelmar.com/santa-monica-restaurants
5. http://www.snugharbor.us/www.snugharbor.us/Home.html
6. http://bruswiffle.com/
7. http://www.backonthebeachcafe.com/cms/
The kiddos, J and I will be there this weekend cheering on all the runners. So if you see a family of five on a cargo bike, be sure to say hello!! :)
Have you ever run a marathon in extreme heat?
I have run the LA Marathon on a super hot day in the past. I threw time goals aside and tried to run as smart as I could.
Would you ever run the LA Marathon?
The new course I have heard is beautiful, takes you through all the major parts of the city and ends at the beach! I love it here (the last 3-5 miles of the course is a regular running route for me) so I am biased! :)
The LA Marathon is really trying to establish itself as a big world marathon and this year the USATF Marathon Championships is on the course! I hope very soon LA will be just as big and prestigious of a marathon as New York or Chicago (of course Boston is in a league of its own...)!
Happiness Is Running Life!
xo,
Natalie
No comments:
Post a Comment