January 2, 2025 • 35 mins
Race day is finally here, and while it’s your time to shine, it can also be full of unexpected twists and turns. From forgotten shoes to mid-race cramps, I’ve seen it all—and I’ve coached runners through it all. In this episode of Extraordinary Strides, I’m sharing the ultimate race day survival guide packed with practical tips, humorous anecdotes, and heartfelt encouragement.
We’ll dive into how to avoid common mishaps, like showing up late or overdressing, and tackle what to do when things go sideways—because let’s face it, sometimes they will. Whether it’s a blister at mile ten or the dreaded porta-potty dilemma, you’ll leave this episode ready to handle anything the race throws at you. Tune in for wisdom, laughter, and the confidence boost you need to crush your next race.
Your Fairy Runmother has you covered—now, let’s stride toward extraordinary together! 🏅✨
Have questions or want to chat? Send me a text!
Join the newsletter list for updates, special offers, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Join fellow pod and running enthusiasts at The Stride Collective community on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, my friend, welcome back to Extraordinary
Strides, where we take ordinaryrunners and sprinkle a little
bit of magic, a whole lot ofsparkle, and help you achieve
truly extraordinary feats.
I'm your host, coach Christine,and today I'd like to don my
sparkliest fairy run mother on alittle bit of race day whisper
(00:21):
action going on, because we'regoing to dive into the topic
that can make or break your bigday.
We're not talking aboutgraduation or weddings here.
We're all about race daysurvival.
But even better yet, I want tochat about how to thrive, not
just survive, on race day,because, my friend, I have been
there, run that, I have thet-shirt collection to show it
(00:45):
and I can say that along the way, I've made a few mishaps and
learned from them.
I've also had the privilege andhonor of coaching countless
runners to help them avoid oraddress any race day mishaps
that may come your way.
So, whether this is going to beyour very first race as you're
listening to this, or maybeyou're on your hundredth, I
think this is the episode you'regoing to want to bookmark and
keep it in your back pocket,definitely share with your
(01:08):
friends, because we're going totalk about everything that could
potentially go a littlesideways, how to avoid it, but
even more so if you can't avoidit, how to handle it like the
champion that you are.
So grab your coffee, or maybethis is a great time to snag
that foam roller.
I know you promised that you'regoing to get some more mobility
action going on.
Whatever helps you relax.
Let's get into the nitty grittydetails of avoiding race day
(01:30):
disasters and conquering themwhen they invariably show up.
All right, my friend, let'sstart with this.
We're going to go from the verybeginning to the very end.
So we're going to chat aboutall of the things that might
happen before you even tone upto that start line.
I'm talking about those earlyrace nerves, the panicking,
panic or the tiny things thatcan spiral out of control if
(01:53):
you're not ready.
So the first thing that comesto mind is the possibility of
late arrival to the start line.
Now, if you've ever woken up ina cold sweat, panicking because
your alarm didn't go off, oryou're worried that your alarm
is not going to go off so youdon't get much shut eye that
night before, you're going tolook at avoiding it by setting
at least two alarms one on yourphone Always great to have an
(02:16):
old school one as well, if youhave one handy, and if you're
staying at a hotel, if you'restaying out of town, ask the
front desk to also do a wake-upcall.
Set as many as you possibly can, especially if you are a little
bit harder to wake up.
You're going to want to setthem even a little earlier than
you normally would.
Give yourself some snooze timein case you do hit that snooze
(02:37):
button.
I'd like you to plan to arriveto your race at least one to two
hours early.
I know that sounds obnoxiouslyearly.
Trust me, I would love thatextra shut-eye myself.
But come on, you have beentraining for months.
This is not the day that youwant to get in just 15 extra
minutes.
It's not worth it.
(02:57):
You'll wake up, you'll getmoving and grooving, you'll feel
fantastic and you'll feel somuch better knowing that you're
not rushing around.
Now, that's the best way ofavoiding it Planning things out,
making sure that you know whereyou're going, if you're parking
where you're parking, how toget to the start line, the
corral.
Scoping everything out the daybefore is fantastic, or mapping
(03:18):
it out.
But let's say that thingscollide and you're not able to
avoid showing up late.
Well, if you are running late.
Take a deep breath.
Just prioritize getting intoyour corral, getting to that
start line.
Skip the extras.
This may be a time where you'regoing to have to skip the Porto
Potties.
You may have to skip some ofthose pre-race selfies.
(03:41):
Just getting yourself to thatstart line is really the most
important part.
Do not try to run your fastestmile on the way to the start
line.
Do know that a majority ofraces, your start time on your
bib goes when you actually crossthe start line.
So if you are a little bitlater, that's okay.
Check with each individual race.
(04:01):
There are some races that closeoff the start line, but
generally it's a little bitlater than you would expect.
So if you're in a bigger racethat has later corrals and
you're not able to get into yourcorral, no big deal.
Just get into the corral that'son its way in to the start line
, or even if they've alreadytaken off, I am sure if you talk
to a race official you're goingto be able to make it through
(04:23):
that start line, depending onhow late you are.
For the record, I have trulybeen there run that met a
girlfriend for a run at A1A FortLauderdale.
We were about 15 minutes lateto the start line and it was one
of the most fun races I haveever had.
So if it happens, try not tostress too much about it.
(04:43):
It's all about making memoriesand enjoying the journey.
Now the next one on this list isforgetting something that's
really important.
Oh, I've been there, done thatas well.
If you guys remember myconversation about Tokyo where I
stripped off my throwaway layerand my fuel was inside my
throwaway layer, it happensSometimes you forget your gear
or your fuel or your hydration,whatever it is that you had
(05:04):
planned happens Sometimes youforget your gear or your fuel or
your hydration, whatever it isthat you had planned.
Let me tell you, the best wayto avoid it is to use that
checklist.
Hint, hint, I have a runcationpacking checklist that also
helps with making sure you haveeverything that you need for
race day.
You can shoot me a text message, give me your email and I'll
make sure to send it your way.
But also, just doing a littlerun through the night before is
(05:27):
always great to have and knowingthat you have your essentials.
As long as you have youressentials, mainly your shoes,
your socks, you got some kind ofclothing on and your bib and
you are going to make it.
It may not be ideal if youforgot something, but it's not
the worst thing ever.
Now let's address it.
(05:49):
Let's say it does happen.
Well, if you find out earlierrather than later and this is a
runcation again you're gonnadefinitely want to head to the
expo or to your local runningstore, even ask some of the
runners in the area.
Generally, runners areincredibly generous and will
point you in the right direction.
Who knows, they may even havean extra or two.
But if that is not possible andit's actually race day and you
(06:12):
figured out that something hasbeen lost or forgotten, just do
the best with what you have.
Learn for the next time.
I can guarantee you that I nolonger keep my fueling and my
extra layers.
Keep it on my person.
So it's again, it's a learninglesson.
This is the beautiful thingabout running.
It's not always gonna beperfect, it's not always going
to be ideal, but we're gonnalearn how to adapt and still
(06:35):
make our goals.
The next one on this list issomething that you cannot
control, no matter how much youwish you could, which is the
weather, and the weather may becompletely not anything that you
trained for, you are.
It's maybe evenincomprehensible.
Maybe it's much colder than youtrained for, or it's raining,
or it's much hotter than you'reprepared for.
(06:57):
Just know that this is one ofthose situations where you can't
avoid it.
You really just can address it.
And how are you going toaddress it, my friend?
You're all about those layers,truly layers, hacking for all of
the weather that you canpossibly imagine that is capable
of happening on a race day andthen addressing it the night
(07:21):
before with again either tryingto dress for the weather you
should expect for the entiretyof the race or having layers to
keep you warm all the way fromthat starting curl that you can
shed along the way as you warmup.
Now, specifically, if you'regetting in too much colder
weather than you are expectingto have, I cannot stress enough,
(07:42):
especially for these races likerun Disney or world marathon
majors, where you're standingaround for hours before you get
in to the start line you mustkeep yourself warm and
comfortable.
This is where throwaway layersare going to come super in handy
.
Do not care about how silly youmay look, my friend.
So going to discount stores.
(08:03):
You may look, my friend.
So going to discount stores,getting things on clearance just
to keep you nice and warm, oreven Goodwills or consignment
shops or thrift stores andgetting everything that you can
to stay comfy and shedding alongthe way when you get to that
start line.
A couple of things that youshould also consider having are
maybe hand warmers, or if youhave a mylar blanket or a trash
(08:26):
bag or that's the only thingthat you were able to find
because you weren't able to packor buy any of those throwaway
layers, knowing that they maynot be the warmest but they will
help.
Also, kind of just letting theindividuals around you kind of
help provide a little bit ofadditional heat in those corrals
because of all of those packedbodies will come in handy to
keep you warm and knowing thatyour first mile may feel a
(08:49):
little bit stiffer until you areable to warm on up.
Now, on the opposite side ofthings, if it is really hot,
really warm, just take intoconsideration again that you
have to pull back your pacing,you have to pull off those
layers, and that's where it'sall about making sure that you
have to pull back your pacing,you have to pull off those
layers, and that's where it'sall about making sure that you
are safe and capable of gettingin that entire race without
(09:14):
injury or health issues.
So taking that into account.
The next one on the list is theinevitable long lines at those
port-a-potties.
Now, the best way to avoid itis to go early.
Remember, you're there earlyanyway.
So going as soon as you arriveand then making sure to get into
(09:36):
line at the port-a-potty beforeyou go into your starting
corral as well.
Some races have ingeniouslythought that through and have
some Port-au-Potty's availablein corrals.
Those are usually found at thelarger ones, but if not, trying
to go before you get into yourstarting corral is definitely
helpful.
There's usually somewhere aPort-au-Potty that maybe doesn't
(09:59):
have as long of lines.
Usually it's a little bitfurther away from when you first
come into that running area,that running corral area.
So just take into account alsoasking the volunteers that are
there if they know where some ofthe other porta potties are at.
And then again going back to notworrying too much about being
late to your race.
It's about being comfortablewhen you start running and
(10:23):
racing.
So taking that into account, ifthe worst happens and you're
not able to use a porta pottybefore you get out into the
actual race course it is what itis, my friend.
So you take time, try to scopeout those porta potties that are
actually out on the course andfinding the ones that have the
shortest lines out on the courseand finding the ones that have
(10:47):
the shortest lines, also packingaccordingly, knowing that as
you get further into your raceit's a possibility they won't be
as equipped with toilet paperor hand sanitizer.
So packing those on your personis always good to have.
Just again, keep youcomfortable and sanitary for
that racing day.
Now this is where I'm going totake a quick note for us ladies
that are potentially have ourmonthly visitor who wants to
(11:11):
come along and join us for ourbig race day.
This is where I am going to saythat tracking definitely comes
in handy, but knowing that,again, tracking isn't always
accurate.
It can potentially have a fewdays here or there that's missed
or potentially just maybe thestress from training has caused
your period to shift.
(11:31):
So, taking that into accountand being prepared that if it
does happen somewhere along inyour training, the best way to
avoid having that kind of mishapin terms of not being prepared
is that in your trainingsomewhere along the way, is
figuring out what products workbest for you.
Do remember that earlier on,both Coach Shelby and I did our
review of racing on your periodand what best products At that
(11:56):
time?
Definitely, coach Shelbydiscussed period underwear and I
will say that I concur.
Since then I would say thoseare your best friends.
If you're like me and possiblyperimenopause I never know when
my period is going to start nowand those come in handy.
So I have a couple of pairsjust in case.
Always pack them at this pointfor race weekends Because, again
(12:18):
, I feel like I'm alwayssurprised by my monthly visitor.
I want to reiterate a few otheritems to keep you feeling as
comfortable as possible.
If you need to address itbecause it has shown up, you're
going to want to also packflushable wipes.
I usually put them in a Ziplocbag or hand sanitizer again,
just so that you're able toaddress that in the porta potty
(12:41):
and have everything you need tofeel as comfortable If you do
not want to use period underwear.
Whatever your products areagain in a Ziploc bag a Ziploc
sandwich bag, very helpful tokeep it dry, so you can access
it.
Also knowing there are certainOTC products that you can use to
help with cramps or fatigue,but being mindful about how your
(13:02):
body reacts to those things.
But being mindful about howyour body reacts to those things
.
And also, I want to reiteratethat our bodies are generally at
their strongest from a hormoneperspective for race day.
So it's not an automaticdisqualifier as long as you're
able to address it in a way thatworks best for you.
Now going back to bathroom.
Invariably there are some times, especially when we're a little
(13:25):
extra nervous, where there maybe some GI distress.
So, again, this is where Icannot stress enough having and
packing some additional toiletpaper in Ziploc bags or some of
those flushable wipes in Ziplocbags, just in case.
And I know a lot of runners andracers have found great comfort
in taking a preventativeImodium.
I personally am not a huge fanfor me and my system.
(13:48):
So this is where, again, superimportant to know your body and
what works best for you.
So, keeping that in mind, oneof the best ways I feel like you
can try to help avoid theissues of GI distress is fueling
mistakes.
So, week of, and especially theday of in the morning, of
(14:08):
avoiding anything that you donot know how it will settle in
your stomach.
So stick to the foods thatyou've trained with and do very
much.
Take and pack fuel for yourcorral.
If you're going to be stickingaround there for a very long
time, aim for something that'seasy to digest, that you know,
that works well for your stomach.
But again, if your stomach isupset, slow your pace.
(14:31):
Sip some water, and this iswhere a little pack of ginger
chews may help.
They always help settle mystomach.
Okay, so we've made it to thestart line and I feel like you
have avoided all the disastersor you've been able to
successfully address them.
There's a few others, like whatI experienced again in Tokyo,
where I couldn't actually findwhere my corral was at.
(14:53):
Getting there early helped.
Thankfully, I did end upsprinting, but that's the story
for another time.
Again, things will come upTrying to keep your cool, taking
deep breaths, knowing thatyou're there to celebrate all of
the miles that you put induring your training season.
So taking it with a grain ofsalt and maybe packing your salt
(15:14):
caps as well, especially ifit's a hot run.
Let's talk about pacing issues,because this is a big one for a
lot of us.
You're excited.
I mean.
There's tons of adrenaline,there's tons of people around,
the music's got you hyped up,you've had a little bit of
caffeine and you want to sprintout of the gate like a rocket.
(15:35):
Okay, let's avoid it.
Practice that, even pacing,during your training.
But let's say you've done thatand you forget that it all goes
by the wayside.
Done that and you forget thatit all goes by the wayside.
This is when setting up yourGPS watch to alert you of going
too fast or too slow is alwaysbeneficial.
If you have not figured out howto do that on your watch or
(15:59):
Garmin or Coros.
I cannot speak highly enough ofDC Rainmaker.
He has an extensive blogpractically reviewing and giving
you tips for each and everysingle watch you could ever use.
But again, the internet's awonderful place, so just go out
into the internet and searchthat.
But creating that frameworkwhere your watch will beep at
(16:21):
you if you go too fast is reallyhelpful because you're going to
address it right then.
And there right, pinky promisedme that you're gonna address it
as soon as your watch beeps atyou that you've gone too fast
and basically just slow down,take a deep breath, recover and
then focus on getting right backto it, maintaining a steady
effort for the remainder of therace, unless if you have a
completely different strategy.
We talked a little bit about itin the back of the pack racing
(16:44):
guide.
We talked a little bit about itin the back of the pack racing
guide.
Sometimes you have to meetcertain course cutoffs.
If that's the case, Icompletely understand.
But again, having your strategybefore the race is the best way
to help you avoid getting tothe point where you feel
exhausted before you reach thefinish line.
Now the next one that I see ishydration issues, and that comes
(17:07):
from skipping those waterstations because, god forbid,
you don't want to slow down toomuch at your water station or
drinking too much too fast andthen feeling a little sloshy and
sluggish.
So again, we're going to avoidit by training with our
hydration plan and executing thehydration and fueling both,
because it's kind of the samething as we've already done
(17:29):
throughout our training.
But how are we addressing it?
Well, if it does happen andyou're dehydrated, slow down,
take small sips at the next fewstations.
If you're over hydrated, easeoff of those fluids, back off a
little bit.
Make sure that you still havethe electrolytes that you're
replacing into your system.
(17:49):
Let your body rebalance Withyour fueling.
If you're low on energy, takesmall bites or sips of what's
available and adjust your pace,and if you are feeling like
maybe you're overueling and it'scausing little GI distress
again, just back off of it for alittle bit.
(18:09):
Maybe extend the time that youneed to take your next goo gel
chew, whatever it is that you'veutilized that has worked for
you.
The next potential mishap thathappens during race day is, oh
my, chafing.
That's right, friends, chafing,or blisters.
They definitely can make youquite uncomfortable, especially
(18:30):
for those longer races.
We know that the best way ofavoiding it is utilizing body
glide or a lubricant that we'vetried out during our training.
Whatever that may be.
If you didn't, a packet, justold school Vaseline is super
helpful.
Wearing moisture wicking layersis very, very good.
If, by any chance, though, noneof that is available and you're
(18:54):
still chafing on the course,you're going to address it at
those med and aid stations.
Luckily, a majority of racesare able to address this.
They usually have a little bitof Vaseline on a like a popsicle
stick, so please do know that'snot fuel.
Don't eat it.
It's Vaseline for the most part, but generally you can find
(19:17):
that at the med stations or theaid stations, so familiarize
yourself where they are on thecourse in case you end up
needing to utilize them.
I personally like to pack alittle extra small, travel size
body glide.
Or my favorite from the summerwas Mega Babe Thigh Rescue.
So again getting a shout out,that's what I personally love,
but there's so many wonderfulones to utilize.
(19:39):
And do not forget to show a lotof love to your feet as well,
especially if you're blisterprone.
And worst case scenario, don'tfeel shy, don't feel weird If
you have to stop your race andaddress the chafing or the
blisters by getting that lube on, maybe even taking off your
socks and putting another layeron.
Yes, it's going to cost youtime, I know it's not ideal, but
(20:02):
it's also not ideal to not beable to finish your race or have
so much physical discomfortthat it makes it difficult for
you to continue running andracing.
So please address it as soon asyou possibly can.
Another one that definitelycomes into mind, and this one is
a little tougher this is whereyou're going to have to dig a
little deeper.
It's that mental fatigue.
It happens.
You don't want to think of it,you don't want it at top of mind
(20:27):
, but it does happen.
So best way is avoiding it bytraining your mind with mantras
and visualization.
I know you think it's woo-woo,but I'm telling you it works.
And again, shout out to my racetats and Don.
We had him on the podcast.
He's fantastic.
But even some of these reallypositive mantra date, like the
little removable tattoos that hehas, are fantastic.
(20:48):
But you're going to address it,if it happens on race day, by
focusing on one step at a time,using positive self-talk and
worst case scenario texting orcalling a friend, a loved one,
someone who knows how much thismeans to you, shouting out that
you need a little bit of a peptalk and a little bit of
(21:09):
encouragement, letting them knowwhy you're struggling, let them
flood you with some positivetext to remind you how
incredible you are and that thefinish line is all yours, as
long as you keep taking one stepat a time to get you there.
Now let's talk about losing somethings of value, of importance,
along the way.
(21:30):
Again, I mentioned in Tokyo Istripped off my throwaway layer,
had my gels and goos in it.
I ended up having to use, oncourse, nutrition not ideal, but
I made it happen.
But maybe you have somethingthat's more important, like your
keys or your AirPods oranything of that sort.
So, of course, we're going totry to avoid it.
You're going to try to keepyour valuables in a small race
belt or bag, or on your personin those pockets of your
(21:50):
leggings or your shorts.
But if you do actually loseyour product or whatever it is
that you really would like toregain, I'm going to hate to
break the news to you.
Likely retracing your steps isnot going to be the best way of
doing it, unless if you reallywant to go for an ultra that day
.
So what you're going to do ischeck with lost and found post
(22:11):
race, which is usually at therunner's information or runner's
assistant tent or table, orchecking if the smaller race,
with the race director justputting a little call out,
adding it onto the social mediapage of the race as well.
Again, runners are incredible.
If somebody picked it up,likely if know you're looking
for it, they're going to behappy to return it back to you.
(22:32):
Now let's talk about cramping onthe course and during race day.
Well, of course we want toavoid it.
We don't want that happening.
Right, we're going to try tohydrate properly.
We're going to maintain ourelectrolyte balance during
training.
However, if it does happen,we're going to stop, we during
training.
However, if it does happen,we're going to stop, we're going
to stretch, we're going togently massage, we're going to
(22:52):
try to rebalance with our properelectrolytes or our salt tabs.
Again, this is where those aidstations or med tents are going
to come in handy and just takeit one step at a time.
You may have to slow your pace,you may have to be more
conservative with a run-walkstrategy, but continuing to just
move it forward and addressingthe issue, staying positive and
just being flexible with maybeit's going to impact your race
(23:13):
times, but again, you can stillmake it to that finish line.
This is also.
I want to just drop in realquick and say this is why it's
so important when you plan yourstrategy and your race goals
that you have a A, b and C raceday goal, and that's A is, if
conditions are perfect,everything's flawless.
B is maybe a couple of thingsdidn't go according to plan, and
(23:33):
C oftentimes is finishingstrong, having maybe a time goal
attached to C goal, but again,being really aware that not
everything goes as well as wewould love it to happen on race
day, but knowing that we arethere to celebrate again all
that training that you put in.
Please let's not throw away thehundreds of miles that you did
to get you to that start linethat will get you to the finish
(23:55):
line, just because things didnot go perfectly.
Which brings me to another raceday course mishap that I've
heard.
Wrong turns, yeah, they happen.
Sometimes the courses aren't asmarked as well as we would like
them to be if they're a smallercourse or maybe there's just
areas where people aren't reallyin those Hubble little groups.
(24:15):
So if it happens and you dotake a wrong turn again, this is
where you have to take a deepbreath.
We're going to avoid it bystudying the course map ahead of
time and following those racemarkers.
But if we weren't able to avoidit, you are going to try to
retrace your steps here.
Do know again, it's going toadd a little bit of mileage to
your time, but it's okay.
Ask the volunteers as soon asyou see them for guidance.
(24:36):
This actually happened veryrecently for me at a race where
they had a smaller course, didnot have it marked well, and
there was a little bit ofconfusion, even with the
volunteers, as to what way wewere supposed to go.
So taking it all with a grainof salt and, worst case scenario
, screenshotting the actualcourse map and utilizing it to
(24:59):
help you get back on course Ifthere is not a volunteer that
can help point you in the rightdirection.
Another thing that comes up bothin the corral and on the course
is crowding, especially forbigger races.
No matter how broad or wide theavenues may be, if there are
10,000 runners, 15,000 runners,20,000 runners, there's gonna be
(25:22):
some crowding.
So you're gonna try to avoid itby positioning yourself
appropriately in the startingcorral, bringing and packing
your patience Please do makesure that that's part of your
checklist.
But when it invariably orinevitably happens on race day,
you're going to stay calm.
You're going to make sure thatyou don't get into the position
where you try to add too muchmileage to your actual overall
(25:46):
pacing by weaving in and out.
That's not going to help.
You Just pull it back, be a bitmore conservative until you get
past that crowding and thenmake your move when it clears
out a little bit and push stronginto your appropriate pacing to
get you through that finishline.
Let's talk about technology andwhen it goes wrong I know it's
(26:08):
very disappointing.
We have all become so relianton our GPS watches, on our
Aftershock headphones, on ourGym Boss interval timers.
Well, my friends, sometimesthey may not show up for us the
way that we would want them, orthey got forgotten or left
behind or not properly charged.
So of course we avoid it byusing that packing checklist,
(26:30):
making sure that it's part ofthat packing that we put out the
night before checklist, makingsure that it's part of that
packing that we put out thenight before and making sure
that it's also fully charged andtested before, especially
before race day.
Packing in a little extrabattery, if you need to, for
your gym boss interval can'thurt either, but let's address
it, let's say that we didn't doany of those things and our
technology is just failing us.
(26:52):
This is where you may want torun with a battery charger, a
little slimline portable chargerand, of course, the cording,
the proper wires or cords thatyou need, or letting yourself
just be in the moment, notworrying so much about pace or
the GPS race strategy or yourheadphones, letting yourself
(27:15):
soak in the actual race dayexperience, without your
technology.
I promise you, we've beenrunning for hundreds, hundreds
of years.
Without technology, you canmake it through your race day.
Without it, it is harder.
I definitely say that it'salways good to also run naked a
couple of times during yourtraining.
(27:36):
By that I mean not running withany of that technology that
we've gotten so used to, just incase it does decide to take a
turn for the worst and you havenone of it to rely on.
But again, knowing that, if itdoes, all you really need is
your own mindset, your feet, tokeep you moving forward one step
at a time.
Okay, this next one.
I'm even scared to say it.
(27:57):
If you've been listening to thepodcast for a while, you know
that I don't like the next wordat all.
It's the dreaded I word.
That's right.
It happens.
Sometimes it happens during ourtraining.
Sometimes it actually happenson race day.
That's where those med tents andknowing where they're at is
going to become very, veryimportant.
You're going to address anypotential injury with those med
(28:19):
stations or those race daycourse volunteers.
If anything came up on the race, we're going to try to avoid it
by building strength andagility and mobility, warming up
and following our training planright.
Again, pinky promise, that'swhat you're doing.
I know you do, but in case thatwe do have to address it on the
race day because something cameup, then again, walk, stop if
(28:42):
you have to, if the injury issevere, and check in with your
aid station medical team.
It's well worth it versuspushing too hard and potentially
taking yourself out of the gamefor months, if not even longer.
Now I'm not going to get intotoo much into all the other
things that could potentiallyhappen.
Again, heat exhaustion orhypothermia or hyponatremia
(29:03):
that's what those med stationsare for.
That's why they have themedical staff.
Do not be shy in seekingtreatment If anything goes awry
or a miss in your race day.
Really, that's again, it's partof your registration cost.
Take full advantage of andbeing smart to take care of
yourself.
Now the next thing that couldpotentially happen with our gear
(29:24):
is that maybe and again, if youguys have been listening for a
while, you know this also hashappened to me maybe some of
that awesome gear that we werewearing isn't quite working out
during our race for For me itwas the infamous pink wig as a
Monsters U sorority member.
Then do know that sometimesyour clothing or your costumes
(29:44):
or your attire may need to bestripped off, trying our very
best to get it close to actuallya garbage bag or an aid station
, but if it doesn't happen,being mindful and aware of your
surroundings and the race daycourse, if it's too crowded, not
putting yourself in peril, notputting others in peril is your
most important thing to factorin.
(30:05):
Okay, hopefully you don't needthis and nothing goes wrong.
But let's talk about some of thethings that may come up post
race.
There is the possibility thatyou push really hard and you're
starting to find that they'redelaying your recovery.
You're not feeling great.
Afterwards Again, refueling,rehydrating, seeking medical
(30:27):
attention if necessary.
Don't be shy on doing any ofthose things.
Plan for it.
Please plan for having either abag checked with all of your
creature comfort or havingsomeone that you love and trust
at that finish line, for allthose things to help you feel
warm or safe or dry, taking intoaccount any things that may
have come up during the racethat will help you as quickly as
(30:50):
possible to get back to whereyou need to be and return your
body into that comfortable maybenot so comfortable, but at
least allowing you to sink inthe pride of your race day.
Now, again, that is really whatthe most important factor is as
you go into any race day.
It is that celebratory lap.
As I've mentioned a few timesand I'm not kidding, I'm not
(31:11):
just saying that lightly You'vetrained so hard, you've worked
so much for this day.
It may not live up to yourflawless expectation or
visualization of how it intendedto go, but it is an experience
that you're going to livethrough by taking the
appropriate steps, and it'llcreate wonderful memories for
you as you move through spaceand time and potentially tackle
(31:34):
your next race.
So I want to know from you whatkind of race day mishap have
you experienced?
What did you do to address itright then and there, and maybe
what have you done to avoid itin the future?
It in the future.
(31:57):
If you utilize that link inepisode notes to send me a text,
please do include your name anda way for me to contact you,
because unfortunately, the textdoes not show that when it comes
through my way.
But I do want to hear from youabout your race day and I'm
hoping that it goes flawlesslyas planned.
But if not, again I'm here tosupport you, I'm here to
encourage you and I'm here toremind you just how
(32:17):
extraordinary you are.
So don't hesitate to reach outNow.
Where can you find theExtraordinary League or your
fellow Extraordinary Stridespodcast, stride Collective
members and listeners?
Well, let me let you know thatfor 2025, we have got our race
calendar completely stacked.
Of course, first up for 2025 isgoing to be the Run Disney
(32:39):
Marathon weekend.
We'll be on site all four days.
Would love to see you,including Expo.
Also, you can find me at StPete Distance Classic on
February 9th.
We'll be back to Run Disney forPrincess weekend.
It's always my favorite weekend, so I can't possibly imagine
missing that weekend.
Then you'll find us at ShamrockWeekend in Virginia Beach.
(33:02):
Again, we're looking forward tothat so very much.
We'd love to have you join.
You'll find us again for theseason end of Walt Disney
World's season of SpringtimeSurprise in April.
You can come join us atPittsburgh Marathon and our
Bourbon Taste team is completelyfull at this time.
(33:23):
But if you would like to be onthe waiting list as an alternate
to run 200 miles throughbourbon country in Kentucky with
us in the first weekend ofOctober, then just use that link
in episode notes to send me atext.
Let me know your name, how tocontact you, which is usually
your cell phone and your emailand that you want to be on the
waiting list to join the team Ifa slot or spot opens up.
(33:47):
That is all that we officiallyhave on the books for now,
because I am still keeping myfingers crossed for the Sydney
lottery that's happening inAugust, but also we are looking
at going back to every women'smarathon next year.
We would love to have you join.
Generally, you can always findus at Space Coast as well, and
I'm sure we'll add a few otherraces here and there.
(34:07):
So if you have a favorite racethat you think that we should be
at, feel free to reach out.
We would love to join in on thefun.
With that said, my friend, Iwant to thank you so much for
joining on in listening, beingpart of this incredible
community, because truly you areextraordinary.
So until next time, keepstriding, keep smiling and
(34:29):
remember, no matter what comesyour day on race day.
You've got this.
Thank you you.
Hello, my friend, welcome back to Extraordinary
Strides, where we take ordinaryrunners and sprinkle a little
bit of magic, a whole lot ofsparkle, and help you achieve
truly extraordinary feats.
I'm your host, coach Christine,and today I'd like to don my
sparkliest fairy run mother on alittle bit of race day whisper
(00:21):
action going on, because we'regoing to dive into the topic
that can make or break your bigday.
We're not talking aboutgraduation or weddings here.
We're all about race daysurvival.
But even better yet, I want tochat about how to thrive, not
just survive, on race day,because, my friend, I have been
there, run that, I have thet-shirt collection to show it
(00:45):
and I can say that along the way, I've made a few mishaps and
learned from them.
I've also had the privilege andhonor of coaching countless
runners to help them avoid oraddress any race day mishaps
that may come your way.
So, whether this is going to beyour very first race as you're
listening to this, or maybeyou're on your hundredth, I
think this is the episode you'regoing to want to bookmark and
keep it in your back pocket,definitely share with your
(01:08):
friends, because we're going totalk about everything that could
potentially go a littlesideways, how to avoid it, but
even more so if you can't avoidit, how to handle it like the
champion that you are.
So grab your coffee, or maybethis is a great time to snag
that foam roller.
I know you promised that you'regoing to get some more mobility
action going on.
Whatever helps you relax.
Let's get into the nitty grittydetails of avoiding race day
(01:30):
disasters and conquering themwhen they invariably show up.
All right, my friend, let'sstart with this.
We're going to go from the verybeginning to the very end.
So we're going to chat aboutall of the things that might
happen before you even tone upto that start line.
I'm talking about those earlyrace nerves, the panicking,
panic or the tiny things thatcan spiral out of control if
(01:53):
you're not ready.
So the first thing that comesto mind is the possibility of
late arrival to the start line.
Now, if you've ever woken up ina cold sweat, panicking because
your alarm didn't go off, oryou're worried that your alarm
is not going to go off so youdon't get much shut eye that
night before, you're going tolook at avoiding it by setting
at least two alarms one on yourphone Always great to have an
(02:16):
old school one as well, if youhave one handy, and if you're
staying at a hotel, if you'restaying out of town, ask the
front desk to also do a wake-upcall.
Set as many as you possibly can, especially if you are a little
bit harder to wake up.
You're going to want to setthem even a little earlier than
you normally would.
Give yourself some snooze timein case you do hit that snooze
(02:37):
button.
I'd like you to plan to arriveto your race at least one to two
hours early.
I know that sounds obnoxiouslyearly.
Trust me, I would love thatextra shut-eye myself.
But come on, you have beentraining for months.
This is not the day that youwant to get in just 15 extra
minutes.
It's not worth it.
(02:57):
You'll wake up, you'll getmoving and grooving, you'll feel
fantastic and you'll feel somuch better knowing that you're
not rushing around.
Now, that's the best way ofavoiding it Planning things out,
making sure that you know whereyou're going, if you're parking
where you're parking, how toget to the start line, the
corral.
Scoping everything out the daybefore is fantastic, or mapping
(03:18):
it out.
But let's say that thingscollide and you're not able to
avoid showing up late.
Well, if you are running late.
Take a deep breath.
Just prioritize getting intoyour corral, getting to that
start line.
Skip the extras.
This may be a time where you'regoing to have to skip the Porto
Potties.
You may have to skip some ofthose pre-race selfies.
(03:41):
Just getting yourself to thatstart line is really the most
important part.
Do not try to run your fastestmile on the way to the start
line.
Do know that a majority ofraces, your start time on your
bib goes when you actually crossthe start line.
So if you are a little bitlater, that's okay.
Check with each individual race.
(04:01):
There are some races that closeoff the start line, but
generally it's a little bitlater than you would expect.
So if you're in a bigger racethat has later corrals and
you're not able to get into yourcorral, no big deal.
Just get into the corral that'son its way in to the start line
, or even if they've alreadytaken off, I am sure if you talk
to a race official you're goingto be able to make it through
(04:23):
that start line, depending onhow late you are.
For the record, I have trulybeen there run that met a
girlfriend for a run at A1A FortLauderdale.
We were about 15 minutes lateto the start line and it was one
of the most fun races I haveever had.
So if it happens, try not tostress too much about it.
(04:43):
It's all about making memoriesand enjoying the journey.
Now the next one on this list isforgetting something that's
really important.
Oh, I've been there, done thatas well.
If you guys remember myconversation about Tokyo where I
stripped off my throwaway layerand my fuel was inside my
throwaway layer, it happensSometimes you forget your gear
or your fuel or your hydration,whatever it is that you had
(05:04):
planned happens Sometimes youforget your gear or your fuel or
your hydration, whatever it isthat you had planned.
Let me tell you, the best wayto avoid it is to use that
checklist.
Hint, hint, I have a runcationpacking checklist that also
helps with making sure you haveeverything that you need for
race day.
You can shoot me a text message, give me your email and I'll
make sure to send it your way.
But also, just doing a littlerun through the night before is
(05:27):
always great to have and knowingthat you have your essentials.
As long as you have youressentials, mainly your shoes,
your socks, you got some kind ofclothing on and your bib and
you are going to make it.
It may not be ideal if youforgot something, but it's not
the worst thing ever.
Now let's address it.
(05:49):
Let's say it does happen.
Well, if you find out earlierrather than later and this is a
runcation again you're gonnadefinitely want to head to the
expo or to your local runningstore, even ask some of the
runners in the area.
Generally, runners areincredibly generous and will
point you in the right direction.
Who knows, they may even havean extra or two.
But if that is not possible andit's actually race day and you
(06:12):
figured out that something hasbeen lost or forgotten, just do
the best with what you have.
Learn for the next time.
I can guarantee you that I nolonger keep my fueling and my
extra layers.
Keep it on my person.
So it's again, it's a learninglesson.
This is the beautiful thingabout running.
It's not always gonna beperfect, it's not always going
to be ideal, but we're gonnalearn how to adapt and still
(06:35):
make our goals.
The next one on this list issomething that you cannot
control, no matter how much youwish you could, which is the
weather, and the weather may becompletely not anything that you
trained for, you are.
It's maybe evenincomprehensible.
Maybe it's much colder than youtrained for, or it's raining,
or it's much hotter than you'reprepared for.
(06:57):
Just know that this is one ofthose situations where you can't
avoid it.
You really just can address it.
And how are you going toaddress it, my friend?
You're all about those layers,truly layers, hacking for all of
the weather that you canpossibly imagine that is capable
of happening on a race day andthen addressing it the night
(07:21):
before with again either tryingto dress for the weather you
should expect for the entiretyof the race or having layers to
keep you warm all the way fromthat starting curl that you can
shed along the way as you warmup.
Now, specifically, if you'regetting in too much colder
weather than you are expectingto have, I cannot stress enough,
(07:42):
especially for these races likerun Disney or world marathon
majors, where you're standingaround for hours before you get
in to the start line you mustkeep yourself warm and
comfortable.
This is where throwaway layersare going to come super in handy
.
Do not care about how silly youmay look, my friend.
So going to discount stores.
(08:03):
You may look, my friend.
So going to discount stores,getting things on clearance just
to keep you nice and warm, oreven Goodwills or consignment
shops or thrift stores andgetting everything that you can
to stay comfy and shedding alongthe way when you get to that
start line.
A couple of things that youshould also consider having are
maybe hand warmers, or if youhave a mylar blanket or a trash
(08:26):
bag or that's the only thingthat you were able to find
because you weren't able to packor buy any of those throwaway
layers, knowing that they maynot be the warmest but they will
help.
Also, kind of just letting theindividuals around you kind of
help provide a little bit ofadditional heat in those corrals
because of all of those packedbodies will come in handy to
keep you warm and knowing thatyour first mile may feel a
(08:49):
little bit stiffer until you areable to warm on up.
Now, on the opposite side ofthings, if it is really hot,
really warm, just take intoconsideration again that you
have to pull back your pacing,you have to pull off those
layers, and that's where it'sall about making sure that you
have to pull back your pacing,you have to pull off those
layers, and that's where it'sall about making sure that you
are safe and capable of gettingin that entire race without
(09:14):
injury or health issues.
So taking that into account.
The next one on the list is theinevitable long lines at those
port-a-potties.
Now, the best way to avoid itis to go early.
Remember, you're there earlyanyway.
So going as soon as you arriveand then making sure to get into
(09:36):
line at the port-a-potty beforeyou go into your starting
corral as well.
Some races have ingeniouslythought that through and have
some Port-au-Potty's availablein corrals.
Those are usually found at thelarger ones, but if not, trying
to go before you get into yourstarting corral is definitely
helpful.
There's usually somewhere aPort-au-Potty that maybe doesn't
(09:59):
have as long of lines.
Usually it's a little bitfurther away from when you first
come into that running area,that running corral area.
So just take into account alsoasking the volunteers that are
there if they know where some ofthe other porta potties are at.
And then again going back to notworrying too much about being
late to your race.
It's about being comfortablewhen you start running and
(10:23):
racing.
So taking that into account, ifthe worst happens and you're
not able to use a porta pottybefore you get out into the
actual race course it is what itis, my friend.
So you take time, try to scopeout those porta potties that are
actually out on the course andfinding the ones that have the
shortest lines out on the courseand finding the ones that have
(10:47):
the shortest lines, also packingaccordingly, knowing that as
you get further into your raceit's a possibility they won't be
as equipped with toilet paperor hand sanitizer.
So packing those on your personis always good to have.
Just again, keep youcomfortable and sanitary for
that racing day.
Now this is where I'm going totake a quick note for us ladies
that are potentially have ourmonthly visitor who wants to
(11:11):
come along and join us for ourbig race day.
This is where I am going to saythat tracking definitely comes
in handy, but knowing that,again, tracking isn't always
accurate.
It can potentially have a fewdays here or there that's missed
or potentially just maybe thestress from training has caused
your period to shift.
(11:31):
So, taking that into accountand being prepared that if it
does happen somewhere along inyour training, the best way to
avoid having that kind of mishapin terms of not being prepared
is that in your trainingsomewhere along the way, is
figuring out what products workbest for you.
Do remember that earlier on,both Coach Shelby and I did our
review of racing on your periodand what best products At that
(11:56):
time?
Definitely, coach Shelbydiscussed period underwear and I
will say that I concur.
Since then I would say thoseare your best friends.
If you're like me and possiblyperimenopause I never know when
my period is going to start nowand those come in handy.
So I have a couple of pairsjust in case.
Always pack them at this pointfor race weekends Because, again
(12:18):
, I feel like I'm alwayssurprised by my monthly visitor.
I want to reiterate a few otheritems to keep you feeling as
comfortable as possible.
If you need to address itbecause it has shown up, you're
going to want to also packflushable wipes.
I usually put them in a Ziplocbag or hand sanitizer again,
just so that you're able toaddress that in the porta potty
(12:41):
and have everything you need tofeel as comfortable If you do
not want to use period underwear.
Whatever your products areagain in a Ziploc bag a Ziploc
sandwich bag, very helpful tokeep it dry, so you can access
it.
Also knowing there are certainOTC products that you can use to
help with cramps or fatigue,but being mindful about how your
(13:02):
body reacts to those things.
But being mindful about howyour body reacts to those things
.
And also, I want to reiteratethat our bodies are generally at
their strongest from a hormoneperspective for race day.
So it's not an automaticdisqualifier as long as you're
able to address it in a way thatworks best for you.
Now going back to bathroom.
Invariably there are some times, especially when we're a little
(13:25):
extra nervous, where there maybe some GI distress.
So, again, this is where Icannot stress enough having and
packing some additional toiletpaper in Ziploc bags or some of
those flushable wipes in Ziplocbags, just in case.
And I know a lot of runners andracers have found great comfort
in taking a preventativeImodium.
I personally am not a huge fanfor me and my system.
(13:48):
So this is where, again, superimportant to know your body and
what works best for you.
So, keeping that in mind, oneof the best ways I feel like you
can try to help avoid theissues of GI distress is fueling
mistakes.
So, week of, and especially theday of in the morning, of
(14:08):
avoiding anything that you donot know how it will settle in
your stomach.
So stick to the foods thatyou've trained with and do very
much.
Take and pack fuel for yourcorral.
If you're going to be stickingaround there for a very long
time, aim for something that'seasy to digest, that you know,
that works well for your stomach.
But again, if your stomach isupset, slow your pace.
(14:31):
Sip some water, and this iswhere a little pack of ginger
chews may help.
They always help settle mystomach.
Okay, so we've made it to thestart line and I feel like you
have avoided all the disastersor you've been able to
successfully address them.
There's a few others, like whatI experienced again in Tokyo,
where I couldn't actually findwhere my corral was at.
(14:53):
Getting there early helped.
Thankfully, I did end upsprinting, but that's the story
for another time.
Again, things will come upTrying to keep your cool, taking
deep breaths, knowing thatyou're there to celebrate all of
the miles that you put induring your training season.
So taking it with a grain ofsalt and maybe packing your salt
(15:14):
caps as well, especially ifit's a hot run.
Let's talk about pacing issues,because this is a big one for a
lot of us.
You're excited.
I mean.
There's tons of adrenaline,there's tons of people around,
the music's got you hyped up,you've had a little bit of
caffeine and you want to sprintout of the gate like a rocket.
(15:35):
Okay, let's avoid it.
Practice that, even pacing,during your training.
But let's say you've done thatand you forget that it all goes
by the wayside.
Done that and you forget thatit all goes by the wayside.
This is when setting up yourGPS watch to alert you of going
too fast or too slow is alwaysbeneficial.
If you have not figured out howto do that on your watch or
(15:59):
Garmin or Coros.
I cannot speak highly enough ofDC Rainmaker.
He has an extensive blogpractically reviewing and giving
you tips for each and everysingle watch you could ever use.
But again, the internet's awonderful place, so just go out
into the internet and searchthat.
But creating that frameworkwhere your watch will beep at
(16:21):
you if you go too fast is reallyhelpful because you're going to
address it right then.
And there right, pinky promisedme that you're gonna address it
as soon as your watch beeps atyou that you've gone too fast
and basically just slow down,take a deep breath, recover and
then focus on getting right backto it, maintaining a steady
effort for the remainder of therace, unless if you have a
completely different strategy.
We talked a little bit about itin the back of the pack racing
(16:44):
guide.
We talked a little bit about itin the back of the pack racing
guide.
Sometimes you have to meetcertain course cutoffs.
If that's the case, Icompletely understand.
But again, having your strategybefore the race is the best way
to help you avoid getting tothe point where you feel
exhausted before you reach thefinish line.
Now the next one that I see ishydration issues, and that comes
(17:07):
from skipping those waterstations because, god forbid,
you don't want to slow down toomuch at your water station or
drinking too much too fast andthen feeling a little sloshy and
sluggish.
So again, we're going to avoidit by training with our
hydration plan and executing thehydration and fueling both,
because it's kind of the samething as we've already done
(17:29):
throughout our training.
But how are we addressing it?
Well, if it does happen andyou're dehydrated, slow down,
take small sips at the next fewstations.
If you're over hydrated, easeoff of those fluids, back off a
little bit.
Make sure that you still havethe electrolytes that you're
replacing into your system.
(17:49):
Let your body rebalance Withyour fueling.
If you're low on energy, takesmall bites or sips of what's
available and adjust your pace,and if you are feeling like
maybe you're overueling and it'scausing little GI distress
again, just back off of it for alittle bit.
(18:09):
Maybe extend the time that youneed to take your next goo gel
chew, whatever it is that you'veutilized that has worked for
you.
The next potential mishap thathappens during race day is, oh
my, chafing.
That's right, friends, chafing,or blisters.
They definitely can make youquite uncomfortable, especially
(18:30):
for those longer races.
We know that the best way ofavoiding it is utilizing body
glide or a lubricant that we'vetried out during our training.
Whatever that may be.
If you didn't, a packet, justold school Vaseline is super
helpful.
Wearing moisture wicking layersis very, very good.
If, by any chance, though, noneof that is available and you're
(18:54):
still chafing on the course,you're going to address it at
those med and aid stations.
Luckily, a majority of racesare able to address this.
They usually have a little bitof Vaseline on a like a popsicle
stick, so please do know that'snot fuel.
Don't eat it.
It's Vaseline for the most part, but generally you can find
(19:17):
that at the med stations or theaid stations, so familiarize
yourself where they are on thecourse in case you end up
needing to utilize them.
I personally like to pack alittle extra small, travel size
body glide.
Or my favorite from the summerwas Mega Babe Thigh Rescue.
So again getting a shout out,that's what I personally love,
but there's so many wonderfulones to utilize.
(19:39):
And do not forget to show a lotof love to your feet as well,
especially if you're blisterprone.
And worst case scenario, don'tfeel shy, don't feel weird If
you have to stop your race andaddress the chafing or the
blisters by getting that lube on, maybe even taking off your
socks and putting another layeron.
Yes, it's going to cost youtime, I know it's not ideal, but
(20:02):
it's also not ideal to not beable to finish your race or have
so much physical discomfortthat it makes it difficult for
you to continue running andracing.
So please address it as soon asyou possibly can.
Another one that definitelycomes into mind, and this one is
a little tougher this is whereyou're going to have to dig a
little deeper.
It's that mental fatigue.
It happens.
You don't want to think of it,you don't want it at top of mind
(20:27):
, but it does happen.
So best way is avoiding it bytraining your mind with mantras
and visualization.
I know you think it's woo-woo,but I'm telling you it works.
And again, shout out to my racetats and Don.
We had him on the podcast.
He's fantastic.
But even some of these reallypositive mantra date, like the
little removable tattoos that hehas, are fantastic.
(20:48):
But you're going to address it,if it happens on race day, by
focusing on one step at a time,using positive self-talk and
worst case scenario texting orcalling a friend, a loved one,
someone who knows how much thismeans to you, shouting out that
you need a little bit of a peptalk and a little bit of
(21:09):
encouragement, letting them knowwhy you're struggling, let them
flood you with some positivetext to remind you how
incredible you are and that thefinish line is all yours, as
long as you keep taking one stepat a time to get you there.
Now let's talk about losing somethings of value, of importance,
along the way.
(21:30):
Again, I mentioned in Tokyo Istripped off my throwaway layer,
had my gels and goos in it.
I ended up having to use, oncourse, nutrition not ideal, but
I made it happen.
But maybe you have somethingthat's more important, like your
keys or your AirPods oranything of that sort.
So, of course, we're going totry to avoid it.
You're going to try to keepyour valuables in a small race
belt or bag, or on your personin those pockets of your
(21:50):
leggings or your shorts.
But if you do actually loseyour product or whatever it is
that you really would like toregain, I'm going to hate to
break the news to you.
Likely retracing your steps isnot going to be the best way of
doing it, unless if you reallywant to go for an ultra that day
.
So what you're going to do ischeck with lost and found post
(22:11):
race, which is usually at therunner's information or runner's
assistant tent or table, orchecking if the smaller race,
with the race director justputting a little call out,
adding it onto the social mediapage of the race as well.
Again, runners are incredible.
If somebody picked it up,likely if know you're looking
for it, they're going to behappy to return it back to you.
(22:32):
Now let's talk about cramping onthe course and during race day.
Well, of course we want toavoid it.
We don't want that happening.
Right, we're going to try tohydrate properly.
We're going to maintain ourelectrolyte balance during
training.
However, if it does happen,we're going to stop, we during
training.
However, if it does happen,we're going to stop, we're going
to stretch, we're going togently massage, we're going to
(22:52):
try to rebalance with our properelectrolytes or our salt tabs.
Again, this is where those aidstations or med tents are going
to come in handy and just takeit one step at a time.
You may have to slow your pace,you may have to be more
conservative with a run-walkstrategy, but continuing to just
move it forward and addressingthe issue, staying positive and
just being flexible with maybeit's going to impact your race
(23:13):
times, but again, you can stillmake it to that finish line.
This is also.
I want to just drop in realquick and say this is why it's
so important when you plan yourstrategy and your race goals
that you have a A, b and C raceday goal, and that's A is, if
conditions are perfect,everything's flawless.
B is maybe a couple of thingsdidn't go according to plan, and
(23:33):
C oftentimes is finishingstrong, having maybe a time goal
attached to C goal, but again,being really aware that not
everything goes as well as wewould love it to happen on race
day, but knowing that we arethere to celebrate again all
that training that you put in.
Please let's not throw away thehundreds of miles that you did
to get you to that start linethat will get you to the finish
(23:55):
line, just because things didnot go perfectly.
Which brings me to another raceday course mishap that I've
heard.
Wrong turns, yeah, they happen.
Sometimes the courses aren't asmarked as well as we would like
them to be if they're a smallercourse or maybe there's just
areas where people aren't reallyin those Hubble little groups.
(24:15):
So if it happens and you dotake a wrong turn again, this is
where you have to take a deepbreath.
We're going to avoid it bystudying the course map ahead of
time and following those racemarkers.
But if we weren't able to avoidit, you are going to try to
retrace your steps here.
Do know again, it's going toadd a little bit of mileage to
your time, but it's okay.
Ask the volunteers as soon asyou see them for guidance.
(24:36):
This actually happened veryrecently for me at a race where
they had a smaller course, didnot have it marked well, and
there was a little bit ofconfusion, even with the
volunteers, as to what way wewere supposed to go.
So taking it all with a grainof salt and, worst case scenario
, screenshotting the actualcourse map and utilizing it to
(24:59):
help you get back on course Ifthere is not a volunteer that
can help point you in the rightdirection.
Another thing that comes up bothin the corral and on the course
is crowding, especially forbigger races.
No matter how broad or wide theavenues may be, if there are
10,000 runners, 15,000 runners,20,000 runners, there's gonna be
(25:22):
some crowding.
So you're gonna try to avoid itby positioning yourself
appropriately in the startingcorral, bringing and packing
your patience Please do makesure that that's part of your
checklist.
But when it invariably orinevitably happens on race day,
you're going to stay calm.
You're going to make sure thatyou don't get into the position
where you try to add too muchmileage to your actual overall
(25:46):
pacing by weaving in and out.
That's not going to help.
You Just pull it back, be a bitmore conservative until you get
past that crowding and thenmake your move when it clears
out a little bit and push stronginto your appropriate pacing to
get you through that finishline.
Let's talk about technology andwhen it goes wrong I know it's
(26:08):
very disappointing.
We have all become so relianton our GPS watches, on our
Aftershock headphones, on ourGym Boss interval timers.
Well, my friends, sometimesthey may not show up for us the
way that we would want them, orthey got forgotten or left
behind or not properly charged.
So of course we avoid it byusing that packing checklist,
(26:30):
making sure that it's part ofthat packing that we put out the
night before checklist, makingsure that it's part of that
packing that we put out thenight before and making sure
that it's also fully charged andtested before, especially
before race day.
Packing in a little extrabattery, if you need to, for
your gym boss interval can'thurt either, but let's address
it, let's say that we didn't doany of those things and our
technology is just failing us.
(26:52):
This is where you may want torun with a battery charger, a
little slimline portable chargerand, of course, the cording,
the proper wires or cords thatyou need, or letting yourself
just be in the moment, notworrying so much about pace or
the GPS race strategy or yourheadphones, letting yourself
(27:15):
soak in the actual race dayexperience, without your
technology.
I promise you, we've beenrunning for hundreds, hundreds
of years.
Without technology, you canmake it through your race day.
Without it, it is harder.
I definitely say that it'salways good to also run naked a
couple of times during yourtraining.
(27:36):
By that I mean not running withany of that technology that
we've gotten so used to, just incase it does decide to take a
turn for the worst and you havenone of it to rely on.
But again, knowing that, if itdoes, all you really need is
your own mindset, your feet, tokeep you moving forward one step
at a time.
Okay, this next one.
I'm even scared to say it.
(27:57):
If you've been listening to thepodcast for a while, you know
that I don't like the next wordat all.
It's the dreaded I word.
That's right.
It happens.
Sometimes it happens during ourtraining.
Sometimes it actually happenson race day.
That's where those med tents andknowing where they're at is
going to become very, veryimportant.
You're going to address anypotential injury with those med
(28:19):
stations or those race daycourse volunteers.
If anything came up on the race, we're going to try to avoid it
by building strength andagility and mobility, warming up
and following our training planright.
Again, pinky promise, that'swhat you're doing.
I know you do, but in case thatwe do have to address it on the
race day because something cameup, then again, walk, stop if
(28:42):
you have to, if the injury issevere, and check in with your
aid station medical team.
It's well worth it versuspushing too hard and potentially
taking yourself out of the gamefor months, if not even longer.
Now I'm not going to get intotoo much into all the other
things that could potentiallyhappen.
Again, heat exhaustion orhypothermia or hyponatremia
(29:03):
that's what those med stationsare for.
That's why they have themedical staff.
Do not be shy in seekingtreatment If anything goes awry
or a miss in your race day.
Really, that's again, it's partof your registration cost.
Take full advantage of andbeing smart to take care of
yourself.
Now the next thing that couldpotentially happen with our gear
(29:24):
is that maybe and again, if youguys have been listening for a
while, you know this also hashappened to me maybe some of
that awesome gear that we werewearing isn't quite working out
during our race for For me itwas the infamous pink wig as a
Monsters U sorority member.
Then do know that sometimesyour clothing or your costumes
(29:44):
or your attire may need to bestripped off, trying our very
best to get it close to actuallya garbage bag or an aid station
, but if it doesn't happen,being mindful and aware of your
surroundings and the race daycourse, if it's too crowded, not
putting yourself in peril, notputting others in peril is your
most important thing to factorin.
(30:05):
Okay, hopefully you don't needthis and nothing goes wrong.
But let's talk about some of thethings that may come up post
race.
There is the possibility thatyou push really hard and you're
starting to find that they'redelaying your recovery.
You're not feeling great.
Afterwards Again, refueling,rehydrating, seeking medical
(30:27):
attention if necessary.
Don't be shy on doing any ofthose things.
Plan for it.
Please plan for having either abag checked with all of your
creature comfort or havingsomeone that you love and trust
at that finish line, for allthose things to help you feel
warm or safe or dry, taking intoaccount any things that may
have come up during the racethat will help you as quickly as
(30:50):
possible to get back to whereyou need to be and return your
body into that comfortable maybenot so comfortable, but at
least allowing you to sink inthe pride of your race day.
Now, again, that is really whatthe most important factor is as
you go into any race day.
It is that celebratory lap.
As I've mentioned a few timesand I'm not kidding, I'm not
(31:11):
just saying that lightly You'vetrained so hard, you've worked
so much for this day.
It may not live up to yourflawless expectation or
visualization of how it intendedto go, but it is an experience
that you're going to livethrough by taking the
appropriate steps, and it'llcreate wonderful memories for
you as you move through spaceand time and potentially tackle
(31:34):
your next race.
So I want to know from you whatkind of race day mishap have
you experienced?
What did you do to address itright then and there, and maybe
what have you done to avoid itin the future?
It in the future.
(31:57):
If you utilize that link inepisode notes to send me a text,
please do include your name anda way for me to contact you,
because unfortunately, the textdoes not show that when it comes
through my way.
But I do want to hear from youabout your race day and I'm
hoping that it goes flawlesslyas planned.
But if not, again I'm here tosupport you, I'm here to
encourage you and I'm here toremind you just how
(32:17):
extraordinary you are.
So don't hesitate to reach outNow.
Where can you find theExtraordinary League or your
fellow Extraordinary Stridespodcast, stride Collective
members and listeners?
Well, let me let you know thatfor 2025, we have got our race
calendar completely stacked.
Of course, first up for 2025 isgoing to be the Run Disney
(32:39):
Marathon weekend.
We'll be on site all four days.
Would love to see you,including Expo.
Also, you can find me at StPete Distance Classic on
February 9th.
We'll be back to Run Disney forPrincess weekend.
It's always my favorite weekend, so I can't possibly imagine
missing that weekend.
Then you'll find us at ShamrockWeekend in Virginia Beach.
(33:02):
Again, we're looking forward tothat so very much.
We'd love to have you join.
You'll find us again for theseason end of Walt Disney
World's season of SpringtimeSurprise in April.
You can come join us atPittsburgh Marathon and our
Bourbon Taste team is completelyfull at this time.
(33:23):
But if you would like to be onthe waiting list as an alternate
to run 200 miles throughbourbon country in Kentucky with
us in the first weekend ofOctober, then just use that link
in episode notes to send me atext.
Let me know your name, how tocontact you, which is usually
your cell phone and your emailand that you want to be on the
waiting list to join the team Ifa slot or spot opens up.
(33:47):
That is all that we officiallyhave on the books for now,
because I am still keeping myfingers crossed for the Sydney
lottery that's happening inAugust, but also we are looking
at going back to every women'smarathon next year.
We would love to have you join.
Generally, you can always findus at Space Coast as well, and
I'm sure we'll add a few otherraces here and there.
(34:07):
So if you have a favorite racethat you think that we should be
at, feel free to reach out.
We would love to join in on thefun.
With that said, my friend, Iwant to thank you so much for
joining on in listening, beingpart of this incredible
community, because truly you areextraordinary.
So until next time, keepstriding, keep smiling and
(34:29):
remember, no matter what comesyour day on race day.
You've got this.
Thank you you.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.