Never leave anything to chance. Practice everything. You have put in the hours, long runs, tempo runs, repeats & hills. You feel you are ready to assault the 42.195km grail.
Race day comes, you suit up, no new apparels or shoes, get to starting line. All cool. The horn blares and you are off. You get into your rhythm, feeling good. Some 3km into the race, your the first hydration station comes up. You get stuck in traffic as you go for the nearest cup, you pick up the cup, some spillage and you’re left with half a cup, you gulp the rest, spilling more onto your vest, some goes into your air passage, you choke, its some new isotonic drink, you have never had before, taste funny, you feel ill. You begin the feel it is not your day. After all that work over the last few months, you get a sinking feeling.
It does not have to be this way. If only you had find out more details about what the race organisers are serving up and practiced in race hydration. The devil is really in the details.
What practice how to drink? Yes and find out what drink they will serve at the hydration stations.
- Find out what will be served. If it is something you have never had before, go out buy some, taste test. Begin drinking it to get used to the taste and feel. Your body will adapt.
- Practice picking up the cup and drinking during repeats sessions.
- BE coached by run4life.co click here to contact us.
At the hydration station:
- Make a bee line for the last few serving tables. Avoid the crowd.
- Slow down.
- Make eye contact with the server if there is one. Smile
- Target a cup on the table if there are no servers.
- Reach out, pick up the cup. Say ‘Thank you’ with a smile.
- Squeeze the rim of the cup which is away from you.
- Rotate your hands so that the squeezed rim is now facing you.
- Slow down further
- Tilt your head back and pour the drink slowly into the mouth like pouring into a funnel. (Chemistry students know how to do this well)
- When you are done, toss the cup into the bins or discarded cup area.
- Pick up pace.
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