As runners, we spend countless hours training our legs, heart and lungs to go the distance. We wake up early, work on our nutrition and plan out every detail in an attempt to leave nothing to chance. We even spend time honing our mental strategies for race day and visualizing that perfect PR-worthy run. But all of this preparation, while necessary, isn't a guarantee that race day will be a smooth ride.
In fact, although we may plan for the best, we should also spend some time preparing for the worst.
While you are visualizing greatness, take a moment to visualize working through (and ultimately overcoming) some of the scenarios below.
An Abrupt Weather Change
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That rain that was supposed to hold off for the race? It's here, and it's miserable. Or the forecasted cool temps suddenly give way to an 80-degree sauna of a day.
How to Overcome It:
If you are forced to deal with a sudden change in the weather before your race, try to stay as dry and comfortable as you can before the start. If you have to wait outside before the race, bring (and wear) some big lawn trash bags to keep your clothing and shoes dry as long as possible before the start.
If you encounter a sudden change in weather during the race, focus on adapting as best you can. If it gets hot, take in extra fluids, and discard whatever clothing you can. And if it starts pouring? Try to stay relaxed and find the humor in it—at least you and your fellow racers are all in this together, right? Sometimes a sudden change to adverse weather conditions is just the push you need to get across that finish line as fast as possible.
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race.Lost Gels
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Picture this: At mile 11 of a super crowded marathon, you accidentally drop your bag of Clif Shot blocks. With thousands of runners right behind you, there's no way to stop traffic and pick them up. With that one bad move, all of your nutrition for the entire race is gone. You're panicking, but fear not—you have options.
How to Overcome It:
If you realize you've forgotten your race nutrition prior to the race start, your best bet is to ask fellow runners at the start if they have any to spare. Try to find someone with the same brand as you've practiced with so that you don't have to risk an upset stomach. It's always a good idea to find out what nutrition is being offered on the course, and where; that way, if you have a mid-race lost-gel emergency, you know how far you are from backup fuel. If it's a brand you haven't practiced with and you have a sensitive stomach, you have to determine if it's worth taking the risk mid-race. But if you are at mile 15 and your muscles are desperate for fuel, it may be worth the risk in order to fight off hitting the wall.
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race.Chafing
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You know that shirt you've pleasantly logged hundreds of miles in? Your go-to running tank? Well today it has suddenly decided to sabotage you with an irritating seam. Oh yeah, and those shorts that felt great on your last long run? Now they're the bane of your existence. And what was a tiny annoyance five miles in, has now become all you can think about at mile 15 as the chafing becomes more than you can bear.
How to Overcome It:
For clothing choices, the old adage is "nothing new on race day." That means you should have already logged many miles in your planned race day attire to ensure that nothing rubs or chafes. But sometimes, chafing can occur even with the most tried-and-true wardrobe choices. At bigger races, you may be fortunate enough to find spectators holding out popsicle sticks with Vaseline. That might be more difficult at smaller races, but some of the on-course medical tents should be able to provide you with Vaseline or Band-Aids.
If no on-course help is available, you can try to adjust (or remove) the offending clothing. Otherwise, your best bet is to carry on and focus on the fact that, while the chafing hurts, it is likely distracting you from the mounting pain in your legs.
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race.Bathroom Emergency
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It's no secret that runners love pre-race caffeine, but occasionally our fuel of choice spells trouble for our digestive system during the race. In fact, if you've raced long enough, you've most likely experienced that dreaded feeling of needing to find a Porta Potty ASAP. Here's what to do if it happens mid-race.
How to Overcome It:
Ask spectators or water stop volunteers for the location of the closest on-course Porta Potty. If you can't make it and the course is rural, you may be able to, ahem, take a "break" in nature. If that's not an option, sometimes a quick walk break can help the urge subside. And if that doesn't work, well, there's a reason lots of runners wear dark shorts: Channel your inner triathlete and do what you gotta do.
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race.What Goes Down Must Come Up
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Many runners have to invest significant time training their body to eat and drink while running. When you are putting in race effort, your body directs the blood flow to your working muscles—meaning less is available to assist with digestion. This can spell trouble for runners, because an upset stomach can prevent you from being able to stay fueled and hydrated on the race course. Here's what to do if you find yourself in trouble mid-race with a stomach that has decided it hates you.
How to Overcome It:
If you are unable to take your gels/nutrition but can still drink fluids, try to take in additional calories by ingesting a bit more than you would normally drink. Don't overdo it, but do ensure you are taking in enough fluids per hour. If everything that goes down comes right back up, and you are unable to eat or drink, you may need to drastically slow your pace or walk for a while to try to get your body back to equilibrium. Some runners feel better after emptying their stomachs, but closely monitor your body and make sure you are able to continue. Otherwise, seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
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race.GPS Quits
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Tall city skyscrapers. Rural country roads. Beautiful lakefront parks. What do these have in common? They can wreak havoc on your Garmin on race day. Spotty satellite reception or other technical glitches may cause your trusted technological companion to morph into a useless weight on your wrist mid-race.
How to Overcome It:
If your Garmin dies or is rendered useless, it's time to brush off your ability to do math mid-race. If there are clocks on the course, you can use that time to figure out how you are doing (just make sure to adjust for any time lag between your wave's race start and the gun time), or ask other racers near you for a pace or time check on occasion. Or, you can take a leap of faith and run the rest of the race based on feel—you may even surprise yourself with a new PR.
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race.Sudden Muscle Cramp
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Your stride is smooth, your breathing even. You can't remember the last time you enjoyed a race this much, when suddenly it feels like someone took a baseball bat to your calf: MUSCLE CRAMP!! It can stop even the most seasoned runners in their tracks, but here's how to keep a cramp from derailing your whole race.
How to Overcome It:
If you feel a muscle seize up, give it a few hundred feet to see if you can work it out while running. For a side cramp/side stitch, focus on inhaling fully and exhaling forcefully to try to alleviate the discomfort. If running through it is unsuccessful, it may be better to fully stop and try to massage the cramp out rather than carry on and risk it tightening up further. If you can get it to relax enough to keep going, look to ingest some sodium as soon as you can via Gatorade or electrolytes in gel form. Sometimes that can be enough to ward off additional cramping and allow you to continue the race.
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