This is my badass posse braving the FREEZING TORRENTIAL RAIN at the DC Rock n' Roll Half in 2015 where I PR'd with a 1:29.05 half marathon!
So. Tomorrow is the Brooklyn Half Marathon, and much to my dismay, the forecast is calling for rain. I can't even imagine how this year's Boston Marathon-ers felt before their marathon... because I am so aggravated at the idea of running a half marathon that I've actually trained for in less-than-ideal conditions.
That time my bestie and I went for a training run in a legit sandstorm.
That said, this is a pill I've been swallowing for a few days now. Its going to rain Saturday, and I am going to show up anyway, and run my darned-est anyway. So its time to mozy up to the task rather than linger in annoyance.
That's what today's post is about. Let's get all Ricky Martin on this half marathon,
"She'll make you take your clothes off
And go dancing in the rain.
She'll make you live her crazy life,
But she'll take away your pain"
'she' being the Brooklyn Popular Half Marathon
My tips for racing in the rain like it AIN'T NO THANG
1. Prepare to chafe. Holla at sore nipples, thighs, bra-lines...anything that will come into repeated contact with damp clothing. Be pro-active and rub some coconut oil on your soon-to-be damaged body parts. It will prevent chafing or at least make it a bit less traumatic.
2. Spare clothes. Oh, how I love to pack me a race day bag... Tomorrow's bag will be extra jam-packed, since my warm ups are bound to be soaked. I recommend brining at least two pairs of shoes. One to warm up in, one pair to change into before you enter the race corral (or line up)...and it would be dandy if you had a third pair with you for post-race. Remember to pack post-race clothes in a plastic bag so they do not get wet when you throw your damp warm-ups into your checked bag.
3. Race in the right clothing. Well, well. This one is tricky. If you're racing in frigid temps, then wearing layers of water-wicking material is KEY. However, my race is supposed to be a lovely 48* at start time tomorrow and go up to 50* during the race.
At this temp, rather than focusing on staying warm, I am focusing on minimizing the weighted down feeling of wet clothing. I am leaning towards running in a sports bra, a bandi-belt to hold my nutrition, and spandex shorts.
My strategy is to use 1) water wicking fabric (ie. my socks) and 2) minimize the weight of wet clothing.
4. Don't be afraid to toss some trash. Yes, I love me some mother nature...but tomorrow is not the day. There will be plenty of all-star volunteers around to pick up the trash. Don't be afraid to don plastic bags, wear plastic around you sneakers while you're waiting in your corral in your "racing sneakers," and to wrap yourself in disposable heating blankets. We gona' need 'em...
5. Realize that no matter how perfect or imperfect the conditions- this is your race, and you have a damn good chance of crushin' it!!! This is one of those lessons that you only learn after years of racing. I've completed races that I felt super prepared for, and done terribly. I've run races in record high tempts, and run really well. I've run races where at the start line, I really thought I'd poop my pants, and crossed the finish line without a single moment of GI distress. I've started races feeling like my legs were fresh as a new born baby's butt, and felt like crap the entire race.
Race day is a magical day. Anything can happen. Try not to stress out about it. Control the things you can control, prepare to the best of your ability, and realize that ultimately its just YOU, YOUR RACE, and YOUR LEGS. The rest will happen the way its supposed to happen.
Happy racing, peeps <3 See ya in Coney!!!!