Somehow Runner's World never writes about this specific topic.
You
signed up for this weekend's race four months ago. Four months in
which you told yourself you were going to bust your ass and show up
in shape. That was four months ago. And now you can't find your running
shoes because you forgot where you put them last fall.
The best
course of action?
- First things first: you signed up for the half marathon. Don't be a tough guy. Drop down to the 5K.
- Don't bother running the week of your race. It would be okay if it were merely pointless, but it's downright counter-productive at this point. You'll be sore for days, and one of those days will probably be the day of the race.
- Drink, drink, drink your water. Just because you've been lazy doesn't mean that you have to be stupid, too. Hydration won't make up for months of not running, but dehydration induced calf cramps are incredibly preventable. So drink your water, starting days ahead of time.
- On race day, get up early so that you can drink more water. Then get to the race early enough to make it through the spot-a-pot lines
As for
the race itself...
- Don't get caught up in the race day excitement. Start slow.
- Half of the field is probably just as out of shape as you are. Let them come back to you. Lolly gag it for 2 miles and see what you can do with that last mile.
- What you do with that last mile is your best redemption for having wasted all the months prior to your race. So when you get to it, make it count.
And the
day after the race:
- You're beyond sore. Remember the feeling when you sign up for that next race...and get running.
