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	Run Smart

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John Wayne said, “Life’s hard; it’s harder if you’re stupid.”

Running is hard enough as it is, you don’t need to do or not do something to make it even harder. Here are some things that can make your run/race harder than it should be.

• Training Plan – Get a training plan designed for you for your pace and goal race by a certified running coach. Then follow this plan. It should be designed to get you to the starting line without injury and with the ability to finish the race in your goal time. Trust your plan and stick with it. Don’t do more than it tells you to do and try not to miss many workouts, especially the long runs. If you do too little or push yourself harder than the plan calls for you risk injuring yourself.
• Pre-run/race nutrition and hydration – Make sure you take in good nutrition the day before. You don’t want to eat much before you run. You can eat something small and easily digested 3 or 4 hours before or maybe an electrolyte drink an hour before. What you want to avoid is putting a lot in your stomach so that your body has to use a lot of blood and energy to digest the food while you are trying to run. This can lead to poor performance and/or nasty digestive distress. Make sure you are properly hydrated before and make a pit stop before the start. You want to avoid have to go during a run.
• Have all the gear you will need – Forgetting something may lead to a less than desirable finish. Use Lists to help.
• Right clothes – You don’t want to wear a singlet if it is going to be very cold out. Wear clothes appropriate for the weather conditions you will encounter through the whole duration of your run and for the level of effort you will be putting out (a slow easy run compared to going all out for a race).
• Right gear – Water bottles, lights, sunglasses, hat …
• Right shoes – You don’t want to run on sharp rocks in thin-soled minimalist shoes or wear steel toed boots on a track.
• Prevent chaffing and blisters – Whatever you do … Body Glide, moleskin, bandaids over nipples … be sure to do it beforehand. Take extra along if it is a long duration run.
• Sunburn – A bad sunburn may not ruin a run or race, but you will pay for it on the following days and years later as skin cancer.
• Hydration – Not too much, not too little. Drink when you are thirsty or will be thirsty before the next aid station.
• Nutrition – Take before you need it because it takes a while to digest and become available to your body.
• Electrolytes – Not maintaining the proper level of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium can cause problems like cramping, digestive distress, and poor performance. They are especially important in hot weather.
• Pacing – Don’t go out too fast, you’ll become a turtle later on. Try to be consistent. Elite marathon runners will click off the miles within a couple of seconds of their average pace.
• Race strategy – For races: Where do you need to be conservative? Where can you go faster? When do you take nutrition and hydration?
• Workout type - For training workouts: stick to the type of workout indicated on your training plan; don’t cheat by going harder/faster than it prescribes. Don't skip your long run each week.
• Proper form – Check yourself occasionally to make sure you are using Good Running Form. Good mechanics make it easier.
• Don’t get lost or hurt – You really do want to make it to the finish line.