Tommorow is my first marathon, the Flying Pig in Cincinnati Ohio. Any last minute advice? The training has been done. I feel pretty good. My 1/2 marathon results and marathon pace runs project me to be really close to get a Boston Qualifier. I don’t want to get to wrapped up in that and not enjoy my race.
No last minute advice, just wanted to wish you well. I live in Cincy, and know that the Flying Pig is well supported. I hope you have a great experience. I noticed the course being marked yesterday, and it made me wish I was running. Maybe next year. I’m going to try and spectate.
– John
Is the weather still good forcast. Last year I was there to watch, it convinced me to sign up.
I’m not an expert, having only run 2 marathons, but I did learn the hard way about 1 thing. Eat what you normally eat where you normally eat it! I once went to a carbo loading party at a hotel that had some funky marinara sauce that I really liked, but it didn’t like me at about 3:00am the morning of the race. To make a long story short, vomiting and diarrhea are a bad warmup for a race. Needless to say, the 2nd 13.1 was filled with leg cramps due to dehydration. 2 IVs at the end of the race isn’t that much fun at the end of the day either.
Eric
No advise here.Just fly smart brother : )
I looked up Cinnci’s weather for race day…can’t ask for better.
Give us a detailed race report when you get a chance.
Fish
PS: Don’t forget to BodyGlide !
I can give an on-ground report that it should be nice tomorrow. It’s drizzling here now, but that is supposed to taper off, and be nice tomorrow morning. You should be good to go.
Hey Erik, see 'ya there! No advice except that if you think your time is going to be close to a Boston qualifier (3:10 for you I’m guessing), you might not make it at the Pig. There are MANY more hills (Mt. Adams, bridges, etc) at the Flying Pig than most marathons, so don’t sweat the time. Use as a good first Marathon - if you want to qualify for Boston, run Columbus in the fall - very flat and fast.
Well, actually one piece of advice: if you think you are going to be close on time, make sure you have your own chip since it might take you a few minutes to cross the start line and without your own chip coming across the start mat, your time will simply be the total elapsed time.
I’m sitting at work waiting for my partner (relay partner, not life partner{not that there is anything wrong with that!}) to drop off the runner’s Chip and packet. It does look like it will be a good day, so concentrate on having a good time and you will run just fine.
I find that it is really hard not to go out too fast at the beginning, for me the first part of a race just doesn’t ‘feel right’. But don’t worry about that, you have put in enough miles, and you will find your rhythm after a bit.
Take it easy today,
Later
Mark
Erik - I’ve run the Pig a couple of times and it’s a lot of fun ! Good crowd support, great volunteers, and the hills are really not that bad. Just stick to your own pace, try not to start out too fast, and you’ll be fine. The other advice is that it really is a journey - there will be some high points, and some not so great points during the course of the race - it’s how you handle the latter that really determines your race. Just trust in your training and you should be fine. Good luck!
I don’t know if you’ll have time to think this through, but my strategy 25x over (although maybe not in some of the early ones) is to break it into two 10 mile races, and then a 10k. So let’s say you shoot for a 70 min 10 miler (that better feel fairly easy once you get warmed up), another 70 min 10 miler (holding pace will be harder, start digging deeper), and then a 50 min 10K (anybody can run a 50min 10K, right?). That’s a 3:10, you’ll have to adjust the numbers according to your goal time.
Don’t change your nutrition plans based on my advice, but for close to a 3hr mary, I think triathletes eat too much. My plan is a gel right b/f the gun goes off w/ water, a gel around the half, and I carry a 3rd for around mile 20 if I need it. I drink water and gatorade (mixed) at every station until I start to get sick of gatorade, then I’ll skip gatorade at about every other station. Remember, times were better in general before gu was even invented!
Good luck, Dig Deep - remember, if Boston is your goal and you get it, you’ll always look back on the Pig as a good time even if it hurts like hell getting it done.
Erik,
I have ran the pig twice and will be part of a relay tomorrow. My advice would be not to spike your HR up the bridges and up eden park… It is a really fun course, hopefully the weather will improve, it is freezing wight now.
No advice, just have a blast. You’ll learn a lot. Good luck!
Bib #621, took a ride up the hills, a litte scary but nothing major.
Thanks.
Erik
Run your butt off Erik!! I will be there to cheer many friends on…have a great run. first marathons are always exciting and memorable. Best to you!
Erik—Good luck. I will be sure to think some positive energy your way tomorrow morning.
This will be my 4th year doing the pig and the advice I have is to keep a good attitude on the return leg on Eastern Avenue. Crowds are thin and the scenery is not very inspiring.
Start as near the front as you can and go at your own pace. Race your race not someone else’s.
Good Luck.