Saturday, March 27, 2010.
That’s the date of my local Cooper River Bridge Run, my first 10K race.
6 months ago I was 350 pounds and couldn’t run down my drive way without becoming exhausted, forget about participating in a 10k race. And while I’m not certain I’ll be able to run the entire 6.2 miles, I know I can at least finish.
I have 8 months to prepare. I’ll be ready.
Anybody else going to be participating in the Cooper River Bridge Run? Do you runners have any tips for someone running their first marathon?
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Wear comfortable shoes and stay hydrated!
Take a good pee first. Good luck!
Here’s a few:
1) Map my run: http://www.mapmyrun.com/ – I track all my runs on there including the treadmill runs. But it’s also nice to measure outside runs… GREAT website.
2) Work a schedule: Here’s the 10K schedule I used to great effect: http://www.bloomington.in.us/~triwomen/5K_10Ktraining.htm – it’s designed for women doing a tri … As a physically fit man, I found that made it a whole lot easier on me. (You need to be able to do 3 miles to start this schedule. I spent 2 months getting up there.)
Finally, do your training and race day is a breeze. (I’ve got a bunch of race day prep tips as I’m sure others do … so be sure to ask again closer to time of the race.)
Check out this website, he has some great advice!
http://www.johnbingham.com/
Second that… great site!
Oh and CONGRATS! A 10K is a blast. And that course looks awesome. No matter how many times you’ve ridden over a road, it’s an incredibly different site and experience running it. So, enjoy.
My first race ever was a 10k – races are amazing. It’s so much fun. My advice: peanut butter on a piece of toast and a banana an hour and a half or more is the perfect breakfast to propel you to success. Hydrate before hand, but becareful not to overhydrate. I second Kate’s advice: take a good pee before you start. You might think about skipping the iPod during the race – I’m always overwhelmed by the sound of nothing but shoes hitting the ground – it’s the coolest sound ever.
Hey, that’s fantastic, Tyler! I don’t have any doubts that by then you’ll able to run the whole 6.2. Crossing my fingers that you break 244 tomorrow – good luck, bud!
You’ll be rockin’ it in 8 months! I start my half marathon training soon and will be praying hard for the both of us!!!
How much of a mind trip is it to go from where you were when you started, to now being able to say you’re not only entering, but will finish a marathon?
I can’t even imagine.
Find a running group or club. Charity groups like team in training often have some experienced runners as coaches. Your blog would be a great platform to raise some more money for charity. Best of luck!
I wouldnt mind doing it with you…but its going to be a hard transition from treadmill to pavement for both of us.
You’ll do it! I have faith in you.
I completed the Cooper in 2008 and am looking forward to completing it again with an even better time in 2010. I had a wedding this year, and was bummed I had to miss out. Tips: you can’t begin to imagine how many people will be there, and the adrenaline alone will almost carry you through. DONT underestimate the incline of the bridge. It is one mile straight up, but you can do it. Just practice working on your hills. Maybe in 35,000 people I will see you there! Eat a good pasta meal the night before! I’ll go ahead and say congrats because you are going to finish!
Alisha — we can run together. I’ll have family waiting for me on the other end, we can all grab food together afterward or something.
You’re on your way, but a marathon is, by definition, 26.2 miles. :)
Curious as to how well you’re doing on the treadmill now. How far are you going during your time now ? What are your intervals looking like?
I wish I could offer advice, but this is something I have yet to do. Good luck to you.
Well done on your first registration – and on your well-earned weight loss. The difference in your appearance is amazing.
If you’re not already running on the road, try the Couch to 5k programme to get you going. You can download the podcasts for it at http://www.ullreys.com
My first event (triathlon) after losing a lot of weight was just incredible. I hope you find a similar experience with yours.
I’ve never done a 10K, but one year I did roughly one 5K race every month. Be prepared for your entire body to ache after the race from running on street/pavement, especially after doing mostly treadmill work. Also, get proper cold weather running gear- I did a Thanksgiving turkey trot and my lower legs and feet were burning and tingling from warming up in such a cold environment. Last thing- the treadmill motor assists your body, and running at zero incline is like running downhill, so if you want to mimic outdoor running indoors start walking/running at a .5 incline plus. Good Luck!
I am excited for you for entering a race. you can do it!
That’s great that you signed up for a race! Be forewarned, they are addictive!
I am seriously thinking of running the bridge run next year, so perhaps I will see you there among thousands of others!
My only tip for your first race is to not worry too much about your time, all that matters is that you finish with a smile. And believe me, when you finish, you will be smiling big!
I love this race! I don’t live close enough to run it any longer, unfortunately.
Run some hills Tyler, run some hills. A Bridge Run is uphill half way and downhill the other ;)
The party at the finish line is something else!! One of my favorite races!
Read “The Courage to Start” and “Running for Mortals” both are by John Bingham. These are the books that inspired me to run.
Those are the two books I found really useful, too. And they have training plans in the back.
Good shoes are essential for running. Go to a specialized store to buy your shoes and try to do a 5K run first. I’ve done 5K on June 14th and am now training for 10K which will take place on September 27th.
Good luck to you!
I’m hoping to run the Bridge Run for the first time this year! I’ve lived in the Charleston area my whole life and have never done it. Since I’m planning to move away next summer, I figure this may be my last chance. I don’t know how much you’ve checked out the website for the Bridge Run, but in past years they’ve had suggested training schedules posted. Those could be helpful to both of us!
This is a great site! I am very much enjoying reading it.
As for training tips…You might check out Jeff Galloway (and see if there are any local programs in your area). He is a former Olympic marathon runner and started the run/walk/run method of training. I am about done with the Getting Started Program (to get up to 5 miles) and then I will start the half marathon program to train for a race in November. The past year I have tried and tried to start running more and building up my mileage and I kept getting hurt. The run/walk intervals have allowed me to enjoy running and run more often without injuries. Good luck with your training and weight loss journey.
You will crush this thing by the time it rolls around. I trained for my first 10K mid-July to early Oct. I figured if I could jog five consecutive miles by the time the race rolled around, I’d be prepared. I trained exclusively on a treadmill without stepping foot on pavement and did pretty well. The course I jogged was not flat, but I found myself jogging faster amongst a sea of people than I did on the treadmill (at least for the first few miles). My time was 1:21:24. The week before my race, I jogged 5 miles in 00:59:00. You have a lot of time to prepare. You’re going to do great!
Congratulations on your first race!! How exciting!
One additional thing… you might think about investing in a sports watch (Target has a pretty inexpensive Timex Ironman that does intervals, if you want to go that route.) One thing I found at my first race is that I knew nothing about pacing. Figure out what your race “plan” is (what pace you plan to run) and be careful not to start out too fast. It’s REALLY easy to do with the adrenaline going and running with all those people. Figure out what time you should reach each mile marker and be sure to save something for the end.
Also, generally, start integrating a long run (maybe five or six miles for you) once a week into your routine, and run it at a moderate pace. Save the faster stuff for the shorter runs.
Great job! Good luck with your training!