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Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the New Jersey Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
So…I’ll be running my second marathon in just a few short days – the New Jersey Marathon. I can’t believe that the big day is almost here! This is the first real race that I’ve had all year – all the others were for training or for fun. So while I’m very excited, I’m super nervous to see what will happen on race day. It’s time to share my goals for the New Jersey Marathon – plus a few Runfessions with Marcia!
I’m also linking up with Debbie, Lora, and Rachel for the Running Coaches Corner, Annmarie, Nicole, and Jen for Wild Workout Wednesday, and the new Friday 5 2.0 with Fairytales and Fitness and Running on Happy!
It's almost go time - I'm sharing my goals for the @njmarathon plus a few runfessions leading up to race day! #bibchat #njmarathon Click To Tweet
17 weeks of training later, the New Jersey Marathon is almost here, the true test of all of my hard work. It has been an incredible journey and has taken a lot of hard work and sacrifice, and I am hopeful that it will all pay off by Sunday afternoon! I already shared that my goal for the race was to finish with a smile on my face, and that’s still the #1 goal! Marathons always have surprises though…so let’s see what happens!
Bret and I will be heading to northern New Jersey sometime on Saturday, heading to the race expo, and hopefully, have a nice dinner and plenty of time to relax before the race. I’m a little nervous about the logistics because 1) New Jersey is confusing as heck to drive around and 2) We actually haven’t booked a hotel yet…we should probably get on that ASAP! We have a parking pass that I paid for at the finish line, but I still don’t really understand why I bought it if there is free parking at the start….it’s a point-to-point race and they will have various shuttles. Again, I’m just a bit confused about it all. Hopefully, things will get clarified quickly!
There isn’t too much to say about my racing strategy as it’s very simple, thanks to Coach Laura! I will be running the first 18-20 miles like a typical long run, slow and controlled the first few miles, then settling into a comfortable and sustainable effort. For the final 6.2, I will increase my effort a little bit with each mile and avoid taking walking breaks. Like I said, simple, right?
But I know myself, and I know that I will have to really keep those early miles in control. The marathon and half marathon start together and I know that starting out with such a crowd will tempt me to start out too fast. In addition to that, there is a 4 person marathon relay taking place, so at different points along the course, there will be some very energized runners. I have to keep an eye on my watch and listen to my body to ensure that I don’t get carried away. Not to mention, the New Jersey Marathon course is flat, flat, flat!
Fueling has gone really well during my training, so hopefully, there won’t be any surprises. Honey Stinger Chews every 3ish miles and drinking water with Vitalyte electrolyte powder, both stowed in my Orange Mud Hydraquiver. When I had an 18-mile training run during the Love Run Half Marathon, I didn’t drink enough fluids during the race and ended up having some painful moments. Since then, I’ve been diligent about hydrating every mile, even when I’m not thirsty. I read a couple of race reviews stating that the air near the Atlantic Ocean is salty and that the Boardwalk is breezy, so with that knowledge, plus experiencing an extremely windy marathon in Philly in 2016, I know that I need obey my thirst!
And while it’s extremely early, here’s the weather forecast:
This would be amazing running weather for me, so I have my fingers crossed! The wind might keep things cool, but I always run hot when I run, so I should be okay!
Runfessions are always fun and it’s been awhile since I’ve been able to participate, so I wanted to share a few as I head into this racing weekend:
Thank you all for your support as I’ve truly endured this cycle of marathon training, most of it in the heart of winter. I hope to be able to come back with some great news, but I don’t want to jinx myself. I just need to keep up my positive vibes and remember that I CAN do this!
Are you racing this weekend? Any last-minute tips for the marathon?
