Last Minute Tips
- By Doug Kurtis
Free Press Columnist

With just four weeks to go there are still things you can do to help make your marathon experience a great one.

Travel Tips: One key to a good race is making sure you are adequately rested.   Too often runners give themselves a short lead time for travel.   They cut corners on travel expenses and vacation time.   Why spend six or more months preparing for a big event then skimp at the end?   My rule of thumb is to arrive two days before an event if your drive time is more than four hours or your flight time is more than two hours. Take the worry out of things that can go wrong during your trip by arriving more than one day before the marathon. It will give you a whole day to relax.

Course Tips: Take time to, at a minimum, drive the last six miles of the course. It will help you visualize where the finish banner and take away some of the fear out of finishing. The more familiar you are with the course the more relaxed you will be, especially when your mind and body starts to tire late in race.

Course Tips II: Break the race down in a positive way. Think in stages, such as your first 10km (this year there will be kilometer markers on the course) or your first ten miles. After half way, use the word ONLY. I only have X amount of miles to go. Imagine running one of your other 10km races when you pass the twenty mile mark. Rather than getting wrapped up in split times ever mile, check your watch every five miles and at half way to judge you pace,

Bad Patches:   Your body has great recuperative powers. When you start feeling bad at some point in the race just call it a bad patch and remember that it is only temporary. You will start feeling strong again.

Confidence and Expectations: Confidence comes from doing your homework and gaining experience from running shorter races, long runs and most important, putting in the miles. Set realistic and attainable expectations. Don't worry about what other might think of your time. Your toughest critic is usually yourself. Most people are impressed that you could complete a marathon.

Motivation: There are many ways to motivate yourself. Post your intentions (or at least the entry form) on your refrigerator.   Tell your friends and family about your plans to complete a marathon.   Sign up to raise pledges for a charity and run for someone other than yourself.   Look in the mirror and say out load that you can do what you've set out to accomplish.

Weather: Rather than worry about what the weather will be like, worry about what you will do based on the conditions.   If it is warm, do you have light clothing to wear? If it's humid, plan to start our slow and save some energy so that you are passing people in the last miles instead of them passing you. If it is cold in the morning, wear something you can shed once your body temperature rises.

Contact Doug Kurtis at Detroit Free Press, 600 W. Fort St. Detroit, 48226