dpMarine Corps Marathon champion shares last-minute race tips
Runners across the area are doing their last minute prep for this year’s Marine Corps Marathon. For many it will be their first time ever running the 26.2 miles. WTOP spoke with a local back-to-back Marine Corps Marathon champion about what to do leading up to the race to make sure you have the best day of running possible.
The name of the game is hydration, according to Tessa Barrett, the reigning women’s division champion and Arlington, Virginia, resident.
“Not just water. Try and have water, Gatorade, electrolytes, liquid IV, whatever electrolyte of your choice. Hydration is number one,” she said.
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At this point no more fitness can really be gained, so resting your legs is key and because you may have to walk around D.C. to get to this year’s expo at the National Building Museum, find other times where you can just sit and relax.
And while you are sitting and relaxing, add a Pop-Tart or 14. Fueling up for the big day requires a lot of carbohydrates to beef up those glycogen stores that your body taps to power that run.
“My traditional rule of thumb. I’m like 5-foot-2, 100 pounds, but I still try to get 400 or 500 grams of carbs a day for the couple days leading up to a marathon, which is a lot of carbohydrates,” she said. “You don’t necessarily feel great taking in that many carbs, but it makes a huge difference on race day.”
If you feel like you must get a run in, keep the effort minimal and the distance short — no more than 20 to 30 minutes.
It’s also critical to get enough sleep leading up to the race, especially the Friday night before, because nerves can often make for a poor night of sleep the Saturday before the race.
The eating and hydration do not stop on race day. It is crucial to get something down before the race begins.
Barrett described herself as the “queen of trial and error” when it comes to breakfast on race day.
“In terms of pre-race fuel and what time to eat and what time not to eat. At a minimum, three hours. Some people do best with two hours. You need to eat something. That’s really the key thing. Whatever you can get down, there get a good breakfast on race day and don’t stop while you’re running,”
Barrett suggests fueling as you run every 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your body size.
“You really want to be taking in fluids and carbohydrates. Don’t feel bad if you can’t get a full gel in. If you can only get a partial gel, partial is better than zero,” she elaborated, referring to energy gels that pack up to 30 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
“You really want to be taking them at 5k and 10k and the halfway,” Barrett said. “You don’t want to be taking them at mile 20 because by the time it gets in your system, it’s probably going to be almost the end of the race.”
That is also true for hydration and electrolytes. The Interstate 395 bridge at around mile 20 is notorious for cramping runners.
As for the course, Barrett described it as fair, not too easy, but not too hard. The most elevation gained and lost is in the first few miles, and Barrett said it is best to conserve your energy there.
“Run the first 20 and then, but race the last 10k,” said Barrett, adding that many race strategies can go out the window once the sneakers hit the pavement. Stay flexible and focus on your goals and what you are trying to achieve.
Post race, the hydrating and eating doesn’t stop with the celebration.
“I’m definitely getting a martini after mine. It is electrolytes,” she said.
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