It’s here at last, the Eugene Marathon and Half. Months
after our group training began, the big morning that once seemed so far away is
so near that it appears in the weather forecast. Those
conditions: Early Sunday morning temperature from low 50s to about 60 (afternoon high
of), mostly cloudy and dry.
Weekend plans and tips:
– Pick up packet at the Lane Events Center (aka,
Fairgrounds) on Friday (1:00 to 6:00 P.M.) or Saturday (10:00 to 6:00 P.M.). In
case you haven’t already heard too much from me, drop by my expo table on
Friday (4:00 to 5:00) and Saturday (12:00 to 1:30). I’m also speaking at the
pasta dinner, five o’clock Saturday at the downtown Hilton.
— On Sunday morning I’ll station myself in front of the Law
School, 15th and Agate, from six o’clock on. You can bring any small
special items (other than drinks, since I’d need to lug them a long way; the
race supplies lots of fluids) that you want to grab at nine miles – or just stop
by for final good wishes. Due to security restrictions, I can take none of your
excess clothing or other supplies to the finish area. I’ll put them in my car
for your retrieval next week.
— I’ll stand with Russell Wingard at Agate and 15th
to watch most of you at about your nine-mile mark. I need to leave there by
8:30 to see our first half-marathoners finish, but Russell will stay until
everyone goes past.
– Tonya McKay (and others?) will handle our other support
station near 18 miles of the marathon, at Valley River Center. She won’t be
there just to cheer but also to hand out items (including drinks) that you
supply. Deliver those to the store by 5 P.M. on Saturday. We will not be able to take anything from the
starting area to Valley River on Sunday morning.
– Michael Lebowitz will shoot photos before, during (at nine
miles) and after your race. Save a smile for the finish line. Tears of joy, and
relief, are okay too.
– Nothing will contribute more to your final result than
starting at the right pace for you. What’s “right”? Close to the pace of your
longest training run with the team. This means you need to feel like you’re
holding back in the early miles. If designated pace leaders match your needs,
start with them. Our Jeff McKay is leading the 2:00 half-marathoners.
– You’ll run the last 200 meters on the famous Hayward Field
track. Remember to look up and left to see yourself on the big screen. I’ll be
near the finish line. If you don’t want a hug from me, hide in a crowd or keep
running out the gate after you finish!
– If you enlist pacers who aren’t entered, ask them to stop
short of the Hayward gate. Only runners wearing visible numbers are allowed onto
the track.
– Parking will be quite tight in the campus area. You’ll do
better taking a shuttle from one of the remote spots: at the Valley River Inn,
Autzen Stadium, Eugene Hilton, or Springfield Holiday Inn Express. Shuttles
start running at 5:30 A.M.
— The best places to watch on the course: (1) near 18th
and Agate for the start and the ninth mile; (2) Hilyard and 33rd,
about three and six miles; (3) Valley River Center, about 18 miles and then 22
by walking across the footbridge. Drive to the west of the course to avoid road
closures and delays. Don’t even think about riding on the bike path portions;
it’s too crowded.
— Viewers at Hayward Field can enter only through the Bowerman
Building gate at the north end, and can sit only in the west grandstand for the
finish. You can reunite with them at the artificial-turf field, adjacent to the
finish area, as you exit the track.
– If you have late problems, text or call me at
541-953-7179.
Worry is normal this week. Some of you even use the words
“freaking out.” I’m available for psychological counseling all week. The most
comforting statistic I can give you is this: 99.5 percent of our past runners
who’ve reached the starting line have finished (illness on race day or
pre-existing injury, not a race-caused problem, stopped the other 0.5). If you
get to the start healthy, you’re almost certain to cross the finish line.
WEEK
9 LESSON: YOUR STRATEGY
Question: What is the best way to pace myself during
the half-marathon
Answer: Even if
you’ve done everything right in training, you can cancel all that good with as
little as one wrong move on race day. The first and worst bad move is to bolt
from the starting line far faster than your training pace. Crowd hysteria and
your own raging nervous system conspire to send you into the race as if fired
from a cannon. Try to work against the forces of the crowd and your natural
desires. Pull back the mental reins at a time when the voices inside are
shouting, “Faster!” Be cautious in your early pacing, erring on the side of
too-slow rather than too-fast. Hold something in reserve for the late miles.
This is where you reward yourself for your early caution, by passing instead of
being passed. Being the passer rather than the passee is a lot more fun.
