Alameda Runners – Get After It!

I’m running the Wildcat Half Marathon trail race this Saturday, so my mind continues to wander towards the topic of trail running quite a bit throughout the day.  What’s going to happen on Saturday?  Have I prepared properly? Am I going to suffer more than I expect?

The training is done, so I’ll find out how well prepared I am when it comes down to race time on Saturday.  I’ve learned some tricky little lessons while running in the Coyote Hills and Marin Headlands during training runs leading up to the Oakland Half Marathon — and can’t wait to see how badly my legs explode on Saturday morning.

This recent blog posted on iRun.ca lists the basics of trail racing, why usual pacing speeds can be forgotten about, and how to properly refuel and hydrate during the event.

Certain races are completely unsupported; participants are expected to carry all of their own calories and water or at least arrange their own support crew. At the other end are the bigger ultras, where aid stations look like the Saturday night buffet at a Las Vegas casino… everything from soup to baked potatoes to lasagne.  Most races fall somewhere in between these two extremes, but racers need to be mindful that locating an aid station in a place without access roads or running water can be challenging and amenities may not be available at conventional intervals. Check your race’s website or email the race director for information on the locations of aid on the course.

I plan on carrying my Fuel Belt Sahara (22 oz.) Palm Holder during the race, so I have some water between aid stations.  This is my first trail race, but I’ve learned what it’s like to be thirsty and hungry on long runs — and I’ve also listened to race experiences from Ted and other trail runners.

Regardless of the pain I’ll be in on Saturday, I can’t wait for the experience.

Thanks to @iRunNation for originally posting the link on Twitter.  I highly recommend following @iRunNation and occasionally visiting the iRun.ca Web site, as it has a good amount of useful information.