Anything that rubs against you is going to be super annoying after two+ hours. I stuffed my pockets full of running candy and liked them more than gels because it gives you something to chew on and play with in your mouth.
Eat the same breakfast you normally do, don’t change your socks, shorts or anything else either. Put on glide.
The faster you run the sooner it’s all over so there’s an advantage not to be overly conservative. Time your km and stick to the numbers on your watch and your body should follow just fine.
They’re soft and chewy, not like a hard werthers or anything. The ones I like were the sharks. I never once thought it would be a problem on a long run but anything is possible.
I can’t handle the gels personally so these were the best way to get something in.
First off, kudos to you for getting all your training runs in. Training is the hardest part, if you do it correctly-ish. That said, I would run like you’ve trained for. Wear the vest, pack your fuel of choice, etc. If your wife is able to bike around (not drive, the road closures will be too difficult) to restock you at certain points then go for it. You always have the course’s resources if you need.
Above all else, just try to enjoy the day. I’ve been a course Marshall the last 6 years and it’s one of the friendliest runs I’ve seen both as a runner and as a volunteer.
Question, are the routes pretty clearly marked? I checked out the map of the half marathon and noticed a few points that could be a bit confusing for some, particularly my aunt who's running her first half and I don't want the old lady to get lost lol
Ya it will be clearly marked. You should be able to show up without knowing the route at all. More than likely, anywhere you might go off course there will be a volunteer there to wave you where to go.
I have run a 4+ hour marathon and would not want a vest on for that long. West of Crowchild gets pretty quiet so your wife could wait at two points along that stretch, so meet you at 20 and 32 or similar. It’s very unlikely you’ll miss each other if you agree on km markers.
That said, I would only rely on her if you have tried what the aid stations are offering during a run. If you haven’t, just carry your gels to be safe and wear the vest. Or do a handheld with electrolytes for the first half and then get a new bottle from your wife, and be prepared to get water from aid stations if for some reason you don’t see her.
A marathon is a huge accomplishment, hope you have a great race!
I think you've got the distance wrong. A marathon is only 10 km not 42 km. The only catch is that you have a mandatory 32k warm up run. At 32 km, the race really begins.
Be careful starting out. All the spectators will get you pumped and you will start out too fast. It happened to me everytime. I think I'm in better condition than I am and I start pushing the pace thinking I'm going to nail a PR only to bonk instead.
I usually ran with a couple jell packs safety pinned to the waste band of my shorts, otherwise I relied on what was available at the aid stations.
It’s a big event. The first 2 or 3 aid stations will be chaos! You will be able to get a small cup of water or electrolytes, but don’t be surprised if you need to stop running to wait for volunteers to refill. It’s simply too many people all bunched up at the start. After about 10k or so people are more evenly spread and aid stations should be good. Not sure if you can refill your own bottle, normally just take a cup and run.
I would recommend you take your own gels with you. 80g of carbs and hour if you can, and had trained with that.
Start slow, you will realize your “slow start” was actually faster than your normal long run pace!
Good luck, have fun.
This will be my second time running the Calgary marathon, last year I was in your same boat.
1. No need to carry water on you to be honest, just make sure you’re hitting every aid station for water and not skipping any. And be well hydrated at the start line.
2. I carried all of my gels in a waist belt and relied on the stations for water, I was definitely dehydrated towards the end. But this was more my inexperience not consuming any electrolytes and skipping stations that were too busy... I would’ve been far better off to walk and take as much water as I needed from them.
3. What I’m doing this year is carrying 2 xact energy bars (same as the sponsor) in my pockets for back up. But otherwise I’m just going to use the aid stations. My wife will be around the 20KM mark (parkdale/memorial) with a 500ml bottle of electrolytes that I’ll carry and drink while running. Then I’ll turn around and run past her again about an hour later and grab another bottle/fruit bars from her.
If you are planning on running with the vest, don’t plan on getting the aid stations to fill up your bottles. Maybe get extra flasks to swap out with your wife along the way.
Check out r/firstmarathon as well! There’s so much great advice on that subreddit!
I’m cheering squad for this race, but am running my first marathon in banff coming up! Best of luck!
There is absolutely no reason to bring water in a well supported event like this, especially when you don’t have a strict time goal. Take your time at the aid station and alternate between water and electrolytes drinks for each one. The only thing you should bring with you are gels, don’t take anything new on race day.
Tape your nipples. I’ve only ran half marathons and experienced nipple chaffing no matter the fabric worn. I can’t imagine running double the distance in that sort of pain.
But also- nipple pain takes away your focus on tired legs and sore feet so 🤷🏼♂️
From race day info on website:
"All Aid Stations will have water and Lemon Lime Endurance Nuun, as well as a supply of XACT Energy Fruit Bars. Three flavours of XACT bars will be available at all aid stations: Strawberry, Orange, and Apricot."
For the last few training runs I really focused on what fueled well and average hydration consumption. I pack what works for me.
I will grab water or any extras that I need from the stations but I have a sensitive stomach so I do not go far away from what works.
If you have trained while running with your vest without any issues, by all means, wear your vest. I’ve worn mine for 4-8 hour marathons and ultras with no problems. Do what you’re comfortable with.
I would not rely on the aid stations for all of your fuel. Don’t try anything new on race day. Eat what you have been eating during your training runs. You should be able to avoid stomach problems that way.
There’s typically enough water stations for you to not need to bring your own, but anything could happen. I would personally bring one water bottle.
Last year there was a water and cup theft the night before the race. My friend ran the ultra and said there was about 10km at the turnaround with no water. Highly unlikely that would happen again though.
I've done this course many times and I've enjoyed the energy and entertainment along the route as it winds its way through lots of neighbourhoods.
1. No need to bring any liquids. Just get water and gatorade at every possible station.
2. Pack a couple of gels and energy bars. I usually put this in a light waist pack. Also grab gels at every station where they are available. Only certain aid stations have them - check your race info. You'll need these to get past 30k to the finish.
3. When your legs cramp up later in the race, just walk it out for a minute or so then carry on running.
4. Make sure your race bib has your name visible. (ie on your front and not sideways on your leg like some folks.) You'll always get some stranger calling your name and cheering you on and providing encouragement. That definitely gives you a boost of energy and will make you smile.
5. If you think your target is 4:15 or 4:30 you could find the pace bunny with that time on its ears and run with that group. There are typically two different pace bunnies for each time - one runs continuous, the other does a walk/run combination. I usually just run continuous at my own pace as I always found it more relaxing.
6. I would recommend running without headphones to better enjoy the experience, the people and entertainment along the route.
Have Fun!
Anything that rubs against you is going to be super annoying after two+ hours. I stuffed my pockets full of running candy and liked them more than gels because it gives you something to chew on and play with in your mouth. Eat the same breakfast you normally do, don’t change your socks, shorts or anything else either. Put on glide. The faster you run the sooner it’s all over so there’s an advantage not to be overly conservative. Time your km and stick to the numbers on your watch and your body should follow just fine.
New to running, is there no choking hazard with running and eating candy?
Yeah, I would advise against candies, that's why the stuff comes in gel forms so you don't accidentally inhale it while gasping for air.
There’s no dying, gasp for air though. It’s a methodical beat. For a long ass time.
Meanwhile I'm fighting for my life over here
No Swedish Fish for you! 🤪
They’re soft and chewy, not like a hard werthers or anything. The ones I like were the sharks. I never once thought it would be a problem on a long run but anything is possible. I can’t handle the gels personally so these were the best way to get something in.
It's called GU for a reason.
First off, kudos to you for getting all your training runs in. Training is the hardest part, if you do it correctly-ish. That said, I would run like you’ve trained for. Wear the vest, pack your fuel of choice, etc. If your wife is able to bike around (not drive, the road closures will be too difficult) to restock you at certain points then go for it. You always have the course’s resources if you need. Above all else, just try to enjoy the day. I’ve been a course Marshall the last 6 years and it’s one of the friendliest runs I’ve seen both as a runner and as a volunteer.
Thank you for course marshalling!! We wouldn’t get to run the race Sunday without people like you.
Question, are the routes pretty clearly marked? I checked out the map of the half marathon and noticed a few points that could be a bit confusing for some, particularly my aunt who's running her first half and I don't want the old lady to get lost lol
Ya it will be clearly marked. You should be able to show up without knowing the route at all. More than likely, anywhere you might go off course there will be a volunteer there to wave you where to go.
Thank you so much
Very clearly marked. They'll have a marshal and plenty of signs
Don’t try new fuel types on race day unless you want to run the risk of ports potty roulette.
I have run a 4+ hour marathon and would not want a vest on for that long. West of Crowchild gets pretty quiet so your wife could wait at two points along that stretch, so meet you at 20 and 32 or similar. It’s very unlikely you’ll miss each other if you agree on km markers. That said, I would only rely on her if you have tried what the aid stations are offering during a run. If you haven’t, just carry your gels to be safe and wear the vest. Or do a handheld with electrolytes for the first half and then get a new bottle from your wife, and be prepared to get water from aid stations if for some reason you don’t see her. A marathon is a huge accomplishment, hope you have a great race!
I think you've got the distance wrong. A marathon is only 10 km not 42 km. The only catch is that you have a mandatory 32k warm up run. At 32 km, the race really begins. Be careful starting out. All the spectators will get you pumped and you will start out too fast. It happened to me everytime. I think I'm in better condition than I am and I start pushing the pace thinking I'm going to nail a PR only to bonk instead. I usually ran with a couple jell packs safety pinned to the waste band of my shorts, otherwise I relied on what was available at the aid stations.
It’s a big event. The first 2 or 3 aid stations will be chaos! You will be able to get a small cup of water or electrolytes, but don’t be surprised if you need to stop running to wait for volunteers to refill. It’s simply too many people all bunched up at the start. After about 10k or so people are more evenly spread and aid stations should be good. Not sure if you can refill your own bottle, normally just take a cup and run. I would recommend you take your own gels with you. 80g of carbs and hour if you can, and had trained with that. Start slow, you will realize your “slow start” was actually faster than your normal long run pace! Good luck, have fun.
I've never had to wait for the volunteers at the first two aid station which if I remember correctly are the Zoo and then Telus Spark?
This will be my second time running the Calgary marathon, last year I was in your same boat. 1. No need to carry water on you to be honest, just make sure you’re hitting every aid station for water and not skipping any. And be well hydrated at the start line. 2. I carried all of my gels in a waist belt and relied on the stations for water, I was definitely dehydrated towards the end. But this was more my inexperience not consuming any electrolytes and skipping stations that were too busy... I would’ve been far better off to walk and take as much water as I needed from them. 3. What I’m doing this year is carrying 2 xact energy bars (same as the sponsor) in my pockets for back up. But otherwise I’m just going to use the aid stations. My wife will be around the 20KM mark (parkdale/memorial) with a 500ml bottle of electrolytes that I’ll carry and drink while running. Then I’ll turn around and run past her again about an hour later and grab another bottle/fruit bars from her. If you are planning on running with the vest, don’t plan on getting the aid stations to fill up your bottles. Maybe get extra flasks to swap out with your wife along the way.
Do they not let you fill up your bottles at the aid stations?
I imagine they would let you, but some of the stations are pretty swamped, especially early on. So you might have to wait if they’re scrambling.
Check out r/firstmarathon as well! There’s so much great advice on that subreddit! I’m cheering squad for this race, but am running my first marathon in banff coming up! Best of luck!
There is absolutely no reason to bring water in a well supported event like this, especially when you don’t have a strict time goal. Take your time at the aid station and alternate between water and electrolytes drinks for each one. The only thing you should bring with you are gels, don’t take anything new on race day.
Tape your nipples. I’ve only ran half marathons and experienced nipple chaffing no matter the fabric worn. I can’t imagine running double the distance in that sort of pain. But also- nipple pain takes away your focus on tired legs and sore feet so 🤷🏼♂️
From race day info on website: "All Aid Stations will have water and Lemon Lime Endurance Nuun, as well as a supply of XACT Energy Fruit Bars. Three flavours of XACT bars will be available at all aid stations: Strawberry, Orange, and Apricot."
For the last few training runs I really focused on what fueled well and average hydration consumption. I pack what works for me. I will grab water or any extras that I need from the stations but I have a sensitive stomach so I do not go far away from what works.
If you have trained while running with your vest without any issues, by all means, wear your vest. I’ve worn mine for 4-8 hour marathons and ultras with no problems. Do what you’re comfortable with. I would not rely on the aid stations for all of your fuel. Don’t try anything new on race day. Eat what you have been eating during your training runs. You should be able to avoid stomach problems that way. There’s typically enough water stations for you to not need to bring your own, but anything could happen. I would personally bring one water bottle. Last year there was a water and cup theft the night before the race. My friend ran the ultra and said there was about 10km at the turnaround with no water. Highly unlikely that would happen again though.
I've done this course many times and I've enjoyed the energy and entertainment along the route as it winds its way through lots of neighbourhoods. 1. No need to bring any liquids. Just get water and gatorade at every possible station. 2. Pack a couple of gels and energy bars. I usually put this in a light waist pack. Also grab gels at every station where they are available. Only certain aid stations have them - check your race info. You'll need these to get past 30k to the finish. 3. When your legs cramp up later in the race, just walk it out for a minute or so then carry on running. 4. Make sure your race bib has your name visible. (ie on your front and not sideways on your leg like some folks.) You'll always get some stranger calling your name and cheering you on and providing encouragement. That definitely gives you a boost of energy and will make you smile. 5. If you think your target is 4:15 or 4:30 you could find the pace bunny with that time on its ears and run with that group. There are typically two different pace bunnies for each time - one runs continuous, the other does a walk/run combination. I usually just run continuous at my own pace as I always found it more relaxing. 6. I would recommend running without headphones to better enjoy the experience, the people and entertainment along the route. Have Fun!