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Getting ready to race the Whistler Half Marathon

Trainers offer tips and encouragement to runners
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Eileen Craig had never run 21 kilometres before, until last week.

"It wasn't really something I thought I could do," said the 47-year-old Whistlerite.

This past Saturday, however, Craig ran the route of the Whistler Half Marathon race, all 21 kilometres. She was with her running group, the same group she's been training with since March. They ran for four minutes and walked for a minute. It took her two hours and 25 minutes.

"It was an amazing feeling of accomplishment," said Craig.

Now she wants to beat that time. On Saturday, June 4 she'll have her chance in the Whistler Half Marathon. It's the first race of its kind in town.

Craig, like 800 others who will race in Whistler, is one of an ever-growing segment of the population that has recently discovered the half marathon event.

"The half marathon distance is the fastest growing distance within the sport of running... across North America," said race director Dave Clark.

"The half marathon, from a training and time commitment perspective, is very achievable for most people."

In particular, women are coming out in droves. About 75 per cent of the registered participants in Whistler are women.

Kari Gaudet is one of the converted.

Whistler will be her fifth half marathon.

Five years ago, the mother of two was looking for something to do to get back into shape after she had her kids.

All she needed was a pair of running shoes. She leaves the house around 5:30 a.m. four mornings a week.

"I like having a goal," she said. "That's the thing that keeps me motivated."

This time her goal is to break her 2:11 time.

Though she has competed in the half marathon event several times, she has no interest in doing a full marathon at this point.

"I don't have that time in my lifestyle," she said.

That's why the half marathon works for her.

Trainer John Blok has been helping runners get faster for the Whistler race.

He believes that almost anybody who can run a 10-kilometre race can run a half marathon.

"It's a big goal but it's not out of everybody's mental range," said the Ironman competitor.

At this point, three weeks from race day, he recommends that runners complete their long run, roughly 20 to 21 kilometres, if they haven't already. And from there, the training should be tapering off.

"Whistlerites are weird," said Blok, "because if you tell them to start tapering, they'll just start doing something else."

He recommends doing some interval training and hills lasting 30 to 40 minutes.

Next week is the time to think about a fairly slow and easy 10 to 15-kilometre run and some short hill climbs and short interval training.

Fellow trainer Christine Suter, who along with Blok has guided roughly 30 runners through the training program, spoke of the mental training.

"Start thinking about the route," she said. "Picture running down Lorimer Road or having strong legs going up Blueberry Hill."

Having motivational words to focus on along the way also helps, she said.

In the days leading up to the race, when runners aren't using up a lot of their energy, it is also time to focus on getting full glycogen stores in the body from carbohydrates and fully hydrating. That can take three to four days said Blok. The body will be fully hydrated if you're going to the bathroom frequently and your urine is clear.

Blok explained that keeping the glycogen stores at full levels is not necessarily about eating a lot of food, but rather not using up the stores in the body. In the last week of training there should not be a lot of physical exercise.

Blok, who has done his fair share of half marathons, said the Whistler course it tough, particularly at the start.

"Don't panic Blueberry Hill," he advised. "Just use it to get into a rhythm."

Do that, and then settle into your race pace.

Craig has been thinking about those hills but she's also thinking about what it's going to feel like to cross that finish line and be able to say she's done a half marathon.

"I think I'll feel super proud," she said. "I'm going to feel really strong and really healthy."

For more information and for the race route go to www.whistlerhalfmarathon.com .

 

Tips from the Trainers

• Show up on race day with enough time to get settled, to go to the bathroom, do an easy warm-up and an easy stretch

• expect to have fun and try to calm nerves

• try not to have any stress from work or home

• don't try anything new - no new shorts, new shoes, new warm up routine, new food - stick with the tried and true

• don't start too fast

• eat the same breakfast you've been training on

• talk to the racers beside you and find out what their time goals are - you don't want to pace yourself to someone who is running faster or slower