10 Tips to make your St. George Marathon Epic!
Whether this is your 1st marathon, 1st time running St. George or your 15th, right now you are probably starting to feel that uncomfortable knaw in your stomach from the realization that October is fast approaching. Maybe you are feeling confident, prepared, and ready to crush it. More than likely though, you are probably feeling something between a little apprehension to “what the hell did I sign up for?”...
This is normal. A Marathon is a big undertaking that requires a lot of time, dedication, and both mental and physical strength. So whether you are right on track with your training plan, a “little” behind or still just trying to started, here are some tips to help you prepare for and conquer one of the fastest and most scenic marathons in the country.
PREPARATION TIPS
1. Book a Room Early!
St. George vacancy fills up pretty fast for marathon weekend so if you are traveling do not wait to arrange a place to stay. The hotels tend to book up fast so if you are not having luck:
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There are hundreds of great vacation rentals available on vrbo.com or airbnb.com to choose from that are great if you are bringing the whole family down. Many of them even have access to swimming pools. Not finding anything in St. George City? Hurricane city also has some cheaper options and is about a 20 minute drive away.
2. Don’t neglect hill training
You probably know that St. George is a downhill course and that may even be why you chose it. This is a good thing, gravity can be great running partner if you are prepared for it. If not, your quads are in for some serious punishment. Most of the elevation drop is in the second half of the race when your legs are starting to feel fatigued so make sure you are ready for it.
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Practice running on hills during your training runs, especially your long runs. This will strengthen your quads and prepare them for the pounding the last 10 miles.
For downhill running techniques click here.
3. Beat The Heat
St. George is a desert and not only does it get hot but also very dry. This can make it difficult to stay hydrated and avoid overheating. Once your body temperature starts to rise, your blood is diverted to your skin in an attempt to keep you from overheating. This diverts blood from your muscles that are working hard to keep you running and from your stomach where it is needed to continue to digest the fuel you are intaking. If this happens too much, your body will start slowing you down until it can regulate itself.
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The human body is remarkable at adapting to its environment but it does not happen overnight.
Practice running in the heat during one of your easy runs every week to acclimate yourself. Running in the heat of the day causes more stress on your body and will affect the quality of your training runs so limit it to once per week if possible.
Practice hydrating w/ water and electrolytes. I also like to use the cool towels or soak my hat in cold water to help keep me cooler.
4. Get Up Early, Not Too Early
On race day morning, you will meet at Pioneer park to catch the buses which will take you up to the starting line. They start loading buses at 3:45 am in an attempt to get everyone up there on time. They also incentive runners to catch the early buses by entering them in a drawing for running gear and free race entries. If you are lucky at winning drawings and do not mind sitting around a fire for several hours fighting to keep warm, catch the early bus. Please! This will make it easier for me to get on a later bus.
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The last bus leaves at 5:20 and I think the optimal time to catch a bus is 5 am. Shoot to be at the park by 4:40. This gives you more than enough time to be ready for the gun and a lot less time of freezing your butt off.
5. Dress To Not Stress.
Every year on race morning I see first timers hop on a bus with nothing on but a tank top and short running shorts. That is great to run in but miserable at the starting line where it is very cold and windy. Often between 30 - 50 degrees F. Don’t make this rookie mistake.
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Wear warm clothes over your race outfit. You will be provided a clothing drop bag in your race packet with your bib number on it that you will be able to fill with your warm clothes and leave at the starting line. They will then be transported to the finish line where you will be able to pick them up after the race.
Bonus tip:
Some years it can be really cold or even rainy. If this happens, you can make a garbage bag shirt or wear a sweatshirt that you do not mind losing. (I usually buy one at a thrift store for a few dollars) This will keep you warmer for the first few miles and then you can drop it at one of the first 6 mile markers. They will bring everything dropped at mile markers to the finish line but if you want it back you will be digging through a big pile of sweaty clothes.
RACE TIPS:
1. Don't start too fast!
The last 30 minutes before the gun goes off are filled with nervous energy as you rock out to “Eye of the Tiger” and other inspiring songs over loudspeakers ending with the National Anthem. At this point you will be full of excitement and adrenaline and it is very easy to shoot out of the starting gate like a bat out of hell …. The fact that the first 7 miles of the race are downhill does not help this impulse. Although you may be feeling great speeding down the road you will be committing one of the fatal sins of marathon running. Even though you are feeling good, starting out too fast can ruin the last 10 miles of the race. Avoid the temptation!
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Have a plan. Commit to a pace based on your fitness before the race even starts and stick to it. Know that you will want to go faster but don’t get caught up in the excitement. Enjoy the start, you have worked hard to get there but do it at your own speed.
2. Hold the Veyo
At mile 7 you run down into a small town filled with cheering fans but looming in the distance is a monstrous hill you have probably heard about. You have reached the the infamous Veyo Hill. Don’t worry, no one that I know of has ever died running up the hill and neither will you.
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Slow down!!! If you run Veyo right than you will be getting passed by a lot of people no matter how fast of a runner you are. Just let them go and smile and then smile again when you pass those same people at mile 19 after they hit the wall. (Fun Fact: Smiling can increase running performance by 3%)
So many runners try to push up Veyo and then blow up late in the race because they used up their energy stores. Don’t be one of them. Slow your pace by 1 min/mile or more. If your goal is just to finish then I even suggest walking it. You will not lose much time but you will save A TON of much needed energy.
3. Hang On
Unfortunately once you get to the top of Veyo Hill, it does not end there. Although not nearly as steep, the next few miles are also at a slight incline. Don’t panic!! The miles are not too difficult but can be mentally challenging as your pace tends to slow down.
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RELAX!
Focus on your breathing and stride and do not worry about your pace. You will be nearing the halfway point and the second half is much faster. I almost always run a negative split which means running the second half faster than the first half. It makes for a much more enjoyable finish!
4. All Downhill From Here!
Just before mile 14 you start to cruise down toward snow canyon and then into St. George. This is my favorite part of the race as mile 14 to 17 are all downhill and running by the beautiful Snow Canyon is amazing.
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Take advantage of the crowd that is always gathered around mile 16 and let gravity pull you down the mountain. Do not brake with your heels but instead speed up your cadence and lean slightly forward to run efficiently downhill.
5. Finish Strong!
The last hill is at mile 18. It’s not nearly as big as Veyo but is tough at this point in the race. Hang in there, You Got This!!
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Once you pass under the bridge at the top of the hill, the course starts dropping rapidly toward the city and will continue through about mile 24. Save energy for the last 2 miles of the race when the course starts to level out in the city. This is the time to focus, dig deep and will yourself to the finish chute. Collect your famous red rock finisher medal and enjoy some creamies, coke and fresh Great Harvest bread!
