Susan Donnelly Ultramarathon Trail Runner. Motivational Speaker. http://www.susanruns100s.com
Top 5 Race Mistakes To Avoid Date : May 26, 2009
Heaven knows I’ve made plenty of mistakes in races and unless I become perfect overnight (not likely) I’ll continue to make more in the future. By now, though, I’ve about stopped repeating the worst mistakes and can help you do the same. I hate seeing others learn big lessons the hard way, so here’s my take (with Rob’s input) on the top five mistakes to avoid in your next race: 1. Starting out too fast. This is easily the number one reason for a DNF or poor performance. It can affect anyone, no matter how fit or fast. I’ve done this more than my fair share and see it repeated all the time. Once the damage is done, it’s almost impossible to un-do. The infamous death march to the finish has led to the retirement of many ultrarunners, especially new ones who aren’t eager to try the same miserable experience again. Instead, start out pacing to finish and when you feel the finish is in the bag, then take it up a notch. Neither Rob nor I have ever led an ultramarathon we’ve won until halfway or 3/4 of the way through the race. 2. No backup plan for equipment failure. I almost DNFed because my light failed and couldn’t see to finish (used a nearby glow stick instead). Rob has DNFed because his light failed and he somehow got turned around backwards on the course. I came close to another DNF at Umstead because I chose the wrong shoes, and thankfully had another pair in the car. We all strive to go light, but there’s a fine line between packing light and taking unnecessary risks. Whether it be carrying two lights or wearing shoes that aren’t worn out, you owe yourself an equipment check before starting and a backup plan in case of likely failures. Carrying a light jacket in case of rain might be annoying but can be a race-saver if it rains. Carrying an extra light in this day of small, bright lights is easy. Checking batteries before the start is a must. Write down when you change your batteries and shoes so you know how much life they have left. After all that training, equipment can still make or break you. 3. Navigation errors. Face it. Sooner or later, you’ll get lost. Some people have more trouble with this than others but it happens to all of us eventually. It can be anywhere from a rewarding side trip on new trail to hours of searching for the course while the RD sends out the search and rescue team. Whether the cause is your error or the RD’s error doesn’t matter – you’re still going to have to take corrective action. So err on the side of caution. If you haven’t seen a marking in a while, slow down and wait to hear if someone catches you. Go backward on the trail to the last sure marker and re-check your route. The best protection is knowing the course and while this isn’t always possible, try to at least have an idea of which direction you’re supposed to go. Also, know your RD’s idea of course markings. Some mark off even the trails not to take, others hardly mark at all. If you’re at all unsure about the course and there’s a map, take a copy. Know the trail blaze colors in case flagging is sparse. Last but not least,
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