Ask the Coaches Info

On Monday night, there was a session called "Ask the Coaches" for Fred's Team.  It was a get together at MKSCC in NY, but for those who couldn't make it, we could call in.  The coaches had a lot of information about what to expect and then everyone was able to ask questions.  Here is some of the info I gathered from the call:

• There are 775 people overall running in the marathon with Fred's Team this year.  Most of them are first time marathoners.
• The bus leaves from the Hilton on the day of the marathon at 6:15AM and is one of the last buses to get over the bridge before it closes.  We have a police escort to Staten Island.
• Race advice - Go out slow, run slow at the beginning, don't let your adrenaline kick in and make you sprint, don't try and weave through the crowd....I can't tell you how many times they said to go slow at the start.  "If all the people around you are running crazy fast and weaving through the crowd, let them go".  So I'm going to do my best to start slow. 
• Start - Fred's team has our own baggage truck.  Bring warm clothes to wear at the start and then pack and also bring throw away clothes to strip off as I run.
• Food - bring food to each at the start.  Bagel and a banana probably.
• Fuel - bring 3-4 GU gels.  They also said to make sure to drink water when taking the gel which I knew.  But they also said not to drink Gatorade with the gel. 
• Don't wear my fuel belt.  There are water stops every mile and I don't need the extra weight.
• Chaffing - there was a lot of talk about preventing chaffing....enough said.
• Bring extra toilet paper for the start.  I guess it can't hurt to have a little extra TP just in case they run out.
• Prep - make sure to hydrate for 3 days before.  Sip Gatorade and or water during the day.
• Finish - a volunteer will pull me out at the finish after I get the heat sheet to go to the Fred's Team Cherry Hill tent at the end.  They said that the volunteers will "take very good care of you".  They said it could take up to an hour to get all the way through the finish before meeting up with my friends and family and that there are post race massages available for the Fred's Team runners at the Hilton.

So all of that is related to logistics.  The other part they talked about what some of the amazing parts of the race.  They talked about coming over the Queensboro bridge around mile 16 into the crowd on 1st avenue and how it just erupts.  At mile 17 is Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center where the patients and staff will come out on race day to cheer us on.  To be involved in fundraising for them and just to think about how hopefully those funds are going towards research to prevent some cancer some day is just amazing.  Fred's Team has raised over 3.3 million doallrs just this year so far.  Coach Ann talked about how beautiful it is to run through Central Park with all of the leaves changing color.  And to hear Coach Jeff trying to describe the feeling when you cross the finish line completing your first marathon seriously just gave me chills.  I can't believe that it is this close...only 18 days to go.  I just really I hope I make it to the finish line. 

I am planning to go to NYC again this Saturday for a last training run there.  For this run, we are going to go over the Queensboro bridge and back and then run the last 10 miles of the course ending in Central Park.  It's a little over 13 miles total.  I am dreading the drive again this weekend, but I just really want to know what to expect that second half of the race.  Instead of actual crowds when I'm running this Saturday, I will just have to picture all the people cheering and pretend to hear the cowbells ringing and imagine how it will be two weeks later....

Lisa