RUN RSVP: Saturday 7:00 am

Another weekend of shortened miles. Hopefully everyone is feeling okay after the 18/20 last week. I thought I would mix things up this week and start somewhere different. This week the plan calls for 12, but I have a 13 mile route. We will run the First Carolina State Bank Half Marathon course. There are several ways to adjust the distance of the route, which I will explain below.

Run Details:

• Day: Saturday @ 7:00 a.m.
• Where: Sunset Park (Taylor and River Dr)
• Route: 13.1 miles
• Supported: Yes - One Stop, plus two water fountains
• Weather: Forecast

Adjusting the Distance: If you want to shorten the routes, here is how you do it. The distances I list are only estimates, but will be pretty close:

• 6 miles - Stop when you get to Taylor & River (Best option for those training for the Half)
• 9 miles - Instead of turning into Battle Park, turn left and come back across the bridge
• 12 miles - Run to MLK Jr. Park, but don't do the loop

Parking: I recommend parking on Taylor on the side of the road. From Sunset, turn left by Chicos onto Taylor, and drive .25 mile. Please leave the space closest to River for Scott to park his truck.

Fluids: This is a tough route to put fluid stops. We will have a cooler at the start/finish which is also the 6 mile point. Scott Wingfield will have a truck that we will put the cooler in. There is a working water fountain in Battle Park at mile 8 and 12. These three stops should be enough for you. If you think you will need more, bring a water bottle. You are welcome to fill it up from the cooler. We will not have gels this week because of the distance being shorter. If you think you need one, let me know and I can bring some.

Weather and Clothing: This is our first cool weather run. This is key to your training. It is time to figure out what works for you. Everyone has a different strategy for staying warm. As a general rule, if you are warm before you start running, you are over dressed. You don't want to be freezing, but too much clothing can have a negative effect.

If you don't own a cheap pair of gloves, this might be a good time to pick some up. In fact pick up a few pair. Keeping your hands warm is important. Once you start running, and have warmed up, your hands will be fine, and most people can drop the gloves.

Layers are also important. As you warm up, you will likely want to take off some clothing. If you have on just a sports bra and a sweatshirt, you are in trouble. At mile 6, the sweatshirt is likely too warm, and just a sports bra is too cold. Consider wearing multiple shirts instead. Feel free to throw your extra layers in Scott's truck when you hit the first fluid stop if needed.

If all goes as planned we will have a cold start to our marathon, so put some thought into what you wear tomorrow, and see what works.