Learnings from my half mary

Below are my nuggets of wisdom from my first half marathon experience.  

• Stick to the training plan.  I had a training plan from the Runkeeper app, which asked me to run three times a week - 2 easy runs then a long run in the weekend.  Training prepares your body well for the rigorous half marathon.  Don't be lazy, be disciplined!  Listen to your body, adjust the frequency of runs if you feel discomfort or some pain.   After completing the half marathon, I now know better to follow the training plan as much as possible.
• Carbo load and immune system boost up.  The last few days before the half marathon, I did major carbo loading to store enough muscle glycogen.  Most meals consisted of rice, pasta, whole grain bread, fruits and veggies.  I also took multi-vitamins, CQ10 and fish oil for a week before the race.  In retrospect, I should have taken all those supplements much earlier.
• Fuel aka food.  Oatmeal with honey and raisins was my early Sunday breakfast.  The night before, I took out the seeds of several dates, sprinkled them with salt and stored them in a tiny plastic bag.  A medium sized banana, 1 slice of wholegrain bread with peanut butter and the salted dates were all inserted in my flipbelt.  I consumed all during the 21 km run, taken whenever my energy dropped.  Water and Revive drinks were courtesy of the 7 water stations along the way.  I bought some energy gels but was not able to try them during training.  They said don't try anything new on race day.  Apparently energy gels can upset your stomach and nobody wants that when running.
• Use hands-free belts.  A week before the run, I spied a Flipbelt at one of the travel stores at Gurney Paragon.  It works like a charm and I love it!  I saw different types of belts and backpacks worn by runners along the way but the flipbelt is the best in my honest (and unbiased) opinion.  The major draw for me is its inconspicuousness, I wore it under my singlet and nobody can see it.  It was also just the right size for whatever I needed to store which included my car keys, a RM50 bill and my banana, bread and dates.

Flipbelt image courtesy of flipbelt.com

• Music/podcast + camera.  In my case, a dose of The Morning Rush.  The kikay barkada kept me company.  I had my smartphone in a waterproof arm band, with earphones glued all throughout.  I resisted in taking selfies, the stop will distract me and will slow down my running flow.  I did take several shots of the bridge's main span during which my running app was accidentally paused.  Found out much later on when I realized there wasn't any voice prompts anymore!  I had to reset it, but it was no good anymore. 
• Pre- and post-run stretching.  With the typical early morning start of half and full marathons, our muscles need to be awake and ready for the next hours.  Proper stretching of about 15 minutes and some light walking worked for me.  After the race, deep stretching helps combat muscle fatigue and lessen muscle aches and pains.
• Ice bath.  I soaked my feet and legs in an ice bath the moment I reached home.  From my online sleuthing, ice bath apparently helps in repairing muscle tears and minimizing soreness. It worked!  After a couple hours of sleep, I was at the department store shopping for Sarah's costume for the school program the following week.   Leg muscles were sore but tolerable enough to drive and walk around.
• Motivation.  When the running gets tough, remember why you signed up in the first place.  It may be because running is part of your weight loss program, or you're running for a cause, or maybe even it was a simple dare.  Whatever it is, keep on running.  Visualize yourself crossing the line.  Think of how proud you will be upon reaching the end; how you will look with the finisher medal over your head.  Think of the associated weight loss from all the running and cross-training.
• Invest in proper attire.  A good running pair of shoes will do wonders for your run.  Choose shoes that protects your feet in comfort.  Stylish shoes are not for serious running.  Get some dri-fit shirts, do not use cotton shirts if you don't want to be drenched with sweat.  For women, use a good sports bra.  I wore double socks when I run. Last November's 10km fun run, I ended up with 2 black toes on each foot.  The nails eventually dropped after three months before new ones replaced it.   I used to run using short running shorts but I experience chafing between my upper thighs.  The moment I switched to a capri (also dri-fit), the problem disappeared!  Chafing occurs from repetitive rubbing of skin during the actual running; it may happen on the thighs, arm pits and nipples for men.