marathon advice?

First I'm wondering what marathon you're running. I know the Chicago marathon is in October. Oh, and the Nike Women's Marathon is in October. I hope that is the one you are training for. Its my favorite. I'll be running that one for the second time this year.

My advice:

1 NOTHING NEW! At the expo, you will see lots of new products that you will want to try. If you buy anything, wait until after the race to try it out. During the week leading up to the event: No new yoga class, no new foods, nothing new!

2. Operation Clear Pee -- Hydrate the day before. You should constantly have a water bottle in hand. If your pee isn't clear, you aren't doing your job. Stop drinking an hour before you go to bed so that you won't be up all night peeing.

3. The Night Before - Don't worry about tossing and turning the night before the marathon. The MOST important night of sleep is 2 nights before. The second most important night of sleep is 3 nights before. The least important night of sleep is the night of. Three of the races I've done have been on less than 2 hours of sleep.

4. Salt! Salt! Salt! Go to a local fast food restaurant and pick up a few salt packets. At the start of the race, dump one into your hand, lick it, and chase it with water. This will help with cramping. It also safeguards you against several major health risks. Repeat this at the halfway point. Most major races will hand out salt, but I like to carry my own just in case. You never know when you will spot a fellow runner in need.

5. ICE ICE BABY! After your race, fill your tub up with COLD water. Get in. Dump ice in. Freeze. Stay in the tub for 10 - 15 minutes. Its OK to wear a sweater to keep your upper half warm. Have a cup of hot chocolate. By doing this, you will cut your recovery time in half!

6. Time For Rest! After your marathon, go easy on running for a few weeks. Even if you feel completely healed, you are not. The most life long injuries happen during the weeks after a marathon. I finished my fifth marathon a little more than a week ago. I usually run 10 miles a day 4 days a week, but I'm limiting myself to easy 3 mile runs.

Most of all, HAVE FUN!!!! E-mail me if I can answer any other questions. spresley@seesarahrun.com

Make sure you do long runs in training. They are the most important workout you can do to prepare for the marathon.

If you are racing the marathon, remember that it is a race of patience and attrition. Start out slow. It is far better to run your slowest miles in the beginning than at the end. The marathon should feel almost too easy in the beginning. Consider it a 20 mile warmup followed by a 10K race. Make sure you arrive at the starting line (20 miles) ready to race.

The marathon differs from the half and 10 miles in that nutrition plays an significant role in the race. Not only must you conserve glycogen but you must also consume calories. If you are not used to eating and drinking on the run, practice this.

Find out the sports drink being served on the course. Practice with it. If you don't like the drink then make sure you bring enough gel/gu to eat during the race and then just drink water with the gel. You should be able to eat 600 kcal during the race without getting stomach problems. Make sure you've tried this during a long run.

Don't use anything in a marathon that you haven't tried on a long run. Make sure you've worn your race shorts, top, shoes and socks on a long run without problems. Don't make last minute changes on race day.

Good luck with your training and marathon.

The biggest difference between the distances you have run so far and the Marathon is the strain the Marathon puts on your legs. If you want to finish well, the best thing you can do is focus on making sure you do as many long runs (15-20 miles) as you can before "the big day" without getting hurt. Don't worry if your long "runs" are actually "walk-runs", the key is to stay on your feet and keep moving.

That means gradually build up your mileage so that a 12-15 mile run is "no big deal (relatively). Most of all, build up slow and pull back as needed to stay injury-free.

Have fun!!!

The biggest difference between a full and a half marathon is the wall. Yes, its real.

After about 20 miles, your body runs out of glucose and starts to shut down. You will feel very tired, your muscles will start to hurt, and you body will try to convince you to stop.

You can overcome it by training properly, drinking plenty of water and sports drinks during the race, and eating carbo gels during the race. Keep a steady pace and push through it.

f there is an organized marathon training group in your area, join it. Otherwise, find a program on line to follow like the ones on Jeff Galloway's site: http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/marathon.html

Just feel confident and don't think about yourself. grade yourself among fellow runners just making sure that you're not a loser and keep your eyes on the track. Let your spirits soar in joy and power clear your mind and think about bieng a winner remember you're bieng watched and congratulated clear your mind and just keep your legs in motion don't think about the stitch in your side.

For physical activation eat robustly, prevent illnesses and wakeup daily at dawn to smell clean and fresh air and jog.

P.S.Start with a jog and your legs will automatically move then end with a run.Relax at the break and starting line don't stretch your nerves.