Costume Party Run: Preparing For the Biggest Bling of Your Life

The moment you have been waiting for is just days away. Costumes, comedy, craziness, and the BIGGEST BLING around is waiting for you. Are you ready?

 

By now you should have completed your longest “long run."   Continue with your regular running program but there is no point in trying to squeeze in one last long run.  Your body will not benefit much and it will cause more stress on your body the necessary.  You have trained, gotten those miles in, and now it is time to relax! This week should be all about winding down and saving your energy for the big event. With the summer heat, is it crucial that you don't over do it. 

 

Do some mental preparations this week as well.  Start chanting your mantra, get those tunes on your iPod and keep that goal in mind. Be sure to look over the course and all of the race day details so that the day before and morning of can be spent stress free.

Carbohydrate intake should actually begin Wednesday or Thursday.  It is fun to carb load the day before but your body will benefit more if you start increasing your carbs days before the race and not the night before. Aim to increase your carbs by 60-70% and that doesn’t mean with beer which brings me to my next topic.

Keep your body hydrated.  This is one of the most important details especially with the summer heat. Drink plenty of water this week and try to avoid excess amounts of coffee, tea, and alcohol.  If you are planning on bringing a sport drink with you, experiment now so that you don’t have any upset tummy surprises on race day. 

 

Test run any of your new gear or apparel.  You have a costume, a new hat, hydration belt, etc. wear them during one of your easy runs this week.  You don’t want any surprises or wardrobe malfunctions while you are out on the course. If you don't want to go jogging around your neighborhood in your tights and cape (I don't blame you,) give it a test run on a treadmill.

Have a great week and try to contain your excitement for the big weekend!  We can't wait to see you in San Diego and look forward to giving you all the laughs, wackiness, and bling that you can handle.

 

Click here for final instructions.  

The Costume Party Run is 3 Months Away - Find Out How To Train

Maybe you just ran the Hollywood Half Marathon.  Or perhaps you wanted to run the half marathon but decided to run the 5K or 10K event instead.  Maybe some of you thought about running in one of the events but didn't train for it and missed out. 

Whatever description best fits you, the Costume Party Run is just three months away.  And this is just enough time to train for a half marathon.  So get those running shoes on, and start planning your costume.

To follow this training program, you need to have some base mileage.  What does that mean? That means you should already be running or doing run/walk intervals.  This program can also be followed if you just completed the Hollywood Half Marathon and are making the Costume Party Run your next half marathon event.

Mondays:  Monday should be your rest days.  Mondays are hard enough.  Rest is also critical for recovery and injury prevention so no matter how great you feel , be sure to rest up.

Tuesdays and Thursdays:  After a warm-up (light jogging or brisk walking for 10-15 minutes,) run at a moderate pace for 2-5 miles.  A moderate pace is a pace slightly faster than your long distance pace. Depending on where you are at with running will depend on how many miles you run.  For example, if this was your first 5K, start running two to three miles on these days.  If you just completed the half marathon, run three to four miles on these days.These runs should build on mileage so that you are running four to five miles two weeks before the Costume Party Run. 

Wednesdays:  In the beginning, Wednesdays should be rest days. As you get stronger and your runs get longer, use these days to cross train.  You might walk, bike, swim, or hike on these days.  Workout for 30-45 minutes at an easy-to-moderate effort.

Fridays:  Do a cross-training (CT) activity (biking, swimming, elliptical trainer, etc.) at easy-to-moderate effort for 30 to 45 minutes. If you're feeling very sluggish or sore on Friday, take a rest day. It's important that you're feeling strong for your Saturday long run.

Saturdays:  This is the day for your long, slow, distance run.  Start with running three miles.  Each week run one mile farther.  These runs should be at an easy, conversational pace.  Use the talk test.  You should be able to talk in complete sentences as you run.    

Sundays:  This is an active recovery day.  Your exercise choice should be at an easy pace.  You might go out for a quick, easy jog or a walk.  This will help loosen up your muscles after your long Saturday run.

If you follow this schedule, the Costume Party Half Marathon is well within your reach and we would love to have you! So start that training and register now! How can you turn down that Disco Ball medal?

This program is a guideline for runners who are at a beginner level or who have just completed their first half marathon.  As always, you should check with your doctor before starting any training program or if you have any medical conditions.

Last Minute Tips For A Strong Finish

A lot goes into preparing for a running event. It doesn't matter what the distance. You prepped, you trained, you metally prepared. This last thing you want is to let something small ruin all that hard work.

Here are some last minute tips, for beginners and veterans alike, to make sure that your celebrity status is ready for the red carpet (in no particular order.)

1. Stick to your plan. Your adrenaline is going to be pumping the morning of your event. It is going to be tempting to shoot out of your corral faster than normal. For me, a follower of the Galloway method, I always feel good enough to run the first three miles at least. But don't. Watch your pacing and stick to how you trained.

2. Try out your costume. One of the best parts of running the Hollywood Half event is dressing up as your favorite super star. Don't wait until the big day to try on your costume. Whether it is a new boa, a hat or tiara, or simply a new pair of shorts, try them on before the race. Even better, run in your costume at least once. Too tight clothes, chafing or rubbing can absolutely ruin a race. Don't forget to lay out all your clothes the night before. This will save you hunting for your left running shoe on race morning.

3. Take it easy the day before. I know it is tempting to take a last mintue run the day before the race but fight the urge. Take it easy on your legs and your mind by doing something relaxing. Chances are you will be too excited to sleep so your body will need all the rest it can get.

4. Skip the pasta party. Unless you are used to gorging on pasta, the carb loading dinner can cause havoc on your stomach. Have a big lunch the day before and then stick to a well-balanced, light dinner the night before. You will be nervous enough on race day as it is without having to worry about food-related stomach issues.

5. Bring a throwaway shirt and/or gloves. It can be cold that early in the morning. Waiting in the corrals can get chilly and your body needs to reserve the energy for running. Find an old shirt or gloves to wear and toss on the course. Don't have one? Go to a sporting good store and ambush the clearance rack. Or cut some holes out of a grarbage bag and wear that. It doesn't matter what you look like and when you feel warmed up around mile two or three, just toss the apparel to the side. Many events will donate tossed clothes after the race.

Victor Diaz finishes strong in 2012

6. Go easy on hydration right before the race. As soon as you wake up, start hydrating. Stop drinking about an hour before the race time. You want to be hydrated but you do not want to be sitting in your corral having to go to the bathroom. Because I worry about hydration, I overdid it at my last half marathon. I used the bathroom twice before start time and then went on the course at least four times. It totally messed up my time goal.

7. Have fun! You have worked too hard for this day to not have fun. If you are anything like me, you have a time goal hovering over you like an annoying mosquito. If you can, just push it out of the way. You are running the Hollywood Half Marathon. There is entertainment, cameras everywhere, and plenty of celebs like Victor Diaz, Andrea Baraber, and Titus Welliver. You came a long way to miss out on the aspects that make these runs so special.

Good luck to all of  your red carpet participants! Have a great race!

Tick Tock - One Week To Go!

Are You Ready?

The clock is ticking and the Hollywood Half Marathon is only one week away! The time is finally here for you to shine bright and be treated like a celebrity!

By now you should have completed your longest “long run."   Continue with your regular running program but there is no point in trying to squeeze in one last long run.  Your body will not benefit much and it will cause more stress on your body the necessary.  You have trained, gotten those miles in, and now it is time to relax! This week should be all about winding down and
                                                                                       saving your energy for the big event.

If you are getting really itchy to get a good workout in, think about cross-training this week instead.  Go for a swim or ride your bike on the days where your energy is tempting you to have a good sweat.

You can do some mental preparations this week as well.  Many of you already have your mental game routine ready. Some people like to look at the course map to see details, gains in elevation, etc.  If you live close to the course, think about driving it so that it is familiar to you.  Read those race day instructions, print out your registration for bib pick-up and start making a list of things to pack for race day.

Despite all the hype on the carb loading the night before, carbohydrate intake should actually begin Wednesday or Thursday.  Aim to increase your carbs by 60-70% and that doesn’t mean with beer which brings me to my next topic.

Keep your body hydrated.  Drink plenty of water this week and try to avoid excess amounts of coffee, tea, and alcohol.  If you are planning on bringing a sport drink with you, experiment with them now so that you don’t have any upset tummy surprises on race day.  Many runners like to get massages before a race, and if you are one of those people, do it before Wednesday.  They can be dehydrating.

Test run any of your new gear or apparel.  If you have a costume, a new hat, hydration belt, etc. wear them during one of your easy runs this week.  You don’t want any surprises or wardrobe malfunctions while you are out on the course.

Have a great week and try to contain your excitement for the big weekend!  We can’t wait to have you out at the Hollywood Half Marathon!

Two Weeks To Go: Time to Taper

With the Hollywood Half Marathon being just under two weeks away, it is time to start tapering your training runs. Some people have their own schedule that they follow religiously before a half marathon and, if that works for you, now is not the time to change it.

If this is your first half event or if you still haven’t found the perfect tapering schedule, here are some tips to try.

Your last long run (somewhere between 10 and 13 miles) should have already been completed in the past week.  This is to ensure that your body has enough time to fully recover and reap the fitness gains from the long-run trainings.

At this stage, your runs should gradually become easier and less in volume as your prepare to run the red carpet on April 6^th. There is no need to cut back on the frequency at which you’ve been running because your body is used to it but you do want to decrease your mileage.

A general rule of thumb is to decrease your mileage by 25-50% by the week prior to the race. Any easier way to go (without any calculations) is to run 30-40 minutes from here on out, each time you run.

While you are out on your runs these last two weeks, you can focus on running mechanics and form, take your running apparel out for a test run if you are wearing something new (or a costume), and simply take it easy.  If you want to play around with speed at this point, don’t run any further than a 5K distance each time you run.

Be sure to get your rest days in between your runs and don’t be afraid to take an extra day off if you are battling an injury. It’s countdown time so treat your body well and mentally prepare!  You are about to become a star!