Tips For A Successful Rock ‘N’ Roll San Diego Marathon
- By Matt Fitzgerald
- Published May. 25, 2009
- Updated May. 28, 2009 at 12:10 PM UTC
As in any marathon, you will have a better Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon experience if you know what to expect from it. Here are 7 tips to help you get to the finish line happy and healthy.
Are you running your first Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon this weekend? I’ve run it three times myself, so I have seven tips that can help you maximize your performance in, and your enjoyment of, this terrific event.
1. Wake up early
Most marathons start early. The Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon starts really early-at 6:30 AM. This means you should set your alarm clock for 4:00-4:15 AM. I know you might be tempted to let yourself sleep in a bit later, allowing just enough time to pull your clothes on and get to the starting line, but it’s going to be a short night for you anyway, and one night of suboptimal sleep will not harm your performance.
What will harm your performance is skipping breakfast or eating breakfast too close to the race start. You should eat at least a modest-size, high-carb, easy-to-digest breakfast before running a marathon to top off your body’s fuel stores. And you need to allow at least two hours for such a meal to clear your stomach, lest you suffer from gastrointestinal issues during the marathon.
2. Be prepared for congestion
The roads leading into the starting area become extremely congested with vehicle traffic well before the 6:30 start time. If you plan to travel to the start by car, your best bet is either to have someone drop you off at the corner of 5th and Laurel Streets by no later than 5:00 AM or park at the Airport Authority Parking Lot and from there take one of the free courtesy shuttles that are reserved for race participants to the starting area. Allow at least 30 minutes for traffic congestion leading into the parking lot and the shuttle ride itself.
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