When a runner is in taper mode and the training schedule is in its final last few runs it’s hard not to start to think about the weather on race day. Over the last 3 weeks of marathon training I’ll catch myself thinking “today would have been a great day for the race” or “wow, I’m glad the race wasn’t today ’cause the wind was brutal”.
Runners can control a lot on race day…..pre-race breakfast, clothing, shoes, gels, water or gatorade, and what pace to start out at. With the weather, however, the best you can do is be prepared for what mother nature is going throw out on that day. Good running weather and perhaps you can push for a PB. Lousy weather and you might need to adjust your time goal, especially if it’s very hot.
No one likes to run a race in bad weather but when you finish just think about the bragging rights……”yeah, I ran during the big storm of ’09…..was pretty near a hurricane if you ask me….but I finished it!”