First Time Marathon Tips

Have you registered for the 7 Bridges Marathon in Chattanooga on October 16, 2016? If this is your first race, you’ll want to be prepared mentally and physically to have your best possible experience. Check out some of our favorite tips for first-timers:

• Prepare to get your best sleep on Friday night, because there’s a very good chance you’ll have nervous energy or excitement interfering with your sleep on Saturday night.

• No new running shoes on race day! Make sure you have a comfortably broken-in pair of shoes for the race—and double-knot the laces!

• It’s a good idea for men to cover their nipples with Band-Aids to prevent chafing pain and bleeding.

• Make sure you hydrate especially well in the few days before the race, and get electrolytes too.

• If you experience cramps, don’t stick with plain water. Get electrolytes and salt.

• Avoid taking in a lot of fiber the day before the race, to prevent GI issues.

• Eat your breakfast 3-4 hours before the race—some runners add a snack about an hour before as well. Give your body the calories it needs to run without weighing it down.

• If you listen to music during the race, keep the volume down so it doesn’t distract other runners.

• It’s a good idea to arrive an hour before the start time.

• If you’re at the race early, go ahead and line up at a portable toilet—by the the time you get to the front of the line, you’ll probably need it.