Rhode Island's Best 10 Mile Road Race
The Blessing of the Fleet 10 Miler
No this isn't a sponsored ad, I just truly love this race!
What's up, runner?
At the end of this month on July 29th @ 6pm the gun will go off for what many Rhody Runners feel is the best and most beautiful 10 mile road race in RI!
Out of state runners think it is the Newport 10 Miler, and don't get me wrong that is also a great race in a beautiful part of this little state, BUT local runners know The Blessing is where it is at!
This night time race on the Narragansett coast line is for everyone with runners of all experiences, abilities and goals PLUS huge crowd support!
Whether you are running the race this year or potentially running it in the future when you come visit Rhody, let's talk course tactics, hydration in the summertime and fueling for a night race.
As I've talked about before, the first thing you should do when it comes to preparing for a race is look at a course map and elevation map.
The Blessing is a perfect race, with work on pacing and mastering the negative split ( where you run the second half of your race faster than the first half) if executed correctly. The first mile of the race is downhill, so it is important to stay controlled and not get carried away in the excitement of the start of the race. Once you turn right onto Ocean Road you will be faced with gentle rolling hills; during this time I would recommend to hold a steady pace or effort. Focus on running your race, not racing those around you. Remember, you're playing the long game. If they look like they are trying too hard in the beginning chances are you'll meet up again later in the race!
At the second right-hand turn, just past Scarborough Beach, you are nearing mile 4 and faced with a sharp uphill before making a quick turn onto route 108 and this is the point that either makes or breaks a runner. Route 108 has a gradual uphill for the next 2 miles until your next turn off and it's completely exposed to the sun. This is why staying controlled during the first half of the race was so important because if you did, you now have the energy to fight the fatigue that is settling in. But if you didn't, it could mean trouble for any time goals you hoped to achieve.
Now if you played it smart and were able to hang tough to mile 6, the shade, gradual downhill and increase of crowd support should give you new life! NOW is the time to start picking up your pace! Incrementally increasing your effort each mile until you reach the next round of rolling hills at mile 7.5, this coincidentally is the same hill you came barreling down at the start of the race! Hold strong and keep your eyes on the person in front of you. Your quads will be screaming but once you reach Mile 9 it is all downhill-ish and the adrenaline will carry you in, right back to the RI coastline. Truly a picturesque finish line!
Fun fact: There is a house at Mile 9 every year that passes out full cans of beer and some runners are crazy enough to chug it there on the spot 😅 I personally could never but the energy from that house is great!
Now let's talk about hydration...
The week leading up to the race monitor your hydration levels by observing the color of your urine, it should be clear to light yellow to indicate proper hydration. Also be sure to start preloading electrolytes in the 72 hours before the race, taking in 3500-5500 mg especially within the 12-24 hours before the race. This will help prevent hyponatremia and excess salt loss on race day which results from high volumes of sweat loss. Very common for a race in the evening hours during the mid of summer.
During the race use a hydration vest or handheld bottles if you have practiced running with them before or be proactive if you don't carry water and take advantage of water stations early on.
Pro Tip: Help more of that water get actually into your mouth by pinching the cup before taking a sip.
Finally, with it being a night race I know many runners get concerned about how to fuel the day of the race.
· Breakfast is usually far enough away so you should be safe to eat your standard meal. Just make sure it is not overly greasy or supersized. Focus on getting in protein, carbohydrates and some fats to keep you full and provide energy as well as satisfaction. This could be yogurt with granola and berries, eggs and toast or protein pancakes/waffles with syrup!
· A Light snack in between breakfast and lunch, if you need it, could be a piece of fruit or trail mix.
· At Lunch time I would prioritize simple digestible carbohydrates with a small amount of protein. This could be in the form of lentil/chickpea pasta with sauce, oatmeal with protein granola and peanut butter, or a simple sandwich with a side. During this second biggest meal of the day, try to avoid high fats and fiber as these will cause GI distress later in the evening as your body continues to digest leading into the race. So no kale or McDonald's quarter pounder with cheese!
· Two hours before the race, have a small snack, 200-300 calories. Toast with Almond butter, Banana with PB or a Clifbar for some examples.
Biggest thing with fueling for a night race is practicing and figuring out what works for you so use the next coming weeks to plan out your perfect day of meals that fills you up, leaves you satisfied and gets you ready to run!
During the race, depending on how fast you're running, you are looking at taking in either 2-3 gels while running. The easiest recommendation is to take a gel every half hour from the start of the race. For myself personally I will take one 30 minutes into the race and 60 minutes into the race finishing shortly after. If a 10 mile race will take you longer than 90 minutes you may need another gel! As always, practice before race day!
The best advice I could ever give any runner is
1. Don't go out too fast
2. Don't try anything new on race day
Hopefully this long form content convinced you to run The Blessing of the Fleet if you aren't already this year or eventually one day. And if you never plan to run it, hopefully this breakdown helped you to prep for another race you may have been wanting to try!
And if you're feeling nervous about racing and can't seem to get out of your own head, this Sunday July 17th @ 11am EST I am hosting a virtual Rid Yourself of Race Anxiety Seminar with Stress Resilience Coach, Jessica Patching Bunch. We will give you actionable strategies to implement during training and on race day that will get you excited and empowered in your races! Learn more and sign up here:
www.thepersonalizedrunningdoc.com/classes/raceanxiety
Keep on Running!
The P.R. Doc
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Dr. Lauren LaPierre - The PR Doc
info@thepersonalizedrunningdoc.com
www.thepersonalizedrunningdoc.com
Instagram/Facebook: @thepersonalizedrunningdoc