I have marathon envy! Why? It is perfect weather here for today’s Chicago Marathon. It is not too cold and not too hot. As Goldilocks would say, “it is just right.” People think running marathons is hard, but spectating can be tougher than you’d think. Really? Yes! Ask my friend Eric F. in NYC what happened when he tried to find a newbie marathoner friend in NYC in Central Park for HOURS. He was used to getting prepped by me with what I would be wearing, which side of the street, my number and estimated time.
So here are my top 10 tips for spectators:
- This one is important. Never, ever, never, ever, never tell runners that they are “almost there” unless in fact they are almost there. In my mind that means .5 miles or less. Even better, only yell this if you can actually see the finish line. When someone yells this at Mile 10, or even 15, I want to punch them and hurl myself off of a bridge. Got that one? Good. Jason adds, “when you see a runner in pain who is walking, please do not say ‘looking good.’ Try ‘You can do it’ or ‘Keep it up .’”
- Know your runner’s (or runners’) details: Number, what he/she is wearing and estimated pace. Also try a race tracker app if one is available.
- Tell your runners where you plan to stand including which side of the street. This is very important in Chicago and other big city races, especially in /near crowded pace groups.
- Steal my friend, Carolyn’s, or Don’s friend, Amber’s bright idea: Carry a large helium balloon and tell your runners to “look for Tweety Bird at mile X.” Works like a CHARM!
- Bring a bell or clapper or be ready for very sore hands from clapping.
- Make a fun sign. (I never do this but I love the good sign and try to remember the best ones for my recap.) A good sense of humor makes you awesome to runners.
- Yell loud and smile. I generally do this until I have no voice and my face hurts. The more my face and hands hurt, the more successful I feel.
- Yell names, schools, teams, etc. – let the runner know you are rooting for *them*. So many strangers have lifted me up in marathons. It is the best feeling.
- Consider going to a less popular area where people will really need the support.
- Bring tissues or paper towels, vaseline and water. Just in case.
Did I miss anything?
Speaking of marathons, I had the opportunity to test a great new sports drink, MeStrength, from a local company here in the Chicagoland area. This is a great option for all of you recovering (and still training) marathoners, or tuckered out spectators to check out.
MeStrength is an innovative, all natural* sports drink mix. It is designed to improve hydration and performance by combining 5 electrolytes and creatine to help you get the most out of your workout. It is available in five, all-natural* flavors and can be used either before a workout or afterwards to replenish the electrolytes you’ve lost and to help you recover faster. They rely on safe, natural, and time-tested ingredients. MeStrength has no preservatives, no stabilizers, no stimulants (no caffeine = great for an evening workout) and no high fructose corn syrup. See how they compare to other popular sports drinks HERE.
*The non-supplement portion of MeStrength is all-natural. The “non-supplement portion” because, although creatine is naturally produced by the human-body, creatine-monohydrate is still considered synthetic. All of the other ingredients are all-natural, [they] do not use any artificial sweeteners or artificial food coloring.
The flavors are fruit punch, grape, lemon lime, kiwi strawberry and orange. I was warned that if you are dehydrated the flavor could taste very tart. I did not notice that. The drink is recommended 30 minutes before activity or after activity.
I drank the MeStrength after running/working out several days in a row. I liked the taste and found that I felt re-hydated and not as thirsty as usual. I found that the whole pack in a 16 oz water was too concentrated for me, so I mixed half per 16 oz and enjoyed it. All of the flavors are tasty. I think it comes down to preference. I like lemon lime and fruit punch the best. Fruit punch reminds me of Kool-Aid. Good memories there! To be honest, I normally just drink water, but during marathon training, I have been trying to pay attention to electrolytes and hydration. MeStrength fits the bill and adds creatine to boot. I am not sure I felt much impact of the creatine after trying it for 5 days, but certainly no harm either. All good!
You don’t have to take my word for it. The nice folks at MeStrength are offering a 10 pack of their drink mixes per 300 giveaway entries (more entries = more winners) to my readers! I have one prize to start, but the more entries this giveaway gets, the more prizes they will make available – every 300 entries adds another 10 pack prize! Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Contest ends 10/18. Winner(s) will be selected and notified on 10/19. Winners must be US Residents, Age 18 or over and contest is void where prohibited.
Keep up with MeStrength on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. MeStrength is also offering free shipping for anyone who signs up for their mailing list! You can use your free shipping code along with the 25% off code Erica Finds for an amazing deal on MeStrength! MeStrength is also going for a Chase Mission Main Street grant of $150K. You can vote for them HERE through 10/17.
Don’t miss my other great giveaways. Last day for an awesome RacePak Sampler Pak!
Please note: I was provided samples of MeStrength in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.