From Casios to Carbon Plates: How Marathon Day Got Complicated

Running a marathon is a lot more complicated these days. 

I remember, back in the day, it was pretty simple: Carbo load like a fiend for about a week, settle on a racing flat (which was generally pretty easy since you only had one choice), grab your shorts and singlet and wait for the gun. Then hope there was enough water on the course (and glycogen in your stores) to get you to the finish line before you hit the wall. 

It was a pretty straight-forward process but not without its flaws. Hitting the wall was almost a given, usually around 20 miles. Then it was suck it up and get to the finish line. 

I don’t miss those days. And yet these days are a bit more stressful. I’m not sure if you’d call it “First World Problems” or “21st Century Problems” or just “Analysis Paralysis” but there are many more decisions to be made. And a long mental checklist to attend to. 

If you are reading this right when it drops on social media (which back in the day was when the newspaper hit your doorstep), I’m standing on the starting line of the Fargo marathon hoping I have made all the right decisions and not forgotten anything on my list. 

First off, what shoes will I be wearing? I whittled it down from 4 or 5 options about a month out. Find out next week which pair I chose. You can bet they are carbon-plated. 

Shorts? OK, I admit, I have joined the ChickNLegs craze. But not like you’d think. Mine don’t have some whacky (but admittedly in-vogue) design. They are navy. Yep, solid navy. Boring. Singlet? Lightweight. Hat? Gotta have a hat for my balding head. 

Sunglasses? Check! Can I say it’s not a brand I carry at my store (yet)? Garmin? Check. Headphones? Check. 

Wait, what? A Garmin? Shoot, I don’t think I even wore a watch in my first marathon. If so, it was a Casio and probably didn’t save more than 8 splits which is darn inconvenient for a 26 mile race. 

And headphones? Isn’t that sacrilegious? Back in the day that was unheard of. Headphones were boom boxes on your shoulder or a Walkman with a long cord to the headset and a pack full of cassette tapes. Both were good for walking along the beach and making an impression (although not necessarily a good one) but not exactly practical for a marathon. 

And now it’s not just wearing a Garmin and headphones it’s making sure both are fully charged. The horror of getting to the finish with either (or both) dead. How would you record it on Strava? But that’s a topic for another day. 

If you’re wondering, I gave up on my playlist. Exactly what is the best option for a marathon? Play your best hype music early, late or in the middle of the marathon? I couldn’t decide so I’ll just hit the old ‘random play’ button. 

Then we get to the really sticky topics like hydration and nutrition. 40 years ago, the choices were water and Gatorade and maybe de-fizzed Coke. And there was always some knucklehead spectator who wanted to hand you his beer. There was no food (this was even before PowerBar which was initially slightly less tasty than a mouthful of hay just drier. It’s only slightly better these days). Now the choices are myriad. For drinks I personally have become a huge fan of SaltStick Electrolyte Replacement drink, which is unfortunate because it has been discontinued. I’ll save figuring out a substitute for another day. As to whether I go with bottles on my belt and a handheld or a Camelbak vest will be a race-day decision.

Nutrition? This may be my weak link. I will be carrying, on my person, in my tiny little Spibelt, chews, gels and maple syrup. And maybe a ham sandwich. OK, just kidding about that last part. I’m lucky I basically have a stomach of iron so I can eat pretty much anything. Having a variety of choices along the way (a Smorgasburg if you will) should alleviate food boredom and fight off hitting the wall if I fuel correctly. But we may find that my stomach of iron isn’t around 23 miles. The jury is out on that… 

I’m forgetting something, I just know it. Socks? Race-tested! Oh, I know! Body Glide to prevent chafing in sensitive areas. Actually, I prefer Squirrel’s Nut Butter (how it got its name is a great story but also for another day). And that’s all there is too it. Oh wait! Salt tablets! Gotta have them. Extra ones this year because Fargo will be about 20 degrees hotter than normal (high of 88F). Lovely. That was never on anyone’s marathon checklist.

Wait, did I seriously forget to pick up safety pins at the Expo? Or bring any from home? I only have about 10,000 laying around but, ironically, none in the travel bags I brought along. 

Some people will be carrying a cell phone for selfies or emergencies. Not me, I’m going old-school – if I collapse on the course I’ll wait for the meat wagon to pick me up. 

So there you have it, everything you need to consider for race day. But in the end, some of the basics that were tried and true back in the day are just as tried and true today: 

Double knot your shoe laces! Be well-hydrated before the race! And for crying out loud, don’t go out too fast!

#RunFargo #FargoMarathon #NDSU

Written by Mark Stickley