Tips for Marathon Racing

Even if you are an experienced marathon racer, standing at the start line with several thousand other competitors is an experience like no other. Mass start or wave starts make marathon racing so thrilling but also challenging since it’s an environment most of us are not used to. How often do you ski surrounded by that many people? Even at a slow pace it can be tricky not to mention trying to ski our fastest, go for a win, or set a PR. If you are racing a marathon this month here are some good reminders about pack racing and general marathon tactics. 

If you are able to do so I recommended practicing some workouts skiing in a group of at least 2-3 skiers to prepare. Even better, do some intervals in a pack setting so you can practice following other skiers at a race pace. Yes, drafting is a real thing and being able to follow other skiers can be a great way to conserve energy BUT ONLY if you are comfortable doing do so. Skiing directly behind or drafting in a pack requires a few fundamentals that can be practiced. 

-       Be aware of what’s going on around you. Things move quickly during mass start races, knowing approximately how many skiers are in front, behind, and next to you is important.

-       Trust the people in front of you. Think of the person in their car always slamming on their brakes in traffic. We don’t want to be the skiing equivelant checking speed into each downhill or corner. Sometimes we need to just trust the people in front of us and let the skis glide. 

-       Control your equipment. Ski tips, pole baskets. Nobody wants to be the one stepping or getting stepped on. It slows everyone down if we are slapping each other’s skis and stepping on each other’s poles. In my opinion the best way to avoid this can be illustrated in the images below. 

Don't find yourself here: Knowing when to stay in line and when to pass will decrease chances of trips and broken equipment. 

Learning to stagger your ski tips between the poles of the skier in front of you will help you get a good draft without stepping on equipment. 

Anticipate the accordion: re-positioning yourself going into short steep climbs can help you make easy passes on course and save energy. 

Marathon racing tactics revolve around having a good game plan but also being able to adapt to what is going on around you. Long distance races are unique because over the course of 50+ kilometers hiccups are bound to happen but sticking to a pacing and feeding plan are the foundation to smart tactical skiing. Here is some advice from a few experienced marathon racers.   

"I always make sure to dial in my feeds by either carrying them or giving them to a friend for marathon mass starts. I think it is extremely important to feed early and often in 50K events and missing a feed can make a big difference on your available energy when attacks are made." -Brian Gregg

Feeding can also be different while racing in a pack.

-       If you are carrying your own feeds try to drink on a downhill when it will not disrupt the speed of the people behind you. If the group feeds, stay in line and take your drink. If you are the only one feeding, so do at speed on a tucking downhill or step aside to drink so you don’t obstruct the skiers behind you. 

-       If you are grabbing feeds from an organizer or support staff be mindful of where you drop your bottles. Nobody wants a half-finished bottle of Gatorade on their boots or on the bottom of their skis. 

Starting a race with hundreds or thousands of other participants is what makes mass start marathons so fun, but it can also force us to adjust our tactics and race plan on the fly. 

"I try to get out to a good start but remind myself that 50K is a long way to go and there is plenty of time to move up. I ski as relaxed as possible for as much of the race as possible by following other racers and taking the lead from time to time when I am feeling good but can still stay relaxed. I want to make sure that I am not pushing too hard too early but if I find myself in the lead, I might throw in a few attacks to make sure my sprinting muscles are feeling good and then settle back into a relaxed and consistent pace." -Caitlin Gregg

The biggest words of wisdom for a mass start marathon is start conservative and relax. The big day is here, enjoy it. You can't win in the first 2-5k but you can definitely ruin your race. Also drink, drink, drink. Make sure you drink early and often. Saving your energy and fueling well the first half, will pay huge dividends for the second half. Also you should always have calories in your feed bottle.” -Tad Elliott