Feb 28, 2007 Doug Kurtis Column: Boston Marathon Tips By Doug Kurtis :: Views- 516
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Once a month Windsor's Running Factory has a social run. It's an opportunity to run as a group and drink a few Canadian beers afterward. On the run, I spoke with a number of runners who were preparing for the Boston Marathon. They asked for my advice on how to prepare for the oldest marathon in the world.

With just seven weeks before the event let me offer a few suggestions to improve your race for this or other hilly marathons:

Find some hills and run what I call step ladders. Run a quarter of the way up and down, then half way and so on. Treat it the same as doing a speed workout. Three or four sets should work depending on the size of the hill.

Mark Bauman, owner of Bauman's Running Center in Flint has run Boston 37 times. He suggested bring plenty of body glide and sun screen to the start. In past years, sunburn was likely on just the right shoulder, as the course runs east most of the way. With this year's earlier start time, runners should be prepared for a more overall tan.

Another tip from a source, that asked to remain anonymous, recommended bringing a wide mouth Gatorade container into the start corrals for those that can't get to a porta-potty. He said women could learn to do this too.

Run a smart race by using your head not your emotions. The runners and the crowds get your adrenalin going but they can push you to run too fast. Ask yourself if you're running relaxed at each mile point.

Often the elite athletes run their best times by running faster over the second half of the course, what we call a negative split. The second half of the race is the toughest part of the course but by taking it easy in the first half runners find they can better handle the Newton and Heartbreak hills. Running easier over the fastest part of the course will also reduce the burning sensation in your quadriceps as you run downhill over the last several miles.

Want a more comfortable way to get to the start in Hopkinton? Three buses carrying Michigan running club members are available from downtown Boston. They have bathrooms on board and will stay near the starting area until you are ready to depart. Call Bauman's Running Center for details. 810 238-5981.

Note: Because of the way the course is laid out, no other marathon beat me up physically as Boston. But it is a fast course if your run it properly. I won the master's division in 1994 at age 42 with my best time in 11 tries - 2:15:47.

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