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Ready to Run? Race experts offer tips to help runners prep for News and Sentinel Half Marathon

PARKERSBURG -- Running in your first half marathon is like throwing a big party at your house.

You plan ahead, carefully prepare, have a really fabulous time with friends and are glad you did it. Then, next morning, even though you drank nothing stronger than water the night before, you make a couple of unpleasant discoveries.

In the case of the party, you are mildly annoyed by the empty pop can in the petunias and the mysterious stain on the rug.

In the case of the marathon, you awaken with an uncomfortable rash where your thighs rubbed together or your armpits got rubbed lots and lots of times. The nail on your big toe looks like it may leave town without you. One part of your face is streaky red, where you swiped at sweat and made the sunscreen disappear.

The Parkersburg News and Sentinel and The Marietta Times, in their quest to help runners keep those good times rolling, offer a variety of pre-race prep tips. These bits of helpful information come from people who actually run. So it's legit.

1. THIGH AND ARMPIT RASH.

Best hint? Don't wear cotton. It rubs. Tech fabrics slide better. There's also stuff you can buy at a sporting goods store or the sports section of a large discount store. It looks like a deodorant applicator, but it helps protect against repeated skin friction.

2. FOOT BLISTERS.

Obviously, if the shoe fits, wear it, but this is not the time to try out a new pair, no matter the serious-runner vibes they may provide. If they don't fit well, you're going to spoil the effect anyway with a lot of limping.

And even with time-tested, fave shoes, you can still encounter some foot havoc if you wear the wrong socks. A male runner who says he once got a blister "the size of Rhode Island" on the bottom of his foot advised, "Don't wear cotton sweat socks to wick away the sweat." You may not be happy to hear this, but endurance running socks are "expensive but worth it."

3. TOENAIL TRAUMA.

Trim your toenails very short. Otherwise, they're going to jam into the front of your shoes repeatedly. Bruises will form at the base of your nails. If it gets bad enough, the base of a nail can start to raise up and you'll eventually lose the whole thing. If you don't lose any nails, you can still have several of them turn black. One female runner who recently did a practice run that produced toenail trauma advised, "If you're going to get a pedicure before the race, choose a dark color. I'm wearing black."

The Trauma Toes runner also admits she did not choose the right shoes. She wore the style that has reinforced toe shields. That's even worse for toe tips to bang into, she said. Good running shoes have flexible toe areas.

4. UNDERWEAR.

If you are a runner who wears a bra, you won't have the problem of friction from your top making your nipples raw. You non-bra wearers (you know who you are, people) may have a problem. Remember, don't wear cotton. Maybe you could try adhesive bandages in strategic spots. Maybe not, if you're hairy. Just keep in mind the medical admonition, "First, do no harm."

The guy with the foot blister that looked like Rhode Island has some further foundational advice:

Don't wear cotton briefs. Wear long-leg, non-cotton briefs. That's brief enough. Let's move on.

5. OTHER CLOTHING

"You should be cold the first mile and comfortable the last 12 miles," race director Art Smith said. "To compensate for body heat, dress as if it's 10 degrees hotter than it actually is."

Yes, you can take a jacket if it's chilly and you're thinking about shivering through registration. "But do not hand your jacket to an organizer or volunteer," Smith warned. "It's a good way to lose it."

6. SUN PROTECTION

Sunglasses are a good idea. The race starts at 8 a.m., but some will have the sun in their eyes around 10:30 or 11 a.m., according to Smith.

But Mr. Blister Foot reminds us, "Sunglasses? Regular ones will bounce." And he should know, shouldn't he? Discomfort and injury seem to stalk him. But he sensibly recommends lightweight, rubbery running glasses. A female runner said she likes to wear a hat, instead, because she doesn't like something on her face.

Sunscreen is a no-brainer. Just don't assume that what you apply at 8 a.m. is going to protect you at 11 a.m., especially if you keep rubbing sweat off your face. You might want to make some mental notes of when to reapply sunscreen.

7. WATER

The race provides 17 stops offering water and Gatorade.

"You won't impress anybody by failing to hydrate yourself," Smith said. "And you don't have to drink the whole thing. You can take a sip or two. Pour it in your mouth. Drop it on top of your head. Chew the ice.

"There's a misconception that everybody runs all 13 miles," he said. "Actually, many will walk part of the race, particularly if they're trying to get fluids. Take the water. Take the Gatorade. The medical personnel at the end of the race will thank you."

8. FINISH WITH FINESSE

Smith's final advice is, "Save a little bit for the end of the race. The finish line is downhill, so that will help. Save a little bit for the crowd you're going to get on Market Street."

Nancy Taylor can be reached at ntaylor@newsandsentinel.com