Coming up from Florida to run Mississauga Marathon for the first time.
How is the weather up there ?
Any predictions for race day weather ?
Course ? Any hills to be concerned about ???
Course looks fast.
-Richard Fannin Jacksonville, Florida
Hey there,
Great to hear from you. Have you been to Toronto before? Where will you be staying? Toronto has a lot to offer, and Mississauga is only a short drive away.
Weather: Spring has definitely sprung around here. The highs this past weekend were in the mid teens (Celsius) 58F to 63F. As I am writing this (9am) it is 52F outside. Historically, Mother's day weekend is around 60F for the high for the day. You can probably expect to be wearing a t shirt and shorts for the race, but at the start line a throw away shirt or TyVek shell wouldn't be a bad idea.
The Mississauga Marathon is a real hidden gem of a course for a Boston Qualifier. It is a point to point race with shuttles going from the start to the finish for your spectators to take as well as a shuttle back to the start to get to your car. Be sure to get there early for the start (at least 45mins to an hour) because they shut down the highway exits by the mall and you may be forced to hike it to the start line. It is a net downhill course (250 feet). There are quite a few little rollers in the middle section of the race, but they really aren't too much to be concerned about. The "hills" that the website mentions at the 6 mile and 19 mile marks are no more than 200 yards each and are just good times to drink or take a gel, you will have plenty of time in the rest of the race to make them up. So just relax and chat up the runner beside you. The biggest concern of the race is the first 7 to 10 kilometers (4-6 miles), this section is downhill grade almost the whole time. This will quietly burn out your quads while you don't feel any of it. The advice that I have been given is to hold back and find someone to chat with for the first 6 miles and don't even think about the race yet.
The pacing part of the race does not begin until the turn at Indian Road (15km) where the Half marathoners divert left while the Full marathoners turn right. This next section has about 5 or 6 rollers that will test your pacing and leg strength. Be sure to focus on hydration and keeping your heart rate in check. You will also find it easy to pick up the pace here while admiring the huge houses and the golf course.
The mentally draining section begins just after the half way point of the race. This is the out and back section at the bottom of Southdown road that takes you past the Lubricants refinery and various other industrial plants. This stretch is boring, ugly and I am told that this is where the heat of the day will start to hit you. It is also a long section of the marathon, starting at the 14 mile and ending at the 18 mile. If you have a cheering section, some motivational support here would be good. The good part about this section is that it is very easy to set a pace and hold it.
The final 6 miles of the course are some of the nicest. The drawback of this section of the course is that it is quite winding and at times follows a very narrow bike path. Last year, local residents were using the path while the marathon was coming thru, so runners had to contend with inliners, strollers, and dog walkers. The marathon organizers have posted dozens of signs this year in hopes of freeing the pathway for runners. The wind will also be at our back for this portion of the race (if the weather is nice) so enjoy the boost. Be sure to look for the Clowns that are handing out gels at the 20 mile mark, Say hi and High five Running Pal Al!
The finish line was one of the most frustrating areas of the race last year. While the last mile is in a beautiful park, the path is narrow and the finish line is not visible until the last 200m. Be sure to arrange in advance, which side your cheering section will be waiting on or you will probably miss them. Practice your smile and raise your arms as you cross the finish line--You did it!
No comments:
Post a Comment