Whether you’re a seasoned Market to Market racer — having packed yourself into a van for a full day of team relay running — or a novice entrant coming into this event with no prior M2M experience, you know that it’s an experience like no other.
To that end, your friends at UBT have compiled a list of tips for personally conquering this one-of-a-kind team race. So let’s pass the baton off to them for a list of pre-race and race-day M2M hacks.
Train differently
Not many races require you to jump into a van right after a long run, ride off to the next stop, then run again hours later. Rinse, repeat. Make sure you train enough to be ready for the wild intervals of running that occur with Market to Market. It’s a good idea to train like you’re running the race beforehand to get your body used to it. Yes, that means training by running one, two, maybe three times in one day! (And it’s not a bad idea to train running hills too.)
Overpack the essentials
Yes, you’re going to be in the van with a bunch of other folks, but that doesn’t mean you should leave behind items you’ll need. Since stopping off to shop for essentials isn’t really an option once the race begins, here’s a list of things not to forget. (Hint: Split the list among your teammates and divide and conquer to cover all the essentials.)
- Ice packs (no one’s immune to sore muscles)
- Percussion massager (see above)
- Febreze and other air fresheners (runners tend to emit odors after a while)
- Deodorant (see above)
- Plastic bags for sweaty clothes (seal the stench away for the washer!)
- Plenty of changes of clothes (you’ll want a fresh ‘fit at some point)
- Fresh socks (and shoes too if you have an extra pair)
- Sandals for between runs
- Garbage bags
- Towels
- Glide or Vaseline (to keep yourself safe from chafe)
- First aid kit
- Sunscreen and bug spray
- Sunglasses (stay cool and protect your retinas)
- Phone chargers
- Toilet paper and wipes (‘nuff said)
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Cooler and ice
Make your food make sense
It’s a good idea to plan food as a team, whether that’s sandwiches and fixins or snacks that fuel. Be sure you have plenty for the whole team and that you’re consistently eating enough to get charged for the next run ahead (but not so much it makes you sluggish). What you’ll absolutely need:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Possibly dinner
- Snacks
- Gels, chews
- Water, sports drinks
Secure the keys
There’s nothing worse than a van full of people stuck at a stop because the keys got locked in the van. Here’s a solution: Divide two keys among the two most responsible runners on the team (don’t play coy; you know who they are). Each one should always have a key on their person so there’s a guaranteed way to get in the vehicle and keep moving!
Stretch, stretch, stretch
You’ll likely get done with a leg of the race and have to jump into a van with freshly spent legs. Make sure when you arrive at stops, you’re doing some light stretching to keep your muscles from locking up. You don’t want to start a late-day run with tight leg muscles!
Arrive plenty early
Don’t be that van full of ne’er-do-wells that pulls up right after their wave was supposed to start. Allow plenty of time to get to the start of the race, find parking, acclimate yourselves, do some stretching, get the lay of the land, and prepare for your first runner to take off.
Have a great time!
Nothing is more of a catalyst for runner camaraderie than hanging out in a van together for an entire day! Decorate the van, get team costumes, and jam out to UBT’s Spotify playlist. M2M is your playground — make this a day to remember!