How to Run in a Crowd
Now that you have the running training, strength training, gear and mindset sorted for City2Surf, lets talk about one major hurdle that you are going to face on race day, and that is running in a crowd.
Remember that up to (and sometimes over) 80, 000 people participate in this event, so it's going to be a far cry from your training where you maybe only had to dodge a few people as you went for your run on your local track.
Some people thrive when running in crowds as it gives them the chance to dodge and over take people which can quite easily turn into a game, however this is not always the case, so with that in mind here are my top tips for nailing it in 2016.
Watch Your Footing:
Unless you are starting at the front of the first pack, odds are that you will spend the next 14KMs ducking and weaving around people. While this can be lots of fun, make sure you don't ankle tap or trip yourself or your neighbours around you. Also keep an eye out for objects on the track, such as a curb or tree root as falling on the road is not going to be fun!
Be Prepared To Be Pushed Around A Little Bit
While you will no doubt get into 'the zone' pretty quickly, pay attention to your surroundings and don't get annoyed if you get nudged a few times. When thousands of people are running the same track at the same time, it's certainly bound to happen.
Try to stick to the middle of the pack, or run on the left handside..
Because as with driving, it will make it a lot easier for you to over take people if you have room to run (ie. towards the right hand side) as you are over taking
Don't Be Afraid to run through the gaps
That is part of what the fartlek training is for. See a gap in the crowd, accelerate and overtake!
If You're New To This, Maybe Don't Listen To Music
While a good running soundtrack will make the event even more fun, if you are new to running in crowds, you may want to avoid using your headphones so you can pay more attention to what is going on around you. It's always best to have your wits about you when you are new to the game!
and the most obvious one..
Make sure your shoe laces are tied!
The last thing you need is to sabotage yourself, not to mention hurt yourself, when you are running on the concrete!
Happy running everyone! Hope you all enjoy the course.