Hartford Marathon Course Strategy

Hartford Marathon: Doglegs and Bridges

Course map: http://www.hartfordmarathon.com/Assets/Hartford+Marathon/Maps+-+Mararthon/Map_HM2016_Full.pdf

This is a very popular, well-supported marathon.  Key to success will be how you handle the turns as this race has doglegs AND hairpins, coupled with tunnels and bridges.  There are too many to count, so stick to the middle of the road, do NOT follow the crowd as they cluster to take each turn as tight as they can, they will waste energy darting from side to side.  This will require you to take most turns ‘wide’ and on the outside, and if you’ve run on a track you know those curves act as slingshots- you pick up speed unintentionally as the turn flattens out, trying to keep up with the crowd.  DO NOT DO THAT LET THEM GO. 

Lock your cage and sit into the first 3 downhill miles, DO NOT GET GREEDY OR TRY TO ‘BANK TIME’.   This will bite you later!  Keep that cage locked and sit into the rises from miles 3-11.  Recover on the gentle downhill miles 11-15, then brace yourself and keep that cage locked for the climb from miles 15-17 that culminates in a hairpin turn.  Recover for a mile, then around mile 18 you can start to pick up the effort and pace a touch, the worse is behind you.  Gather steam from miles 18-23, hold on tight for #alltheturns that lead you back into town.  From mile 25 to the finish run like the last 2k of the EAT!

MK Fleming is the founder of Fitness Protection, LLC where she trains runners for $29 per month and gives marathon plans away for free. Click here to download her most popular Marathon plan, Tenacious AF, free!