Prepping for the Armadillo Dash Half Marathon

Have you been hitting the treadmill at the Cottages’s onsite fitness center? Or maybe your new year’s resolution for 2019 was to do more athletic events? In either case, one thing to look forward to for those looking to stretch those legs is the annual Armadillo Dash Half Marathon.

The Armadillo Dash Half Marathon will take place on March 1st and thus you have the rest of this month to prep for it. What’s unique about this 13.1-mile racing event is that location is very much a part of its appeal. The half marathon starts at Veterans Park and follows a scenic course through which runners will enjoy many Aggieland sites and traditions before ending back at Veterans Park where there will be food, drinks, music, and other festivities. Just make sure you are properly prepped and ready with the following tip list:

Tips for Prepping for the Armadillo Dash Half Marathon

• Build up your mileage. Those new to running should build up their endurance for this long of a race up to two months before race day. The idea is to do three to five runs a week, most at a relaxed pace (easy enough to carry on a conversation), and slowly build up your mileage. Start at what you’re most comfortable with and then build by 10% every week. If you haven’t begun training at all, don’t worry! You can still do the Armadillo Half Marathon, just plan on walking for a portion of it to not exhaust yourself.
• Incorporating speed work. After your first week of running, you will want to begin incorporating sped work into your runs. Do this slowly and with even intervals to build up your aerobic capacity in a safe and efficient way. For example, 20 minutes of slow jogging followed by one minute of running at a challenging yet sustainable pace.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. It doesn’t have to be hot for hydration to be important. The Armadillo Dash Half Marathon will have plenty of hydration stations set up for you to stay well-hydrated during the race, but for best effects, you should start increasing how much water you intake days before. It’s especially important to drink a large glass of water the night before the race and the first thing the morning of.

Have Fun & Don’t Forget the Cottages Fitness Center

For those who hate training in the rain and cold, don’t forget about the onsite fitness center we have at the Junction Cottages & Townhomes. So go on, queue up your favorite playlist, stretch, and enjoy the jog!