About three-quarters of the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon runners come from outside Austin’s area code. Many will have never run or seen the course. Whether you’re an elite half marathoner or a 6:30 marathoner, it helps to know what’s ahead, and to be able to segment and visualize the course. Nothing you can do now will flatten hills and shorten miles like familiarity and visualization.

So, here’s a three-day, detailed look at the marathon and half marathon courses. Today, the first 9.6 miles of the course.

Despite the hills, runners get faster times in Austin than on other, flatter Texas courses. But running well here is all about planning and some self-control - if you’re smart and patient, you won’t give up much time, and you’ll get enough long, faster stretches to recover and catch a little time back. Fail to manage the hills, and you’ll pay the price later.

Running and looking at this course a few years ago, I saw it as a dragon in three parts…

Mile 1-3: Enter the Dragon

The tendency of even some seasoned runners is to go out too fast, caught up in adrenaline, fooled by fresh legs, and lured into the mob mentality of people around them suffering from the same affliction, like an amped-up warrior charging a dragon head-on. It looks cool until the warrior gets summarily bitten in half or burnt to a crisp.

That danger is multiplied when you climb over 180-190 feet up South Congress in the first three miles. Go out too fast, and you’re gonna have a tough day.

Don’t waste energy darting around people. Let the hill take a little pace from you. For quicker runners, maybe that’s ten seconds per mile. For some it might be 30 seconds or more. Don’t let your breathing get out of hand. The seconds you give up now may allow you to run faster splits at the end of the race, whereas burning too much energy now might make you lose minutes at the end of the race.

South Congress really breaks into several inclines, with short flats in between – use those recoveries. Set the precedent for your hill-climbing form for the day –head up, hips under you, arms relaxed but setting the pace for your legs. At about Mary Street, past the first mile, it seems to level off, but you still have a very slight grade past Oltorf, through the second mile, up to Cumberland.

When a race starts with hills, it can be hard to find a groove. It’s easy to get down on yourself and think you’re not running well, and that you’ll never make pace. Don’t. You’ve got to do battle with those dragons of fear and doubt, too. Accept that there will be ups and downs, and be confident in all the work you’ve put in. Be patient.

The first turn isn’t until three miles in, at Ben White. Look ahead at the crowd – don’t get caught too far inside, where you might be forced over the curb, and don’t get pushed to the outside. Pick a line through the corner and stick with it. In any crowded turn, be light on your feet in case they bump someone, and if someone in front of you is pushing you in or out, give them a very light, quick touch on the elbow to let them know you’re there.

Once you get to South First, if you’ve been disciplined, then you’ve bopped the dragon soundly on the head. Great. Don’t get cocky.

Mile 3.25-6.3: Glide.

You turn right on South First, and start to drop elevation back off over three miles. Focus on settling into an smooth, relaxed pace. This is where you should start feeling like you’re running a race, which means getting your head together and settling into a rhythm.

Do not try to make up time. This is another stretch where people can ruin their day by failing to be smart and mature. Run it properly, with some restraint, and you’ll get time back, and bank some energy, as well. On steeper downhills, you might even put the brakes on a bit – but not too much. You need to control your pace, minimizing impact, and keeping your turnover rate from getting so high that you’re actually taxing your lungs and legs. But, you don’t want to really jam on the brakes, either, because that’ll burn out your quadriceps muscles.

You’ll hit level ground at Barton Springs Road, then feel the slight incline over the South First Street bridge. Draw energy from the crowd and the St. James Baptist Church men's chorus as you turn left onto Cesar Chavez, but don’t let them affect your pace. Smile, wave, and store that energy away for later.

Miles 6.3-9.75 - The Part Where You Just Run

The next several miles are a matter of just running, and staying disciplined and patient about your pace. On Cesar Chavez, you’ll get some long slow downgrades, and a few short slight inclines.

Just past eight miles, after you come out from under the Mopac Bridge, there’s a fairly steep hill that goes up to Lake Austin Blvd. Shake out the arms and hands, relax, and roll easily into the hill. Think about your form again: keep your hips under you; roll through your toes; and move your arms.

The almost two-mile stretch down Lake Austin is straight, mostly flat, and occasionally windy – if you start feeling the wind giving you a lot of resistance, tuck in behind a group of runners, and draft. It makes a difference, and it makes you feel that much smarter than everyone else.

Just past Hula Hut, is a very sharp right turn into a hill – you’re hopping onto the dragon’s back…

Half Marathon Race Plan, Part Two

Marathon Race Plan, Part Two