GREG WIECZOREK
on getting motivated
“Even before marathon number 19, you still need positive self-talk. I remind myself of the time that I’ve invested and tell myself that I’ve worked too hard not to give myself the best opportunity to run well on race day. “Running a marathon is like writing an exam – you have to stay mentally engaged for three hours, which is tough. During the last 10k or so, when things get rough, I focus on celebrating post-race and how much more fun I’ll have if I’m happy with my effort.”
on travelling
“I always pack all my essential racing gear in my carry-on if I’m f lying to a destination race. I like to arrive two days before so that I have a chance to take in the atmosphere and enjoy the expo. I’ve seen a lot of people sabotage themselves over the years though by playing tourist when they’re in a new city for a race. I’d recommend staying off your feet and out of the sun, saving the sightseeing for after the race.”
on nutrition
“I drink a litre of Pedialyte the day before a marathon, which was a tip I got from a doctor that I know. It allows me to load up on electrolytes and carbohydrates even more than with your average sports drink. During the actual race, I take a gel 15 minutes before the start, at the halfway mark and at 30k and I always chase them with water, which aids in the absorption of the gel better than a sports drink does.”
best story
“I was racing the Chicago Marathon in 2011 and I’d had a very good season of training – I was running around 115 miles a week on top of working fulltime, but it was a 26 C day. I took in lots of f luids, but around 30k I vomited all over the course. The weird thing was, I still felt really strong, so I kept moving. One of the course volunteers started yelling at me: ‘Hey you! Stop right there!’ I knew that they were going to try and pull me off the course, so I just thought to myself ‘I’ll stop if you can catch me’ and kept on running. I finished as the top Canadian with a 2:26.”