How to Be a Kick-Ass Spectator

We are back from an exciting marathon weekend down in Baltimore. The guys did great – all finished and I’m so proud of them. Joe is working up a guest post marathon recap – I am allotting him a few days to fully “reflect” on the race – stay tuned.

As for me, I had a fantastic time as a race fan! I must say, running so many races has allowed me to become a pretty efficient spectator. Allow me to share some tips.

How to Be a Kick-Ass Spectator

1)      Wake up early to help with prep: Especially if you’re staying in a hotel, race prep can be tricky. We packed some of Joe’s favorite pre-race fuel from NaturaStride, including Rokit Fuel and Picky Bars. We heated up the water for his Rokit Fuel in the coffee maker (with no coffee). However, when we woke up, we realized that we didn’t have a spoon (for Rokit Fuel) or knife (for peanut butter) so I went on a 5:30 AM hotel hunt to find some cutlery. Whatever it takes to ease the pre-race jitters.     

2)      Have a Plan: Marathon courses can be tricky, and if you actually want to SEE your runners, it’s best to plot out spots along the course other than the packed start and finish.  Also, it’s a huge mental boost for the runners if they know they have someone waiting for them throughout the course at certain mile markers. I was able to plot out spots so that I could see all the guys at the Start, Mile 7.5, Mile 13.5, Mile 26, and at our family meeting spot.

3)      Be Prepared with “The Backpack”: If you are dropping the runners off at the start, and planning on meeting them at the finish, be willing to carry around stuff they may need pre and post race. Potential items include extra safety pins, pre/post race extra clothing, hand sanitizer, Vaseline, paper towels, flip flops, band aids, Picky Bars, bananas, water, etc. 

4)      Wear comfortable and recognizable clothing: If you have an aggressive spectating strategy, you may find yourself walking – a LOT. I probably walked 5 miles on Saturday. So wear comfy shoes. Also, whenever I race – I usually see my spectators before they see ME. So try and wear something they’ll be able to recognize – like a bright blue jacket, red hat, and striped scarf.

5)      Pack snacks for yourself: Unless your marathoner is an elite athlete, you may be out there for quite a few hours! Don’t neglect your tummy. I packed an apple and a ProBar for my own enjoyment. I may or may not have also stopped by a candy shop for some penny candy. What.

6)      Have something to do during down-time: So, my last spot mid-course that I saw the guys was mile 13.5, which means I had about 2 hours to kill until the finish. I just started reading The Kite Runner so brought my Nook along for the day. But honestly, I spent most of the down-time cheering on other runners (besides my guys) because it is just so much fun to me.

7)      Be prepared to take amazing race photos! Every runner wants a bas-ass race-day photo of themselves. Have your camera out, on, and ready. Check out these shots I got:

8)      Actually cheer on the runners! So, obviously you’ll cheer on the people you went to watch. But cheer on the other runners, too!! I was kind of shocked that at the mile markers I was at, many of the other spectators weren’t cheering or clapping at all, unless they saw their runner go by. I was clapping and cheering the whole time! THESE PEOPLE ARE RUNNING 26.2 MILES! One of the best parts about racing is the fan support and I know how much it’s appreciated.

9)      Know what to say (and what not to say!): So, when I was cheering at mile marker 7.5, the runners were going down a nice downhill. So I was yelling to them, “NICE JOB! ENJOY THE DOWNHILL!” but then I realized… maybe that’s not the best thing to say because it might insinuate that there is an uphill ahead (haha?) So I switched up my mantra to “NICE JOB! YOU LOOK STRONG!”

10)   Know your finish line meeting spot - and be there! We all agreed to meet at letter “F” at the finish line family meeting zone. There’s nothing worse than finishing a race, finding your meeting zone, but none of your friends or family are there yet because they’re wandering around the festival.

11)   Know where the medical tent is. Just in case.

12)   Be willing to hug sweaty finishers. They’re emotional. They want to hug someone.

13)   Get them some grub after the race! And a round of beers! So we made it back to our hotel around 1:00pm but the guys did not want to walk to find food. I offered to get them some greasy grub from a deli I walked by earlier during my spectating. I think they appreciated it. Joe enjoyed a cheeseburger, fries, and cherry coke in bed.  After they all showered and napped for a few hours, we hit the town for some Mexican food and beers, and reminisced about the race. I love hearing racing stories – which are even better when told over a couple Blue Moons.

That’s all I’ve got! What other spectator advice do you have?

CONGRATS GUYS!!!



Guest Post! Julie Partridge from Bryn Athyn Workout Studio

Hi, NaturaStride readers!  I am honored to guest post today and write about something that is near and dear to my heart… nutrition and fitness!  My name is Julie Partridge and I am the owner of Bryn Athyn Workout Studio located in Huntingdon Valley, PA.  I have been involved in the fitness industry for 8 years and hold certifications in Crossfit, Kettlebells, the National Personal Training Institute, pilates and nutrition.  If you are ever in the area or live close by, I would love to greet you with a smiling face and welcome you to join in on any of our group classes, nutrition seminars or personal training. 

I decided to team up with the lovely Kate Freed and NaturaStride because I support their efforts in spreading scrumptious, nutritious, affordable and effective products that are made from real whole food and are natural or organic!

I have a little secret that can help enhance your performance level in your particular sport, help you lean out and make you feel ten years younger.  Ready?  It is the power of proper fueling.  Many people eat incorrectly when they train and do not realize there is a very intricate science behind food, how your body reacts to food, digests food and uses it for fuel.  I want to help you understand the logic behind your performance and the correct times to ingest fats, protein and carbohydrates to build a better foundation for you to see amazing results.

Let’s start off where it seems only right.  Breakfast.  Upon waking, it is important to “break the fast” and eat something within thirty minutes.  This sets the tone for your whole day.  You always want to start off with a meal that is low in sugar and carbohydrates, but higher in protein and fat.  Your blood sugar levels will not spike and will keep your appetite satisfied the rest of the day.  You will notice that when you eat breakfast that is carbohydrate and sugar based, you become hungry more often and crave sweets all day long.  In order to keep your cravings at bay and body fat low, especially throughout the midsection, aim to eat a protein and healthy fat during every meal. Complex carbohydrates are also important, but make sure they are consumed in the form of a vegetable. For your first meal of the day focus on eggs, ham, avocados, berries (low in sugar), nuts and seeds, vegetables, etc.

I am going to insert your workout regime here.  I know many people have different schedules, but for the sake of this post, let’s just imagine.  A half hour before your workout, you want to fuel yourself with about 150 calories of complex carbohydrates and protein... this should be in the form of carrots and hummus, half an apple and turkey, Greek yogurt, one of NaturaStride’s protein bars, etc.  Your body wants to be able to burn energy efficiently and effectively during your workouts.  Beware of eating too much food or fat.

If your workout is going to last longer than one hour, make sure you have some type of food with you.  You need to keep your energy levels up.  I would suggest one date for 80 minutes of workout time or less (date is taken halfway through your workout), Organic Honey Stinger Chews from NaturaStride for a 100 minute workout or less (taken halfway through), or for really long workouts,120 minutes or more, a Honey Stinger Waffle from NaturaStride.

After your workout, you want to refuel within thirty minutes.  I would like to stress this because your muscle’s recovery time starts as soon as you stop exercising.  Many athletes usually can not digest solids right after they train, so the wisest fuel to turn to would be a protein shake.  I would highly recommend Tera’s Whey Bourbon Vanilla from NaturaStride… oh my, it’s delicious!  This will travel very quickly through the blood stream and bring your body the vital nutrients it is screaming for.  About an hour later, you have the green light to eat your largest carbohydrate-filled meal of the day.  Pair your carbohydrates with a lean protein and your muscles will be leaping with joy (sweet potato with chicken, flaxseed bread with tuna fish, Rokit Fuel Granola and yogurt).  It is important to shy away from eating a lot of fat at this time as your body wants to break down the carbs quickly to get fast energy and needs the protein for muscle recovery.  Giving your body these macronutrients at this particular time is crucial.  Your metabolism is at its highest right now, therefore, you will be able to burn the carbohydrates quickly without turning them into sugar (which would then turn into fat). Your recovery time will improve greatly, muscles will repair perfectly, your strength will soar and you will not fall victim to such large peaks of muscle soreness.

Lean protein, healthy fats and vegetables should be your main meals for the rest of the day.  Picky Bars, Nuun- U Hydration drinks, snacks and berries are the perfect go to snacks.  Hydration is another key element in training.  Aim to drink at least eight ounces of water every twenty minutes for the next two hours after you workout.  Continue to hydrate all day and don’t wait until you are thirsty… then you are already dehydrated!

Cheers to training, proper fueling and NaturaStride!