Take Out Your Marathon Day Trash (Bag, That Is)

It's a chilly, rainy evening, so it's a good time for my seasonal post about how a trash bag is the world's greatest disposable windbreaker.

Seasoned marathoners probably know this, but if you are a beginning runner or new marathoner, take note. Bring a trash bag with you in your race day bag. If it's raining or cold and windy when it's time to head for the starting line, poke a hole in the bottom of the bag for your head, then put on the bag and punch out two arm holes, and you are ready to go. Once you have warmed up, tear off the bag when you approach a water stop (think Superman running out of the phone booth) and ditch it there.

Be considerate to your fellow runners and be sure to shove the bag in a trash can, or hand it to a water stop volunteer--you don't want it landing on the road where someone could slip and fall on it.

Or it 's possible that you'll wear the bag for the whole race. I ran the Harrisburg marathon (great race, I recommend highly) a few years ago when it was probably in the 40s, very windy and rainy, and I was comfortable (as much as I could have been) wearing the bag over shorts and a short sleeved shirts, with gloves and a mesh cap (which helped keep the water out of my eyes).

If you have great weather for your fall marathon, keep the trash bag handy and pack it in your marathon day bag for your next race.

Happy Running!