Tag Archive for: nuun hydration

These expo highlights showcase the must-visit booths

Hello, Running Enthusiasts! As we eagerly anticipate the 3M Half Marathon, don’t miss the action-packed 3M Half Marathon Expo & Packet Pick Up at the Palmer Event Center on the Friday and Saturday before the race. This is your golden opportunity to meet the official pacers, explore a wide range of exhibitors offering exclusive shopping experiences, and participate in fantastic giveaways and discounts.

Plus, keep an eye out for some special surprises that might just make your day! Join us for this pre-race celebration and gear up for an amazing event.

Image of the Post-it Wall from the 2019 3M Half Marathon expo covered in messages of support and inspiration. The Post-it Wall will be a 2020 expo highlight.

3M Post-it Lounge

Visit the ever-popular 3M Post-it Lounge and add your message to our giant post-it wall. Leave a message of inspiration for a loved one or all participants. Or just sit back and relax before you go another round about the expo. Kids can even join in on the fun with our photo booth.

Photo booths

There will be several fun photo opportunities set up throughout the expo including our GIF photo booth, a larger than life-size version of Blaze, course maps, and more. Visit them all!

A 3M Half Marathon Ambassador takes a photo of two runners and the oversized 2019 3M Half Marathon medal at the 2019 3M Half Marathon expo. Take your photo with a giant 2020 3M Half Marathon medal, one of the many 2020 expo highlights.

Don’t forget to tag us on social @3MHalfMarathon and #DownhilltoDowntown.

Austin Marathon

Visit the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon and chat with their Ambassadors about race day! Thinking about registering for the Austin Marathon, Half Marathon, or KXAN Simple Health 5K? Register at their booth and take advantage of their expo deals. You can even walk away with some cool swag! Rumor has it they are giveaway away free entries as well!

2025 3M Half Marathon Booth

As you exit packet pick-up, make your first stop at our dazzling 2025 3M Half Marathon Booth! Get early registration for next year’s race at our Best Pricing of $79. This is your chance to shimmer and shine, getting a taste of the excitement that awaits in 2025. Don’t miss out on this fantastic deal.

Fleet Feet Austin

Visit our friends at Fleet Feet Austin and snag some gear to get you to the start line and beyond. They will have some Run Austin gear but it is limited so get there as soon as you can. They’ll also have hydration and nutrition from GU for your last-minute needs.

Twenty-Six Two Marathon Club

If this is your first half marathon or you’re chasing your 13.1-mile PR, visit these folks! Meet the runners who will pace you to the finish line! These pacers are veterans and know what they’re doing. Swing by their booth, chat about race day and get your last-minute questions answered.

EIGHT Beer

Runners, get ready to raise a toast to your upcoming triumph! Make sure to swing by the EIGHT Beer booth at the 3M Half Marathon Expo. This is more than just a sampling – it’s a sneak peek into your post-race celebration! Our friends at EIGHT Beer will also be at the finish line for all of our celebrations.

Ascension Seton CapTex Tri

Add a little variety to your running by trying out a triathlon! CapTex Tri is Austin’s only downtown triathlon and features 3 distances including the beginner-friendly Rookie Tri Distance. Or get your friends involved, make it a team effort, and sign for a relay. They have a mystery prize machine full of discounts.

Super Coffee

Before you hit the pavement, stop by the Super Coffee booth at the 3M Half Marathon Expo for a delicious energy boost. Their range of energizing coffees is the perfect pick-me-up, ensuring you’re charged and ready to conquer every mile!

Texas Drain Specialist 

Chat with Julian and his team while you make special cheer signs. As an official sponsor of 3M Half Marathon, Texas Drain Specialist is there for you on and off the course. They even have a team you can join that includes free group workouts!

SHRUNK 3D

Capture your biggest and sweetest moments with an exact 3D replica of you, your family loved ones, and pets! Stop by the Shrunk booth to get a 3D replica.

Kerrville Triathlon

TRI your luck and spin the slots at the Kerrville Triathlon Festival booth. This Texas destination triathlon is known for its two day festival complete with 7 different triathlon distances from the beginner Rookie Tri to the 70.3 half distance.

Visit these other booths

Evamor

Sandcastle Seasonings

Verb

Little Guys Movers

Card.io

Go For It Sports

Strong Atheltic

SPIbelt

Race Essentials

Smith Chiropractic

Lifespring

Cap10K

National Running Center

Pinnacle Eye Wear

HiDow

 

Taking the next step: how to transition from walking to running

If you’re a casual walker looking to intensify your exercise, you should give running a try. It can burn more calories, strengthen your heart, and lower your cholesterol levels. Running can also reduce stress levels and lead to developing a healthier lifestyle. Most importantly, running nourishes your mind and soul by helping you clear your head and find peace within yourself. But how do you even begin to transition from walking to running? Our advice below will get you on the right path, the path to completing your first half marathon! This is a journey that will take time. Just remember, you’re not alone on your journey! We’re here to help you transition from walking to running. Here’s an excellent playlist for your journey!

Running gear

Your transition from walking to running may not be as difficult as you think. Make sure you have a pair of comfortable running shoes. You can extend the life of your running shoes (and save money) by only running in them. Proper fitting running shoes can also help prevent painful shin splints. Here are 7 more tips to avoid shin splints and keep your transition from walking to running on track! Wear workout gear that allows you to move freely, is lightweight, and wicks sweat. Keep a water bottle nearby to stay hydrated and replenish lost fluids. We’re fans of nuun hydration and their tablets. It’s easy to carry and help replace lost electrolytes. 

Begin your journey from walking to running

Let’s assume you walk four or five days every week and want to begin running. That’s a great start! Even if you don’t walk that much, the steps below will help you during your transition from walking to running. Pro tip: you can always take breaks in between if you are out of breath or feel exhausted.

Weeks 1-3

Develop an exercise schedule if you don’t currently have one. The goal is to become more comfortable being on your feet for extended periods of time.

  • First week – walk 30 minutes/day for four days
  • Second week – walk 40 minutes/day for four days
  • Third week – walk 50 minutes/day for four days

Weeks 4-6

Now it’s time to crank it up a bit! But don’t get too excited just yet. You want to slowly incorporate jogging into your schedule.

  • Fourth week – 10-minute warm-up walk, alternate 30-second light jog/4-minute walk for 15 minutes, 5-minute cool down walk
  • Fifth week – 10-minute warm-up walk, alternate 1-minute light jog/4-minute walk for 20 minutes, 5-minute cool down walk
  • Sixth week – 10-minute warm-up walk, alternate 2-minute light jog/3-minute walk for 25 minutes, 5-minute cool down walk

Week 7

When you feel comfortable with this routine, increase your jogging intervals and decrease your walking intervals as you see fit. Set a goal for yourself before you begin. Feel free to pick up the pace during your jog if it feels good. If you feel overwhelmed or exhausted, cut back the time.

  • Seventh week – 5-minute warm-up walk, alternate 3-minute jog/2-minute walk for 25 minutes, 5-minute cool down walk

Week 8

If you continue to feel comfortable, extend the duration of your intervals as you see fit. Alternate your jog and walking like previous routines. Continue to set small goals to reach. Feel free to pick up the pace during your jog if it feels good. If you feel overwhelmed or exhausted, cut back the time.

  • Eighth week – 5-minute warm-up walk, alternate 5-minute jog/1-minute walk for 30 minutes, 5-minute cool down walk

You did it!

By now, jogging for longer periods of time should become more and more comfortable. Congratulations, you’ve made the transition from walking to running! Continue to extend your jogging time. Maybe even quicken your stride and break into slow runs. You’ll eventually eliminate the walking portion of your intervals. When you feel comfortable running for 30-40 minutes, it’s time to sign up for your first half marathon! Do you have advice for someone who wants to graduate from walking to running? Let us know in the 3M Half Marathon Facebook Group or on Twitter.

These 7 valuable tips will help you run your best and get the most out of training

Run your best when you follow these 7 tips! There are some things that are out of our control, like the weather. But when you execute the things you can control, you truly run your best. These tips are as easy as relaxing while you run and as technical as checking your cadence. Keep these tips in mind when you’re training during the summer months. Need a reminder? Click the infographic below to download for yourself. Take your training to the next level when you take care of yourself with this vital advice!

Relax

Downloadable infographic highlighting 7 tips you should follow to run your best.Sounds simple, but we can unknowingly put a strain on our body in an effort to produce mileage or a certain pace. Really focus on relaxing your body. Unclench your fists and loosen your shoulders and jaw. You can even begin your run or workout at a slightly slower than normal pace to really dial in your breathing. Slowly increasing your heart rate at the beginning will help with relaxation.

Check your cadence

The average runner’s cadence should be 160-170 steps per minute. You don’t have to count this in your head! Every runner is different, especially if you’re just starting out or have been running all your life. Under Armour makes knowing your cadence seamless. Their Bluetooth connected shoes, like Under Armour’s HOVR Velociti 2, send the information from your run directly to their MapMyRun app. The app even provides personalized coaching tips! Tracking your cadence, mileage, pace, and other running-related data will help you see improvement.

Focus on your stride

This coincides with the first tip to relax. Your stride improves when you relax. Don’t overstride or run on your tippy-toes. You want your stride to be smooth and comfortable. This better optimizes the energy your body uses and helps avoid injury.

Take time off

Listen to your body, whether you suspect an injury or just don’t feel good. The last thing you want is to have something minor become a major issue. If you have to take more than a day or two off, visit a specialist at the Ascension Seton Sports Performance and get checked out. If you think something is wrong get it diagnosed so you can build a plan to get back to running. 

Get more sleep

Feeling a little sluggish since you’ve increased your mileage? Add one extra minute of sleep per night for every mile you run that week. If you run 30 miles per week, add 30 minutes of sleep. Your body repairs itself when you sleep. Make sure you give your body enough time to recover when you begin asking more of it.

Hydrate

This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s extremely vital. At a minimum, you should drink 60-80 ounces every day. The more active you are, the more you should increase that amount. Make sure you have a good balance of water and an electrolyte-infused fluid, like nuun hydration.

Cross-train

Don’t run every day, mix it up. Cross-training is important to prevent overuse injuries. Try swimming, cycling, yoga, lifting weights, or online workouts. You’ll work different muscles and build strength. When lifting weights, focus on a lighter weight with more reps. Here are 8 reasons to include cross-training with Camp Gladiator!

You will ask more of your body as you increase your mileage. It’s important that you take care of your body. Incorporate these tips so that you can run your best. Do you have a tip that helps you run your best? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.