**Anaëlle, 29 years old, consultant, French, lives in Paris, France** Run - What sports do you practice? - Running and muscle building. I have had a coach for 4 months. I do a one-hour session with him per week, based on running. Sheathing, slits, pumps, mobility exercises, stretching. - How often do you run? - From 3 to 4 times a week. - When was the last time you went out for a run? - Last Tuesday, 7 days ago. Last week was my birthday so I enjoyed it and didn't focus much on running. Races - What was the last race you ran? - I will be back in preparation for the marathon in early January for the Paris marathon in early April 2022. With the current events (Covid), I could not do many races but I did several half marathons, 2x Marseille-Cassis (20km with elevation gain), 2x Paris-Versailles (16 km), and several 10km. - How was it? Tell me about the experience you had. - In June 2019, I prepared the Caen half-marathon for the 75th year of the Normandy landing with an app called Decat'coach. The program is designed automatically according to the time you want to do it. My goal: to do less than 1H50. But I arrived at the race washed out. I realized the training was not adapted to my shape and my structure. The start of the race was narrow, I was at the 2-hour pace, I accelerated, I burned myself from the 7-8th km. When I do a race, I prepare on a piece of paper at which minute to pass which kilometer. From the 10th, I broke down. Even though I hydrated, fueled, it didn’t change anything, it was too late, my legs exploded. I wanted to sprint at the finish line because my family was waiting for me. I did it, but the rescue team came to get me because I couldn’t stand anymore. They put me in a wheelchair with a survival blanket. I was very afraid that it would make me sick of running, and for a month and a half, I didn’t feel like it anymore. But I got over it and I remembered that the application I had used had made me too tired before the race. - For the marathon, I will be better followed by something that better fits my condition and my structure. I don’t have a time target, I just want to finish it. - What would you have done differently? Why? - My sports coach will train me. There will be running, interval training, long runs, and stretching sessions. Hydration - What do you remember about the way you hydrated? - I try to drink 1.5L a day, I always have my bottle with me. What I missed was a camelback. You can quickly waste time. It’s not practical, they give you a cup with water during the race but it’s not practical. For the training, I will train with my camelback and for the long races I will have water with me. - Have you ever found yourself in trouble due to hydration? What happened? - When I do training sessions between 8 and 12 km, I try not to drink directly after my run. But in the summer I try to leave with little Decathlon bottles. The last time, I had forgotten my bottle. I was leaving for 14 km. I did not take it because it was not clean. I did the first 5 kilometers quickly then I lost the energy, I looked at my watch and my time was going down, I had no more juice. When it is very hot I avoid to leave without water. - On the docks in the summer there are small water fountains, it’s convenient even if it’s not very covid-friendly. - I’m going to test the camelback soon and I hope the backpack doesn’t bother me too much. - What would you never do again? Why? - Forgetting my water in the hot weather. - I sometimes drink before I run, but it stays in my stomach, it’s awful. I’ll take a sip or two just before running. Or I try to drink well in the morning if I run at noon. Item of food. - After training, I drink my first sip half an hour after my session. - As to muscle strengthening, I drink during the workout session.