How to Prepare for Your First Race, Be It 5K or a Marathon

Posted on by

Running is hard. It’s hard to stick to your workout plan. But knowing that you will have a race in a month is a great motivator to help you keep going when you prefer to watch TV. If you’ve never raced before, adding them to your calendar can seem intimidating: Will I feel out of place? What should I wear?

Racing is more fun and welcoming than beginners often think. Even if you are not a racing fan, the energy and atmosphere of a racing day can be a great experience. So let’s warm up those cold feet and demystify what’s really going on in the race and what you can do to get ready.

Good in advance

A few weeks or months before the start, you already make the first important decision: to sign up for a race and which one.

5 km (about three miles) is a popular distance in the first race, but you can actually start anywhere. My first race was 10 km (six miles), and since then I have gone up and down the distance scale, racing up to the marathon (26 miles) and 2 km (just over a mile). Your body does not track your entries or finisher medals; he just knows what he was taught. If you’ve trained for a distance, you’re ready to run it, no matter how great or small your racing performance is.

You can even choose to race the same day when you train yourself to run. Training programs like Couch to 5K aim to get you ready to run 5K in about two months. For the best experience, give yourself extra time beyond the weeks indicated in the program. Life gets in the way and you don’t want to feel unprepared if you are falling behind. However, do not forget that even if you had to cover all this distance , you could cover the distance in an hour – and there are many people walking 5 km, so you won’t even be the last one. one across the finish line.

For longer distances, you probably have the experience to know what you are doing in terms of training. If not, you should find yourself a coach, running group, or some other source of good information. Our guide to choosing and using a training program can help.

You can google local races or ask your friends for advice, but I really like Runner’s World’s Race Finder . This is a fairly detailed calendar of races across the country that gives you all the information you need for each. Here’s what you need to find out:

  • Date: Choose one that suits your workout schedule.
  • Location: so you can find something nearby or where you want to go.
  • Price: Local 5Ks are often in the $ 25 range and include a free t-shirt; larger races can cost more, and popular marathons can cost hundreds. (Note that extremely popular races may have a lottery system or other restrictions on who can register.)
  • Size: If you love or hate the crowd, use the number of participants to rule out races that are not your style. Any day I’ll take a tiny race to a big one, but some people like the roar of the crowd.
  • Previous Results: If you know how fast you can run the distance, look at the finish time last year to see where you will be standing. It may convince you that you won’t be the last, or if you run fast, you may be dreaming of winning a medal in an age group.
  • Map and Track Description : Some races describe themselves as “fast, smooth”. They are great for your first time. Others are built for challenging tasks, with uneven paths or notorious hills.
  • Features: I am always looking for any mention of food; The winter races promising pizza and hot chocolate are the best. Some races have unusual decorations (like the one that starts underground in a mine ), are encouraged by costumes, or take place at night or on holidays.

Once you have selected a race and entered it into the calendar, it’s time to start training and visualization. Think about the race sometimes when you run, especially if you are worried about being nervous. Rehearse the feelings that you want to experience, for example: “I have only a mile left and I feel great!”

With effective visualization, you know what you will be wearing, what the landscape will look like, and how you will feel mentally and physically. Use these visualizations to rehearse any difficult situations that may arise during the day: what if it rains? What if you get tired too early? What if you feel great and want to ditch your running buddy? (Most running friends will tell you to go ahead, but now is a better time to talk than to be in the heat.)

Also think about your goals for the race. The best goal for your first race is to simply finish with a smile on your face. Setting a time goal can be frustrating – why ruin that moment?

If you really feel the need to be specific, use tiered goals: perhaps your main goal is to finish, but then you have a “would be nice” goal of winning the race the previous time.

As the race approaches (approximately two weeks before)

A couple of weeks before the race, you should start making plans for the big day. Visualize every little detail of what’s going to happen, from breakfast to clothes and transportation plans.

A few words about timing: if your race is long, like a marathon, you need to start all road tests up to this point. Every long training run (say 12 miles or more) is an opportunity to test your food, equipment, and mental abilities. Two weeks before the marathon, you will go into taper mode and your long runs will be left behind. If you are preparing for 5KB, you might think about it right now.

Since your race is likely to be in the morning, your breakfast matters . Be sure to do a morning run or two before race day and check out what it feels like to run on your preferred fuel – be it an empty stomach or a bowl of oats with banana slices.

Likewise, check the clothes you plan to wear . If something rubs, slaps, or itches, you know what you need to fix. Think about what else you will wear or carry with you: a phone, a watch, a jacket on your belt. Choose your gear and write it down in a checklist format so you don’t forget.

If you plan on listening to music while racing (assuming your race allows it; some don’t recommend headphones), now is the time to create your perfect playlist – and of course test it with your chosen headphones.

Remember the track map that was on the race website? Go back and study it if you haven’t already, and consider taking the course in person. If you want to run a distance – and this is the best way to find out – do not measure time, because running a distance at a racing speed is called a race. You do not need to race until race day. Instead, go for a leisurely run down the trail – or, if it’s long, do half a day and half another. Leave the hours at home and try to just study the course. Where is the mark for each mile? How do you know when you are half way?

If jogging is impractical, remember that you can ride a bike, drive a car, or at least check it virtually using Google Maps .

One last thing to check before race day: your warm-up plan. Some people warm up before every race; others prefer to start cold and keep warm on the go. I understand that I do not need the hassle of warming up in the morning turmoil of racing, or the fear that you will run out of gas if racing distance is already a problem for you. But there is a good reason to warm up before short races.

Think about how you feel after two minutes of training, not how you feel at the end. The onset probably feels cold and sluggish, while the last few minutes seem smooth and full of energy. It’s okay to feel awful in the first ten minutes of your run. The goal of the warm-up is to get rid of the terrible first ten minutes before the start of the race.

Warming up can be as simple as ten minutes of light jogging (or even brisk walking). While you check out the racetrack, explore places where you can warm up too.

The day before

By the time you get to the race weekend, your workout will be in stock. Don’t try to cram in a run you missed earlier this week; what is done is done.

A few days before the race, you should:

Make a plan to pick up your racing package, which you can usually do the day before the race if you like. The package usually includes your bib (a number you wear on the front of your body, usually attached to your shirt) and may include a timing chip that attaches to your shoes. The rest of the package is mostly brochures for other races, maybe some product samples or other mementos, and a “free” jersey. Do not wear the T-shirt until after the race.

Check out the logistics of race day: where to park, when do you need to arrive (check if the roads are closed) and how will you get to the start line? Sometimes shuttle buses run, but don’t be afraid of a ten minute walk from the car to the starting point. Hey, here’s your warm-up!

If you are alone, the larger races often check equipment that you will not be running with (like a jacket). Obviously, if you have friends or relatives who are not running with you, just leave them your belongings. Either way, carefully make a checklist of what you need to bring to the race and what things should be in your gear bag instead of with you. Lay out your clothes. Attach the bib to the shirt. Make sure you have ready-made breakfast items. The less you jog in the morning, the better.

Important day

When the big day comes, come to the race obscenely early. Or, if you’re not an early riser, try to be there at least half an hour before the start. Increase this time to an hour if it’s a big race or if you have to wait in line for something (like picking up packages). Look for the bathroom as soon as you get there; Long queues usually line up at the port pots right before the start.

Fall and spring races are usually cold, so wear your jacket until the last minute, then check it out or pass it on to a friend and head out for a warm-up that will thankfully keep you warm. Other options for temporary warmth include: a thin, long-sleeved shirt that can be tied around the waist, or things in a belt bag; hand warmers that can be removed and put in a pocket; or a garbage bag with holes for your head and hands that will make you look silly but keep you warm until you throw it away.

When it’s time to line up (at least a few minutes before the start, early for big races), find a spot in the middle or behind the crowd. The people in front are the people who think they have a chance to actually win the race; everyone else sort themselves by speed. For both psychological and traffic regulation reasons, it is better to start from the back and overtake people than to start too far ahead and obstruct the faster people behind you.

The race will likely start with an announcement, singing the national anthem, followed by a buzzer signaling that everyone can start running. As long as there is some kind of timing chip (a chip on your shoe, or an electronic sticker embedded in your bib), you don’t have to worry about rushing forward when you hear the beep. The sensor will detect when you cross the start line and then your time will start.

During the race

Start carefully but optimistically. Run a little slower than you think; groping rather than reading the pace on your phone or watch. If discouraging thoughts creep into your head, acknowledge them and put them aside. Just keep moving.

As you progress further in the race, consider speeding up if you feel good, but don’t be afraid to slow down or even walk if you find yourself starting too fast. Pace mistakes happen to the best of us. Live, learn and just keep moving.

When you make the last turn and see the finish line, you usually see a large clock. This is the elapsed time since the beep was sounded, and is not necessarily the start time recorded by your chip. So if it doesn’t turn out a little as you expected, don’t be discouraged. If this is not the case, do not be disappointed anyway! You have almost finished your first race and this is a great achievement.

Friends and strangers will cheer you on as you get closer to the finish line (even in a very small race), so ride that wave of positive energy and speed up if you still have something left in your tank. The photographer may be trying to capture your winning final moment, so don’t grumble at your watch if you care about photography. In any case, do not slow down until you have completely crossed the finish line.

After the race

You are probably exhausted and just want to curl up and die somewhere. This is fine. Stay alive long enough to hear what race volunteers tell you: line up here or there, take a bottle of water or a silver blanket, let them pick up your shoe chip or bib tag if needed by their timing system.

Stand on your feet for a few minutes. Some people will feel dizzy or faint if they sit up right away, but the more likely danger when they sit down is that you don’t want to get up again. So at least pack your gear and snacks first.

There are many opinions on what to do for a better recovery , but it really doesn’t matter much. You are not a professional athlete with another race to run this afternoon; you are a normal person who can have a leisurely breakfast and relax for a few days. Eat something, have a drink, put on a pair of compression socks if you like, and don’t plan anything too stressful for the rest of the weekend.

After you’ve taken care of yourself, you need to make a decision: stay or leave? If you stay, you can cheer for the other runners (remember the surge of energy that brought you to the finish line?) And wait for the results to be published. Even if you don’t expect to win anything, it can be interesting to see where you stand. The results are broken down by gender and age, so feel free to brag that you are in the top 10 in your group, even if only 11 people participated. One day my preschooler won a medal in the Men under 5 category. In a small enough race, anything is possible!

Post-run activities can include draws and other celebrations, so perhaps you just want to linger to chat with fellow runners and help yourself seconds away from the table with food. On the other hand, if you’d rather grab a bagel and fight as soon as you cross the finish line, that’s okay too. Go home, get some rest, then open your calendar and schedule the next race!

Illustration by Tara Jacoby.

Vitals is a new blog from Lifehacker dedicated to health and fitness. Follow us on Twitter here .

More…

0
Health

Leave a Reply