I know, you aren’t competitive. You have no need to race. That’s fine. But the neighborhood road races that you see all over the country are primarily for motivation. The participants in the average road race are folks like yourself that are trying hard to stay motivated. Enrolling in a race is a commitment to yourself to do the training each week to prepare.
Most runners who arrive at their first race are surprised to see that most of the participants are average looking people. Sure, there are always a few lean folks on the front line who are going for the trophy. Everyone else is there to share the excitement of the event, and to celebrate the moment of finishing.
Races are fun. If the energy could be put in a container, and used in your car, you wouldn’t have to buy gasoline for your car for weeks. Once you have attended a race, you will want to go back. This is one place where almost everyone is in a good mood.
What to look for in a race
| • | Fun and Festive—held in an interesting area, part of a town festival, music, or expo with exhibits. |
| • | Well organized—the organizers…keep things organized: no long lines, easy to register, start goes off on time, water on the course, refreshments for all—even the slowest, no major problems. |
| • | Refreshments—some races have water, others have a buffet. |
| • | A good T-shirt or other reward—you’ll wear it with pride. |
| • | The organizers focus on average or beginning runners. |
Where to find out about races
Running stores
This resource is at the top of our list because you can usually get entry forms plus some editorial comment about the race. Explain to the store folks that this is your first race, and you want to enjoy the whole experience. Select a fun event that has a high rating in the “what to look for” section, just above.
Friends who run
Call a friend who has run for several years. Tell him or her that you are looking for a fun, upbeat race about every month. Go over the same categories listed above. Be sure to ask the friend for a contact number or website where you can find more information on the event, and possibly enter. As with running store folks, the editorial comments and evaluation of an event can steer you to a good experience.
Running clubs
If there is a running club or two in your area, get in touch. The officers or members can steer you in the direction of events. Running clubs may be found by doing a web search: type “running clubs (your town).” The RRCA (Road Runner’s Club of America) is a national organization of neighborhood clubs. From their website, search for a club in your area.
Newspaper listings
In many newspapers, there is a listing of community sports events in the weekend section. This comes out on Friday or Saturday in most cities, usually in the lifestyle section. Some listings can be in the sports section under “running” or “road races.” You can often find these listings on the website of the newspaper.
Web searches
Just do a web search for “road races (your town)” or “5K (your town).” There are several event companies that serve as a registration center for many races: including www.signmeup.com www.active.com From these sites you can sometimes find an event in your area, research it, and then sign up.
How to register
| 1. | Online. More and more of the road running events are conducting registration online. This allows you to bypass the process of finding an entry form, and sending it in before the deadline. |
| 2. | Fill out an entry and send it in. You will need to fill outyour name, address, T-shirt size, etc., and then sign the waiver form. Be sure to include a check for the entry fee. |
| 3. | Show up on race day. Because some races don’t do raceday registration, be sure that you can do this. There is usually a penalty for waiting until the last minute—but you can see what the weather is like before you make the trek to the race. |
Most common race distance is a 5K (3.1 miles)
This is an excellent choice for your first race because it’s about the shortest distance usually run, and in most areas you will have many from which to choose. Choose a race far enough in the future, so that you can build up a long run- walk. Stage your training, so that you finish a training run-walk that is 1-2 miles longer than the distance you plan to run in the race about 7-10 days before the race itself.
The long run is your training program for your race
You will notice from your schedule that you have one longer run-walk each week on the weekend. At first, this is run entirely by time.
Once your weekend run-walk has reached 30 minutes, you should run one of these on the track every month for 2 or 3 months, so that you can compute the distance you ran. Each lap around a standard track is about .25 mile. A 5K is actually 12.5 laps.
While some runners like to do their long runs around a track, others become very bored when they run there. Running 1-2 laps at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the run will allow you to get a handle on how fast you are running, so that you can compute your distance for the day when running off the track.
Each week add about .25 to .4 miles to the distance of the long run. You want to run slower on the long runs than on your shorter weekly run-walks. Take the walk breaks as you need to avoid huffing and puffing. It is the distance covered that builds endurance, go slower
Here is a schedule of long runs to prepare for a 5K after you have reached 30 minutes as your long run:
Rehearsal
If at all possible, run one or more of your long runs on the race course. You’ll learn how to get there, where to park (or which rapid transit station to exit), and what the site is like. If you will be driving, drive into the parking area several times to make sure you understand how to go exactly where you need to park. This will help you to feel at home with the staging area on race day. Run over the last half mile of the course at least twice. This is the most important part of the course to know. It’s also beneficial to do the first part of the course to see which is best for walk breaks (sidewalks, etc.)
Visualize your line up position: at the back, along the side of the road. If you line up too far forward, you could slow down runners that are faster. You want to do this first race slowly, and have a good experience. This is most likely at the back of the pack. Because you will be taking your walk breaks, as in training, you need to stay at the side of the road. If there is a sidewalk, you can use this for your walk breaks.
The afternoon before
Don’t run the day before the race. You won’t lose any conditioning if you take two days off from running leading up to the race. If the race has an expo or other festivities, this is often interesting.
Companies in the running business have displays, shoes, clothing, books, etc.—often at sale prices. Beware of sale shoes, however. It is best to go to a good running store, and go through the procedure noted in the shoe chapter above to select a shoe that is designed for the type of foot that you have.
Some races require you to pick up your race number, and sometimes your computer chip (explained below) the day before. Look at the website or the entry form for instructions about this. Most races allow you to pick up your materials on race day—but be sure.
Race number
This is sometimes called a “bib number.” It should be pinned on the front of the garment you’ll be wearing when you cross the finish line.
Computer chip
More and more races are using technology that automatically picks up your race number and time as you cross the finish. You must wear this chip that is usually laced on the shoes, near the top. Some companies have a velcro band that is attached to the ankle or arm. Read the instructions to make sure you are attaching this correctly. Be sure to turn this in after the race. The officials have volunteers to collect them, so stop and take them off your shoe, etc. There is a steep fine for those who don’t turn in the chip.
The carbo loading dinner
Some races have a dinner the night before. At the dinner, you will usually chat with runners at your table, and enjoy the evening. Don’t eat much, however. Many runners assume, mistakenly, that they must eat a lot of food the night before. This is actually counterproductive. It takes at least 24 hours for most of the food you eat to be processed and useable in a race—usually longer. There is nothing you can eat the evening before a race that will help you.
But eating too much, or the wrong foods for you, can be a real problem. A lot of food in your gut when you are bouncing up and down in a race is stressful. A very common and embarrassing situation occurs when the gut is emptied to relieve this stress. While you don’t want to starve yourself the afternoon and evening before, the best strategy is to eat small meals, and taper down the amount as you get closer to bed time. As always, it’s best to have done a “rehearsal” of eating, so that you know what works, how much, when to stop eating, and what foods to avoid. The evening before your long run is a good time to work on your eating plan, and replicate the successful routine leading up to raceday.
Drinking
The day before, drink when you are thirsty. If you haven’t had a drink of water or sports drink in a couple of hours, drink half a cup to a cup (4-8 oz) each hour. Don’t drink a lot of fluid during the morning of the race itself. This can lead to bathroom breaks during the race itself. Many races have porto-johns around the course, but some do not. It is a very common practice for runners that have consumed too much fluid that morning to find a tree or alley along the course. A common practice is to drink 6-10 oz. of fluid about 2 hours before the race. Usually this is totally out of the system before the start.
| Tip: | If you practice drinking before your long runs, you can find the right amount of fluid that works best for you on raceday. Stage your drinks, so that you know when you will be taking potty breaks. |
The night before
Eating is optional after 6pm. If you are hungry, have a light snack that you have tested before, and has not caused problems. Less is better, but don’t go to bed hungry. Continue to have about 8 oz. of a good electrolyte beverage like Accelerade over the 2 hours before you go to bed.
Alcohol is not generally recommended because the effects of this central nervous system depressant carry over to the next morning. Some runners have no trouble having one glass of wine or beer, while others are better off with none. If you decide to have a drink, I suggest that you make it one portion.
Pack your bag and lay out your clothes, so that you don’t have to think very much on race morning.
| • | Your watch, set up for the run-walk ratio you are using |
| • | Shoes |
| • | Socks |
| • | Shorts |
| • | Top—see clothing thermometer |
| • | Pin race # on the front of the garment in which you will be finishing |
| • | A few extra safety pins |
| • | Water, Accelerade, pre-race and post race beverages (such as Endurox R4), and a cooler if you wish |
| • | Food for the drive in, and the drive home |
| • | Bandages, vasoline, any other first aid items you may need |
| • | Cash for registration if you are doing race day registration (check for exact amount, including late fee) |
| • | $ 25-40 for gas, food, parking, etc. |
| • | Race chip attached according to the race instructions |
| • | A few jokes or stories to provide laughs or entertainment before the start |
| • | A copy of the “race day checklist”, which is just below this section |
Sleep
You may sleep well, or you may not. Don’t worry about it if you don’t sleep at all. Many runners I work with every year don’t sleep at all the night before, and have the best race of their lives. Of course, don’t try to go sleepless….but if it happens, it is not a problem.
Race day checklist
Photocopy this list, so that you will not only have a plan, but you can carry it out in a methodical way. Pack the list in your race bag. Don’t try anything new the day of your race—except for health or safety. The only item I have heard about when used for the first time in a race that has helped is walk breaks. Even first time users benefit significantly. Otherwise, stick with your plan.
Fluid and potty stops—after you wake up, drink 4-6 oz. of water every half hour. If you have used Accelerade about 30 minutes before your runs, prepare it. Use a cooler if you wish. In order to avoid the bathroom stops, stop your fluid intake according to what has worked for you before.
Food—eat what you have eaten before your harder runs. It is OK not to eat at all before a 5K unless you are a diabetic, then go with the plan that you and your doctor have worked out.
Get your bearings—walk around the site to find where you want to line up (at the back of the pack), and how you will get to the start. Choose a side of the road that has more shoulder or sidewalk for ease in taking walk breaks.
Register or pick up your race number—if you already have all of your materials, you can bypass this step. If not, look at the signage in the registration area, and get in the right line. Usually there is one for “race day registration” and one for those who registered online, or in the mail and need to pick up their numbers.
Start your warm up 40-50 minutes before the start. If possible, go backwards on the course for about .5-.6 miles and turn around. This will give you a preview of the most important part of your race—the finish. Here is the warmup routine:
| • | Walk for 5 minutes, slowly. |
| • | Walk at a normal walking pace for 3-5 minutes, with a relaxed and short stride. |
| • | Start your watch for the ratio of running and walking that you are using, and do this for 10 minutes. |
| • | Walk around for 5-10 minutes. |
| • | If you have time, walk around the staging area, read your jokes, laugh, relax. |
| • | Get in position and pick one side of the road or the other where you want to line up. |
| • | When the road is closed, and runners are called onto the road, go to the curb and stay at the side of the road, near or at the back of the crowd. |
| After the start | |
| Remember that you can control how you feel during and afterward by conservative pacing and walks. | |
| • | Stick with your run/walk ratio that has worked for you; take every walk break, especially the first one. |
| • | If it is warm, slow down and walk more. |
| • | Don’t let yourself be pulled out too fast on the running portions. |
| • | As people pass you, who don’t take walk breaks, tell yourself that you will catch them later—you will. |
| • | If anyone interprets your walking as weakness, say: “This is my proven strategy for a strong finish.” |
| • | Talk with folks along the way, enjoy the course, smile often. |
| • | On warm days, pour water over your head at the water stops (no need to drink on a 5K unless you want to). |
| At the finish | |
| • | In the upright position |
| • | With a smile on your face |
| • | Wanting to do it again |
| After the finish | |
| • | Keep walking for at least half a mile. |
| • | Drink about 4-8 oz. of fluid. |
| • | Within 30 min. of the finish, have a snack that is 80% carbohydrate/20% protein (Endurox R4 is best). |
| • | If you can soak your legs in cool water during the first two hours after the race, do so. |
| • | Walk for 20-30 minutes later in the day. |
| The next day | |
| • | Walk for 30-60 minutes, very easy. This can be done at one time, or in installments. |
| • | Keep drinking about 4-6 oz. an hour of water or sports drink like Accelerade. |
| • | Wait at least a week before you either schedule your next race or vow to never run another one again. |