By: Vince Perdue
Welcome to week five in the “So you want to run” series. Through the last four weeks, I’ve covered the basic things you need to become a successful runner. You’ve learned how to run and do it safely. Your technique improved as you became more comfortable in this new sport and you’ve also learned the wisdom of caution in your program. As a result, you have remained injury free. You have some kilometres on your feet and friends now refer to you as “the runner.”
All of a sudden, thoughts wander to such things as organized events. Are there any? Which should I choose? How should I prepare for the day?
There are lots of local runs. The Sudbury area hosts road and trail runs all the way from one kilometre to marathons — 42.2 kms — and our events happily accommodate all levels of participants. Take a look at www.sudburyrocks.ca, events section, for a list of all local runs.
So which one should you choose? It depends. If you are newer to running and your mileage is modest, a five-km is probably your best bet. Even at this level you should already have completed a few runs or run/walks of about four km.
Whichever distance you choose, ensure you are not stepping up too much into uncharted territory. Do not run a 10-km on five-km training. Adrenalin will carry you a long way but maybe not all the way.
Most runners prefer to train over the distance they will compete at. This provides a comfort margin in your endurance level that will ensure a strong, and probably faster, finish time. The most important thing is to enjoy your first official running experience, so be realistic with your choice.
How do you prepare for the day? Here are some tips to make your first race experience a successful one.
Make sure you’ve worn your race shoes on a few training runs so they are well broken in. Socks should not be brand new either. Wear and wash them at least once. Ensure the seams do not interfere with your foot/shoe interface. Treat new apparel the same way.
If you plan on taking a sports drink or gel, etc. during the run, be sure to test its effect on you in a training session before the big day. You don’t need an upset stomach to spoil the day.
Water and sports drinks are almost always provided at strategic locations along the course. Be aware of where they are if you plan on using them. Something to practise ahead of time is taking a cup of liquid on the fly without spilling it all over you. Don’t worry. It’s not that hard.
Register for your event and pick up your race kit ahead of time. You don’t need this stressor on run day.
Taper off your mileage in the last week. Don’t go into the event tired. Nothing you do in this period will have much of a positive effect, so take it a little easier so you can perform optimally on race day.
Keep well hydrated and fuelled during the final week, but watch your intake as your total mileage and calorie burn have decreased.
Come into the race well-rested. Two days before the event is the key time to get extra sleep. That way you will be strong on race day, even if the jitters keep you up the night before.
Lay out your clothing the night before. Attach bibs, timing chips, etc. at this time so you can roll out the door without worries in the morning. Taking a glance at the weather channel might give you an idea of what to wear. Don’t forget to bring a change of clothes, and maybe a towel for the shower, if they are provided.
Get some carbohydrates in about two hours before your run starts. Things like oatmeal, peanut butter and toast, and a banana work well for me. Keep away from high fibre foods.
Know ahead of time exactly where the event is, where the parking is, where the start line is and when the start time is. Plan on arriving with lots of time to spare.
Warm up with a bit of light jogging before the race starts. This will calm your nerves and warm the muscles up a bit as well.
Position yourself fairly in the start area. If you think you are very competitive, start closer to the front. Be realistic though. You don’t want faster folk attempting to run over you.
Don’t go out too fast. It’s much easier to speed up if you misjudge your effort than to slow down because you have to.
Enjoy your first run. Look around, smile at everyone and thank the volunteers. Don’t forget to run strong and tall through the finish line too, as someone might be taking your first ever run picture.
That’s a long to-do list, but following these pointers will help ensure your first official run is not only successful, but more importantly, full of joy and satisfaction.
Next week: Part 6 – The Joy of Running
Vince Perdue has been running on a regular basis for more than 30 years. He is the founder of the Sudbury Rocks Running Club and owns and operates www.sudburyrocks.ca. This is the fifth in a series of six columns.
