Five things you wish you had known before your first race

If you are preparing to tackle your first road race. Whether it’s a 5K or 42.2K (or something in between), we are here to help you out with what you wish you had known before your first race.

Here’s what fellow first-time racers had to say:

1.- “Have fun!”

Having fun is the most important thing all runners should remember to do going into their first race. There’s no need to put any pressure on yourself; have fun with the race, and take in the entire experience. Enjoy the music, the crowds and the general fun aura that builds around races. 

2.- “Rest up in days prior”

It’s important to make sure you’re well-rested three to five days before the race, as the excitement may prevent you from having a good sleep the night before. Don’t partake in any strenuous activity you normally wouldn’t do the day before your race. Another thing one runner recommends is not to drink too much the night before. One or two drinks won’t hurt you, but any more than that are likely to impact your performance. 

3.- “Don’t go out too fast”

It’s obvious that you’ll feel best at the beginning of the race. But with all the emotion of the start, it’s tempting to sprint off. But if you do this, you’ll pay the price later when you run out of gas.

4.- “Don’t try anything new on race day”

Avoid eating anything you wouldn’t normally eat before going for a run. That applies to anything, not just food–including shoes and clothing. It’s better to go with things your body has been comfortable with during training.

5.- “Go to the bathroom before the start”

Even if you feel like you don’t have to go, GO. We cannot stress enough that there is no worse feeling than having to halt your run for a porta-potty stop. If you go before the start, you can (hopefully) avoid needing to go again mid-race. Avoid lineups by going 15 to 30 minutes before the start of the race. 

posted Thursday April 28th
by Running Magazine