Preparing for a Race

I am excited about the Octoberun Fest this Sunday because a lot of our friends will be joining the race and it will be their first time to join.

This blog entry is for all novices in racing, including me (this is just my 3rd race to date but I will be running the 5-km event for the first time).

Here are the General Racing Tips from Running for Ftness:

1) Enter in advance. I guess many have done this already since Octoberun Fest does not have an on-site registration.

2) Plan what to bring. Here is a checklist of the things which you need to prepare the night before the race. I have modified the list to suit a Filipino racer:

• race clothes
• running shoes
  
• running watch
• clean dry clothes, including t-shirt, underwear, socks
• change of shoes
• toilet roll
• money
• banana
  
• recovery drink
• safety pins
• race number

The following stuff are my personal recommendations which you might also want to bring:

• sunblock - it was scorching hot during the King of the Road race and this Sunday's event might bring on the same heat
• cap - highly recommended
• sunshades/ eyewear - if you don't want to end up squinting during your last few kilometers
• i-pod/ headset - for the first time runner, it can get lonely out there when your friends have gone ahead of you or have fallen behind you
  

3) Arrive early. Preferably arrive 30 minutes before the race time to go to the toilet, warm-up, stretch and familiarize yourself with the route.

4) Start slowly. Running too fast too soon is a big mistake. It will cause the build-up of lactic acid in your muscle which will make you tire easily. What is suggested is that you maintain a comfortable pace and chat with your co-runners then in the last 2 km, pick up your speed if you are able to and get ahead of those who ran ahead too soon. If only I read this sooner, I would not have allowed myself to be swept off by the runners during the KOTR race.

5) Don't weave. Believe me, you will be tempted to especially if there are many participants in the race and you just wanted to get ahead of everyone. It is said that trying to overtake runners at the start will make you lose energy in the end.

6) Finish looking good. When you see the finish line, pick up your speed to gain composure. Some local networks might be covering the event. Better to be looking good when people see you at the primetime news. However, the past two races I have participated in, the media were actively covering the beginning of the race and not the end.

7) Enjoy it. I will not paraphrase this sentence. This is so true. "Your first race is very special, and you will remember it for years to come."

Read my blog entry on Warming up and Warming down because you need to do this during the race.