The Wrinkled Runner
The Wrinkled Runner
Running Your First Race When You Don't Have a Time Goal
Hey Running Friends!
Running your first race isn’t just about the finish line; it’s about celebrating the journey that brought you there. We discuss essential tips on training with a focus on consistency, recovery, and the unique excitement of crossing the finish line for the first time.
Resources from the Episode:
The Wrinkled Runner Website:
Racing for the Finish: Embracing the Journey Over the Clock
Beginning Running: Building Up to a 30 Minute Run
The Road to Improvement: How Consistency Yields Results
Doing Too Much, Too Soon as a Runner
The Wrinkled Runner YouTube Channel:
RRCA Start to Run Program
Consistency is One of the Best Ways to Get Better at Running
The Wrinkled Runner Podcast:
Introduction to the RRCA Start to Run Program
Running Consistently
Doing Too Much, Too Soon
Race Checklist Booklet- Download this booklet from The Wrinkled Runner website for a complete breakdown of what you need to do the day before and the day of a race. Use code wrun25 in the password section
If you are looking for a coach to help you reach your running goals, even if it's just to start to run, take a look at my Coaching Services page on the website. I do virtual, in-person (Buffalo, NY area) and also offer single zoom sessions for those would just like to chat with a coach one time.
Find my additional outlets over at the YouTube channel and at wrinkledrunner.com. Sign up over on the blog for the once-a-month newsletter! If you would like information on utilizing a running coach, check out what I can do for you here.
If you have any running-related questions, please send an email to sherry@wrinkledrunner.com…I answer every one.
Hey everyone, welcome to today's episode of the Wrinkled Runner. Today we're going to talk about running your first race, when your only goal is to finish. So, as a coach, this is one of the most exciting things that I get to do is guide someone to their first ever race and if I can be there, if it's somebody I'm coaching in Buffalo, then try to be there. If it's someone virtual, then I'm always just following along. You know, I hook up with their, their race bib, and I can see their progress in a lot of races, some I only know about after it's done, just because the race might be smaller or whatever. But it is so exciting to me to be able to celebrate the achievement that is running and completing a first race. Now, if you're a beginner, or maybe you've just signed up for your first 5K, 10k half marathon, if you've been running for a while and you're not worried about time which, by the way, I always recommend for a first race which, by the way, I always recommend for a first race and you just want to cross the finish line, then we're gonna talk about how to get there. So I'll be sharing some tips on how to train and what to expect and also encourage you to just enjoy the experience, because you're you know a first race or a first distance is something you're never gonna do. Do again when you finish that if you get the racing bug and you want to keep going and running more races, that first race is going to give you a goal.
Speaker 1:If you then want to start running for time, First things first always start where you are. You're not going to compare yourself to anybody else, and if you haven't been running for a while but you used to run, you're also not going to compare yourself to what you were, however, many years ago when you used to run. You're going to start where you are. Your training is going to be built gradually, and that is the best way to get to the distance that you're going to go to is to build it up gradually, and for many beginners, a run-walk program is a fantastic way to ease into running without feeling overwhelmed. You can start with short intervals of running mixed with walking, and then, over time, you're going to build your endurance, naturally, and some people stay with run walk forever, while other people like to keep adding more and more running in until they're able to run an entire distance. So the key is to be patient with yourself and trust that process. So if you want a guided run-walk program, I'll link you to the first episode of a series that I did a few years ago where I took the RRCA run-walk program for beginner runners and then I ran kind of with you, so to speak, and I talk about a lot of different things with running that beginning runners should know while on that run, and I also in there then tell you when to walk, when to run. It starts off the top of my head, I want to say it starts with a one minute run, four minute walk, I believe, and then each week that builds up so that you're running more and then by the end of 10 weeks you're running the whole thing. A lot of people will get to a 5K at that point after the 10 weeks, and so for some people finishing that training, they'll then sign up for a race and be able to run the 5K.
Speaker 1:So another aspect of your training, if you're going to be running for a first race, is to prioritize consistency over speed. So your goal is to just finish. So you don't need to be stressing about pace, don't need to be stressing about pace, showing up consistently, even if it's just a couple of short runs a week, is going to be much better for you and your motivation and your training in general than trying to focus on any kind of speed. Especially when you're going for a first race training, you know when you're. When you're running for time, some of those runs are going to be harder runs and sometimes they're not so much fun. So when you first start out, if you're just going easy and staying consistent, that is going to get you to the distance and help you not bang up your body so much and kind of you, you'll enjoy it more is basically what I'm trying to say. Aiming for three days a week is a solid plan mix of the easy runs. You can also take days that you're not running, go for walks. That'll give you more time on feet and if you can start to learn consistency now in your running, that is going to do you well for the rest of your running journey, hopefully for the rest of your life.
Speaker 1:One of the biggest mistakes runners make is pushing too hard too soon after they begin a running program. We all know how it is it's January, it's like what the third, fourth week of January. So if you guys made any resolutions, how many of you are still sticking with it? I don't do that because I know I'm not going to stick with it. A lot of times we go really gung-ho in the new year with a new project or with something like running and we try to throw everything at it really, really quickly running and we try to throw everything at it really, really quickly and for a runner that is a recipe for injury and also kind of burning out really fast, because if you're trying to do too much then it's not going to be successful. You know, if you decide, well, I'm going to start running tomorrow and I'm going to start running right away. Three miles, start that tomorrow and do that four times a week, you're going to be injured and you're going to be burned out really, really fast. So listen to your body.
Speaker 1:If you're feeling overly tired, you can take an extra rest day. If you're feeling like you're running is continually staying hard, look at your consistency, because sometimes a run feels hard because we ran once last week, maybe twice the week before this week. It's been six days since our last run and if our consistency is off, a lot of times, those runs are feeling hard still. So stay consistent. But also, if you do need a rest day, take that rest day. Rest and recovery is just as important. It's just it's part of training and you need to recover in order to get better as well. So it's kind of like this dance that we do when we first start running, where we're trying to get to know our bodies whether we need a rest day or whether our consistency is just off, and so all the runs feel hard because we're not allowing our bodies to build on the last run. So if you're feeling niggles, if you're feeling pain, if you're feeling you got to take a nap every afternoon, you probably need a recovery day in there. So make sure you are taking those also.
Speaker 1:Add stretching into your routine. Foam rolling, even yoga on your off days can help keep your muscles happy. So building confidence before race day is a big deal. When it's your first race, because you've never done it before you, you don't know what to expect, and slowly getting up to the race distance can be a way to build your confidence for that. So now, so a lot of these trainings when you first start to run are training you for a 5k, so a lot of them, you will get to that 5k before you do the race distance. And if you're running a 5k or a 10k, you do the race distance. And if you're running a 5k or a 10k, running that at least once before the race can help you to you know, know that you can do the distance, even if you're doing it with walk breaks, you know, at a really slow pace, since the goal is comfort and not speed. 5k, even a 10k, maybe you're not going to really break your body down as much as if you're going for a time goal where you're doing some long runs and you're doing some speed work, things more intense. But a lot of first-time racers actually don't want to cover the distance in training because they want that finish line to be the longest race or the longest run that they've done, just for the accomplishment of it all.
Speaker 1:And also for any races that are longer than a 5 or 10k, like a half marathon, say, or longer, running that distance before the race can needlessly break down your body. If I'm running a half marathon and every few weeks I'm running 13 miles and it's the first time I've done it you can break your body down if you're consistently doing that. So a lot of programs for half marathons and you know, especially for marathons too only take you so far. A lot of the distances I've seen for half marathons is like 11 miles. Depending on the person, I'll take my athletes maybe to 12 miles. 20 miles is a big race distance for the long run in the marathon. I had a plan once that had me do 22 miles before the marathon. That just helps keep your body from getting injured and broken down before the race. Because we want to be healthy and we want to get to the race doing well right. We don't want to be in a lot of pain or hobbling along because we've run too many times the distance.
Speaker 1:Now, that being said, you do want to get close to what the race is going to cover. So if you're going to run a 5k, for example, as your first race, you're going to want to get to. You're gonna run a 5K, for example, as your first race. You're gonna wanna get to at least 2.5 miles in your training. You know, if you're only running a mile and then you have a 5K race, you're probably not going to do very well having to cover another 2.1 miles. So you're gonna get close to the distance even if you don't go over, even if you're just running to finish.
Speaker 1:Fueling and hydration will play a role in your energy levels and your overall enjoyment. So make sure you're staying hydrated throughout your training. Drink water before your runs, take water with you if it's like a really hot day or if your training is taking you like over an hour. For shorter races, like a 5K for example, you're not going to need extra fuel as far as like gels go or snacks. But for longer distances, you are going to need to experiment with energy gels or real food, depending on what you like. I hate energy gels, so I rely on quote unquote real food to get me through marathons and half marathons. That's an experiment. When you are racing or doing longer runs, these are experiments that you're kind of putting yourself through to find out what's going to be optimal for you on race day. Just because someone else can do an energy gel, you might find you don't like that. So if you're training for a half marathon or a marathon, then the fueling is a big part of that, and don't let anyone tell you that you don't need to be fueling for these races, because you definitely do.
Speaker 1:Now remember, for race day there's a golden rule and you may have heard it nothing new on race day. You got to stick to what has worked for you in training. All the clothing, shoes, hats, fueling all of that should have been already done through your training. So don't get a brand new pair of sneakers the day before a race. Don't even wear a brand new pair of socks. I cannot tell you how many times in like a training run I'll obviously got to wear new stuff. Sometime I'll find out that this pair of socks doesn't work because it hits my ankle in the wrong place and so my shoe is rubbing against there and causing a hots spot, or ah. You know, I thought this pair of shoes was great in the running store, but it's a new brand or it's a new iteration of a shoe that I've always worn and it's not going to work for me anymore. So those kinds of things are things that you're going to find out through your training. You do not want to be finding out on race day.
Speaker 1:So to set up for success on your race day, you need to do some things the night before. So lay out everything that you need all your gear, your race bib. If you have it for a lot of races, you'll go the day before to get that. Anything else that's going to avoid last minute stress. If you're going to be carrying snacks, if you're going to be carrying a water bottle, if you're going to need pins to pin your bib onto your clothing, make sure you check the weather so you know what you should be wearing. You don't want to show up in long pants if it's going to be 75 degrees out, all those kinds of things. Figure that out the day before, lay it all out, and that way you're not running around looking for things the morning of the race. I did create a booklet a few years ago for marathon runners on how to prepare for race day, but a lot of that information in there pertains to any race distance really. So I'll put a link there in the show notes so that you can download that if you'd like.
Speaker 1:On race morning, aim to arrive early. Race day is a lot of fun to be there and experience the atmosphere. You can do a light warm-up, a little light jog to shake off the nerves and to just get your legs warmed up and ready. And when you take off, when that gun goes off, start slow. It is easy to get too caught up in the excitement and start out way too fast, and then that distance just seems like it's going to take forever. So pacing yourself early will help you to finish strong. When you start out at a good pace that isn't going to tire you out by the end of that race. And finally and most importantly, especially in these races where it's our first race and we don't have a time goal, enjoy the experience.
Speaker 1:The first race is always something special, no matter how long it takes, and crossing that finish line is an achievement to be proud of. Get that medal, hang it up in your house, get the t-shirt if that's what they have, wear it proudly. It's very exciting to complete your first race and you might get the racing bug and before you know it, you're signed up for all kinds of them. So make sure you're taking in the crowds, the excitement and just the joy of running and doing something for yourself that you can be proud of. Finishing is winning and if you haven't signed up for your first race yet, start doing a little bit of research and put one on the calendar. That is the best way to stay into the running, and staying consistent is just by signing up for a race that now. It's something to train for.