Notes - Newbies

Additional Info

For the runner that is new to racing.

Remember, nothing new on race day or during the race.

This is key and many people forget this simple rule that even the old pros sometimes forget.

So what does this mean? Just what it says!

Nothing new on race day or during the race.

So if you have not practiced running fast, you are not suddenly going to be able to run much faster at a race just because it is a race.

So lets start with the basics.

If a race like the one coming up is at night 730pm and you have never run at 730pm. You should go do that a few times to see how and what you need to change to make the race day more comfortable for you.

This way you will know how your body cycles (digestion, see how PC I can be), or for the rest of you, your poop, will work on and during the race.

This is important to discover in advance so as not to scare all of your friends.

Clothes, wear the same clothes that you wear when you work out. Please make sure they are clean before coming to the race. This will help everyone else standing next to you.

No new shoes, no new socks, no new shorts or top, not even a new hat or new fancy hydration system. You’ve got it, nothing new.

Do not carbo load if you have never done it before, it is probably not needed until you are going to run for more than 2-3 hours.

When you arrive do what you normally do before you run. Sound simple but there are lots of distractions at a race. So get to a quiet place and think about yourself and your race. This is old school about getting your mind on your game and not letting anyone or external thing affect your game.

At the race start where do you stand? This is part of being courteous to the other runners in a race. If you get in the very front of a race with 800 people in the race and you usually run a 10 minute pace, this is probably not a good idea.

You have to do some calculations. Use common sense and then move back a little further than you think.

When the race starts, take off slower if possible. The adrenaline of “the race,” will cause you to run faster naturally. Check your time against the distance and calculate if you are running faster or slower and make adjustments.

Use all the calculations, how do you feel today?, how hot is it compared to when you normally run, how hydrated are you today……your mind is a wonderful thing if you will just let it work, it will help you calculate the proper changes to finish the race.

Let’s face it, in the record heat we have been having you are not going to set a PR. (Personal record.)

So slow down and let this hot weather race be a test just to finish. You can put it in your record book with an asterisk to designate extreme heat.

If anyone else has any comments that will help newbie’s to the running scene please make comments.