Running Race

Coach Carvey do you have some advice for my first running race?

There are two major rules for running a local road race. Rule number one-Have Fun! Rule number two-Dont Get Injured!

Having a race in your near future gives your training more meaning. On the days where you just don't have it and otherwise may not run, you will if there's a race on the horizon. Please, Im begging you, go out slow. You will be excited on the starting line and there will be a 10 year old boy in long pants and untied hightops next to you who will start the race at a dead sprint and soon after will become a wheezing coffin on wheels.

Don't let that be your motivation to increase running speed. Your innate competitiveness will want to go with the brazen brat but fight the urge. The kid is the rabbit and you are the wise old turtle.

Why you ask? Do you enjoy desperately looking for an isolated spot to pee? Ok, maybe you do but for those who dont get there early. There are never enough bathrooms and everybody is really nervous and everybody has had a lot of coffee of water.

Do you see where im going with this? There will be a huge rush of people showing with bladders ready to explode around 30-45 minutes before the race. Your first race is to beat these urine infested latecomers to the usually meager facilities.

After the race make sure you cool down. Once you have recovered, jog very slowly for 10-15 mins. and do some light stretching. This will greatly speed your recovery. If anything is really sore ice the heck out of it over the next few days. Visit my running injuries to learn about how to deal with minor aches and pains.

Congratulations! Your first running race. Did you have fun? No? Then racing isn't for you and that's perfectly ok. Some people run to get away from people so why would they choose to run with hundreds of strangers on a Sunday Morning? Others love meeting new people and you wont find nicer group of humans than runners.

Racing Etiquette For First Timers