Thinking of entering a race?
Very few of us in a race are actually hoping to win… The rest of us are running it for fun, personal challenges, raising money for charity and many other reasons.
You should not think of most races as a competition or add unnecessary pressure on yourself – the people you are running with want you to succeed as much as they want to succeed themselves.
For many of us, races are a way to run with a group, on a measured course with mile markers, with regular water tables and simply enjoy the joy of running.
A few top tips to remember if you’re thinking of entering your first race.
You don’t need to be fast to enter a race
Races are fun and always full of runners of all abilities, from young to old. One of the great things about running is that you can enter the same competition as world-class athletes, whatever your level of running. Some of my favourite moments of running come from the Great Manchester Run and Leeds Abbey Dash, which are predominately out and back courses and the encouragement from the masses on the way back towards the finish is incredible and even make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up!
You don’t need to be competitive to enter a race
Unfortunately very few people are hoping to win when they enter a race. The rest of us are running it for fun! Most runners get a kick out of the atmosphere and challenge with themselves as so many people have been through different journeys to get to the start line. Don’t add the additional pressure on yourself; simply take the moment in!
Pick the right race & enter early
Should you wish, you could virtually enter a race every week, however popular events do get booked up very quickly so you should always enter early to avoid disappointment, which will also help serve as motivation to get out of the door training on a daily basis. Many websites also come with a race calendar to help you narrow down your race preference including surface, elevations, prizes and location. Runners World has an excellent choice of events and don’t forget to make the most of JM Run Club’s 20% discount code to enter a Run North West event!
Plan what to wear
Plan your kit the night before and don’t forget to bring some extra clothes to change into afterwards (especially a fresh pair of socks, which are always welcome after a long run). Runners often take with them: caffeine, toilet roll, vaseline (to prevent chafing), money, a banana, a recovery drink and safety pins. I would always advise wearing the kit you plan to run in on race day in training before hand to make sure they’re comfortable.
Arrive early
To this day I still hate the feeling of being rushed on race day. Arrive early and soak up the atmosphere and make sure you have plenty of time to spend a penny!!
Enjoy it!
A happy runner is a fast runner! So smile for the race photo’s and savour the day!
