RunningAHEAD - Topic: First 5K race need advice

Freerunner

posted: 1/4/2008 at 8:39 AM

HI all! I am running my first 5K on the 13th, next sunday! Shocked

How do I prepare for it? Do I stop running a couples days before the 5k? Also what am I suppose to eat the night before ( carbs)? Just need a little help and some advice! As you can probably tell I am real nervous and trying to keep my courage up and not back out. Undecided

Also is anyone else running in the Chevron 5K?

BadDawg

posted: 1/4/2008 at 8:44 AM

You'll probably get better feedback if you make your logs public, or at least provide some information on your training to date. I love 5K races. Best general advice I could give would be to avoid the temptation to go out too fast, easier said than done with race day excitement. Relax, enjoy the experience and be sure to put a post-race report in the Racing forum.

E.J.
Greater Lowell Road Runners
Cry havoc and let slip the dawgs of war!

May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your SPF30, may the rains fall soft upon your sweat-wicking hat, and until you hit the finish line may The Flying Spaghetti Monster hold you in the hollow of His Noodly Appendage.

sully708

My legs are killing me

posted: 1/4/2008 at 8:49 AM

Congrats on your first race! Don't run the day before, give your legs a little rest. For a 5k I wouldn't worry about carb loading the night before but eat healthy and drink water. Be carefull about drinking water the morning of the race. My first race I drank too much and felt like I had to pee the whole race, not a good feeling. Also, this is your first race so your going to be pumped up. Don't start the race at a fast pace. Relax, you can pick up your pace as the race goes on and finish strong. You'll have a blast! Welcome to the club.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4B-r8KJhlE

JoshB

posted: 1/4/2008 at 8:55 AM

Hi there Freerunner! Good luck in your first 5K. So exciting, I remember my first one... wow, that's been awhile. I agree with BadDawg's advice of not going out too fast. I ran one two years ago where I got caught up in the excitement, going out with the lead pack. Unfortunately for me, the lead pack included the official Army marathon team from West Point Academy. I, uh, went out a *little* too fast and crashed around 1.5 miles. Now I've been running longer and have a better idea of how to pace myself. The more you train, the better a feel you get for what the right pace is. Now when I race, many races have the miles marked so I use the stopwatch on my watch and check it when I pass each mile marker to see how I'm doing. Finally, I might take it easy on the day before the race, but I certainly wouldn't stop running that week. I don't know what your training looks like now, but I'd still go out and do at least the 5K distance the day before. Hope this helps, and echoing BadDawg again, be sure to put a post-race report in the Racing forum! We like to see how everyone does, both to encourage them and to get ideas for ourselves.

2011 Goals:
sub 17min 5k
5:15 mile?
(well, maybe next year)

Tchuck

SMART Approach

posted: 1/4/2008 at 8:56 AM

Yes, do not start to fast or it will be a miserable experience. Do you want to finish strong or struggle to finish in pain. With that being said, you still probably will start to fast. I have coached some runners and tryed to ingrain this in their head but they still started too fast and didn't run their best the first race. It is lack of experience. Run this week. Can't afford to lose any aerobic conditioning. No need to taper. Just no intensity or limit it. Depends on your miles per week. Take day off before race or two days before - not both. Run easy 3 miles on day you don't take off with a few striders. Warm up with a very easy mile about 20-30 min before race and do some striders. Keep moving up until the gun. Don't worry about your food. Eat normal. No crap day before. Don't even need to eat in a.m. of race but I personally like to take 2-3 gels w/ a big glass of water about 2-3 hours before the race to top off sugar stores. I think it help even with a 5K. OR do what you normally do before an a.m. run. No experimenting. Good luck. Relax.

Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

www.smartapproachtraining.com

Freerunner

posted: 1/4/2008 at 2:15 PM

Thanks all for your help! It is great to get so much help! I will post on the 14th to update everyone on how the 5k went. Thanks again Big grin

noteye

posted: 1/4/2008 at 2:23 PM

I only recently ran my own first race, so I don't have any advice other than to have fun and smile for the cameras. Frowny faces are no good in race pictures. As far as what the other folks are saying about not starting too fast, do your best to listen. It may be unnerving seeing all the other folks tearing off at the start, but plan well and stick to it and you may pass them later. Smile

My first run was a bridge run, and I made myself hold back at the beginning and got to pass lots and lots of folks that had previously passed me but gave out halfway up the bridge. It was a nice feeling. Leave it in the tank at the beginning and burn it hot at the end.

Brandon

COcarrie

go Care Bear go!

posted: 1/4/2008 at 2:55 PM

Good advice here already but here are a couple other things for you... Nothing new on race day!! This is not the day to try a new hat, socks, shirt, shorts, breakfast etc. There's nothing worse than an annoying seam or something that rubs the wrong way. Undecided

Wear your bib (number) on the front of your shirt. Nothing screams newbie as much as a bib on one's back! Wink

If it's chilly where you are, consider having a dry shirt available for you to put on after the race. Shy

If you have a friend or family member who's up for it, have them meet you at the finish. The feeling of accomplishing your first race is an AWESOME experience and one that should be shared!! Big grin

Have a wonderful time and enjoy! You only get one "first". Smile

trishierunner

esq.

posted: 1/4/2008 at 3:36 PM

Ditto ditto. Oh, and: don't wear the race tshirt (if there is one) DURING the race.... you wear it AFTER the race ... once you've earned it Wink

AND HAVE FUN!!

2009: BQ?

Mandy Simpson

posted: 1/4/2008 at 3:41 PM

Good luck and have fun Smile

obiebyke

posted: 1/4/2008 at 3:43 PM

Have fun! I run my first in a couple of months, and I'm already nervous and excited. I'll be excited to see the race report.

Call me Ray (not Ishmael)

SurfNRun

Prophet!

posted: 1/4/2008 at 4:03 PM

a wise man once told me.. ". In the half mile, try to make yourself pass out!" (mikeymike).. oh and have fun Smile

BadDawg

posted: 1/5/2008 at 12:38 PM

Forgot to mention...stop on the way home and pick up a frame for your number. Soon you'll have them in piles around your house, but the first is special and certainly deserves to be treated that way.

E.J.
Greater Lowell Road Runners
Cry havoc and let slip the dawgs of war!

May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your SPF30, may the rains fall soft upon your sweat-wicking hat, and until you hit the finish line may The Flying Spaghetti Monster hold you in the hollow of His Noodly Appendage.

Mississippi

posted: 1/5/2008 at 12:59 PM
modified: 1/5/2008 at 1:00 PM

How exciting!!! My thoughts are along the lines of: Don't start out too fast, save some energy for the final stretch, don't eat anything new the night before set all your clothes out the night before (one less worry on your mind), enjoy the race atmosphere, have someone take pictures before and after! Smile

Good luck and have fun.

Michelle

Teresadfp

One day at a time

posted: 1/5/2008 at 2:17 PM
modified: 1/5/2008 at 2:17 PM

Quote from BadDawg on 1/5/2008 at 12:38 PM:

Forgot to mention...stop on the way home and pick up a frame for your number. Soon you'll have them in piles around your house, but the first is special and certainly deserves to be treated that way.

Good idea! My DS 15 and I went to a lecture by Joan Benoit Samuelson and asked her to sign our bib numbers from the Beach to Beacon 10k (the race she created). On mine, she wrote, "Congratulations on your first 10k!" and on my son's, "Congratulations on a great time!" (He ran it in 37:15; I did it in an hour 19, lol) I've bought frames for them - now I have just have to put them up!

First 5K race need advice (Read 930 times)