First Race Ever (Read 290 times)

Hope you have fun! Here's a few pointers.

The race director may describe the course at the start. Most people won't be able to hear and few people will remember anything they say. Don't worry. Just follow the crowd. Unless it's a REALLY small event it's unlikely you'll need to do anything more than follow the person in front.

Put your number on the front, not the back of your shirt. They need to see it as you finish usually. I'm assuming they won't have chips for a fun run.

At any race, no matter how fun, a group of people will go out fast. The good runners are doing this to get out of the way of the stampeding pack - plus they run fast anyway. Even many of them won't keep up the pace of the first few hundred meters. But this sprint start creates a vortex dragging many unwary runners out into a start that is too fast.

Everyone will tell you this but go out slower than you plan to run, especially for your first race. It will make it a more enjoyable experience for you as you get to speed up later if you feel okay and pass people. Actually you'll pass people even if you don't speed up since most other people will slow down over the course of the race.

John

Get there early. Seriously, it sounds stupid but there's nothing more nerve wracking than trying to get to the start line of your first any race.

Wait.

I take that back, yes there is.

Make sure you hit a rest room before the race. Needing to poop for 3 miles is only funny when it's happening to someone else.

MTA:
Tricky HTML...dammit

Quote from PowerOfQ on 8/8/2008 at 2:00 PM:

Truer words have not been spoken. I'm thinking I have a fast twitch colon.

Quote from MrPHinNJ on 8/8/2008 at 3:37 PM:

Truer words have never been typed.......There is nothing worse then getting on the starting line of a race and realizing you forgot to relieve yourself....and now you have to start running.......and yet you can barely walk without sloshing or spurting out little brown stink pellets for 3 miles..(we have all been there in a race at some point in time).......I have run in lots of races but I still get nervous before they start - cant help myself.

Norran_rad gave good advice..........

Don't try to keep up with top runners (even if you are fast) - slow down a little and watch everyone and just enjoy the experience.....also, I like to get there early (not for the reasons stated above) but to just walk around and visit with and watch the people........ ......Good luck and let us know how it turns out...