First race this weekend... any advice? (Read 816 times)

Racing for the first time this weekend, and I was wondering if there is anything that I should know, expect, anticipate? The forums have been great to read about others' race experiences, but is there anything that you look back on when remembering your first race and think; "I really wish someone would've told me that"?

Thanks for the link! A lot of the info that I am looking for. I am running the 10k Fifth Third River Bank Run in Grand Rapids, MI, and just want to enjoy the experience and finish, but finishing in under an hour would be nice too!

Good luck - have lots of fun! Oh - take a picture and remember to save your bib number (if you want it - I know lots of runners that keep their first ones as sort of good luck charms - and then I know other runners who are really obsessive and have every single bib number from every race in a box).

Get to the port o potty early !!!!!!!!!!!!

JakeKnight wrote a very useful and very funny list of dos and donts for a first race a long time ago, but I can't find it. Anybody know the one I'm talking about and can provide a link? MTA: I found it!

Don't drink too much the night before. Seriously.

As in, "drinking water" or "drinking alcohol"? (I'm asking seriously!)

Personally I follow the Third JK Rule of Beer Formula, which essentially states that the number of beers permitted the night before a race is inversely proportional to the length of the race (in miles) and directly proportional to the number of hours until race time, with X never < 1. x = # of beers permitted the night before a race. y = length of race z= hours until race begins hours and beers are always rounded up; miles are always rounded down. x is always equal to or greater than 1. for example, if its 5:00 p.m. and you're running a 10-k at 8 the next morning: y = 6 (6.2 rounded down) z = 11 the specific formula is as follows: x = z/y + (10% * z) + 1 thus in our hypothetical: x = 11/6 + (10% * 11) + 1 x = (1.833 + 1.1) + 1 x = 2.933 + 1 = 3.933 so if you begin at dinner time the night before a 10-k, you may have 4 beers. on the other hand, if you're in the hotel bar at midnight before a 7:00 a.m. marathon: x = 7/26 + (10% * 7) + 1 x = 0.269 + 0.7 + 1 = 0.969 + 1 = 2 beers maximum when rounded up ------------------------------------ you're welcome. there is also a formula for post-race beers, but its really complicated, uses imaginary numbers, and the answer is always the same. 1.="" x="#" of="" beers="" permitted="" the="" night="" before="" a="" race.="" y="length" of="" race="" z="hours" until="" race="" begins="" hours="" and="" beers="" are="" always="" rounded="" up;="" miles="" are="" always="" rounded="" down.="" x="" is="" always="" equal="" to="" or="" greater="" than="" 1.="" for="" example,="" if="" its="" 5:00="" p.m.="" and="" you're="" running="" a="" 10-k="" at="" 8="" the="" next="" morning:="" y="6" (6.2="" rounded="" down)="" z="11" the="" specific="" formula="" is="" as="" follows:="" x="Z/Y" +="" (10%="" *="" z)="" +="" 1="" thus="" in="" our="" hypothetical:="" x="11/6" +="" (10%="" *="" 11)="" +="" 1="" x="(1.833" +="" 1.1)="" +="" 1="" x="2.933" +="" 1="3.933" so="" if="" you="" begin="" at="" dinner="" time="" the="" night="" before="" a="" 10-k,="" you="" may="" have="" 4="" beers.="" on="" the="" other="" hand,="" if="" you're="" in="" the="" hotel="" bar="" at="" midnight="" before="" a="" 7:00="" a.m.="" marathon:="" x="7/26" +="" (10%="" *="" 7)="" +="" 1="" x="0.269" +="" 0.7="" +="" 1="0.969" +="" 1="2" beers="" maximum="" when="" rounded="" up="" ------------------------------------="" you're="" welcome.="" there="" is="" also="" a="" formula="" for="" post-race="" beers,="" but="" its="" really="" complicated,="" uses="" imaginary="" numbers,="" and="" the="" answer="" is="" always="" the="" same.=""></ 1. x = # of beers permitted the night before a race. y = length of race z= hours until race begins hours and beers are always rounded up; miles are always rounded down. x is always equal to or greater than 1. for example, if its 5:00 p.m. and you're running a 10-k at 8 the next morning: y = 6 (6.2 rounded down) z = 11 the specific formula is as follows: x = z/y + (10% * z) + 1 thus in our hypothetical: x = 11/6 + (10% * 11) + 1 x = (1.833 + 1.1) + 1 x = 2.933 + 1 = 3.933 so if you begin at dinner time the night before a 10-k, you may have 4 beers. on the other hand, if you're in the hotel bar at midnight before a 7:00 a.m. marathon: x = 7/26 + (10% * 7) + 1 x = 0.269 + 0.7 + 1 = 0.969 + 1 = 2 beers maximum when rounded up ------------------------------------ you're welcome. there is also a formula for post-race beers, but its really complicated, uses imaginary numbers, and the answer is always the same. >

Those formulae are very accurate and extensively researched!

Fixed it for you.