It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.
Muhammad Ali
It’s always the little things in life that we forget to keep an eye on that keep us from reaching our potential. Whether you’re an experienced runner or are completely new to running, preparation is key. Running a 5k is a great way to challenge ourselves and to explore our abilities. It’s also a form of meditation and a way to have fun! Before you head out to chase that finish line, read our five tips you need to know before running your 5k:
1. Sleep, Sleep, and More Sleep
We often think that, in order to be better, we must train as hard as we can without stopping. We need to stop glorifying burnout. We are humans, and we need quality rest to be completely ready to do any activity our body or mind requires. Even professional athletes rely on sleep for peak performance. Before your 5k, make sure you get uninterrupted quality sleep in the nights leading up to your race to relax your body and energize your mind.
2. Refining Your Nutrition Habits
Your body needs fuel! A 5k is challenging, and if you play your cards right by keeping it simple, you’ll be thanking yourself when you cross that finish line. A good breakfast before your run is essential, and by eating something high energy and easily digestible 2 hours before your race, you’ll be feeling great while you’re booking it to the finish line! It’s important to drink water and stay hydrated before your race. This tip will make your final push at the end of the race as smooth as it can be!
3. Pacing Yourself
Time is your friend in a 5k, not your enemy. Your practice, your habits, and all your hard work did not grow overnight. So why rush your potential in a race? Listen to your body and develop your pace by starting conservatively. It is easier to go all out towards the end of the race, rather than starting it off too fast and burning out. Starting slower will give your body time to release race-stress and ease into the long road ahead of you. Trust the process and your body and mind will follow.
4. Warming Up Effectively
There’s warming up and then there’s warming up effectively. We see runners all the time cramp up or pull a muscle by overstretching or under-preparing their bodies before take-off. Our blueprint for warming up effectively starts about 25 minutes before the start of the race. Start with a 10-minute slow jog and begin to build that pace for 5 minutes. Include up to five short pick ups under 30 seconds at race pace to get a good feel for what’s ahead. Now that your body has warmed up, lightly stretch any tight muscles you may feel.
5. Staying Positive
When it’s finally time to get going and you’re moments away from starting your race, take a deep breath. Remind yourself of why you have prepared for this, and what it means to you. This is YOUR race, and the only person you are trying to beat is the person you were days ago. Improvement will guide you to success and happiness, and vice versa. So be positive before, during, and after your race, because when things get tough, your positive mantra will give you that second wind to push on and complete your race in style!
You think you’re ready? Great! We’ve got a challenge for you that’s both a great opportunity to challenge yourself and an opportunity to do some greater good: the Edward Taylor Coombs Foundation’s Virtual 5k is open from May 16-30. The event takes place over two weeks and gives you an opportunity to run wherever you are and at your own pace, while bringing our community together to honor the memory of Edward Taylor Coombs and pledge to, in his name, support a culture shift toward responsible decision making for teens and young adults.
For more information and to register, click here.
