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    you don't need to carb load for a 5k & other running wisdom

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    • Posts: 6,423 Member
      Oh..one more thing..never ever EVER lose to anyone in fancy dress!!

      Hehehe, the thing I was most proud of in my first (only so far) half marathon is that I overtook and finished before the young guy in a bear suit (complete with giant foam head!).

      I haven't read every page - so if it hasn't been already stated, here's my advice:

      - thank the volunteers who are handing you water and stopping cars for you. Your race wouldn't happen without them.
      - don't try out new socks or undies on race day
      - run even when you don't feel like it.
      - enjoy!
    • Posts: 14,776 Member
      I almost skipped this thread because I'm not a "serious" runner. Glad I didn't. Thanks all!
    • Posts: 251 Member
      bump for later ..... great tips.
    • Posts: 226 Member
      I buy every running magazine and book I can get my hands on. So far they all say be careful with ibuprophen before a long run. And, no, running is not hard on the joints. Quite the contrary, running strengthens joints,bones and builds muscle. Keep running!
    • Posts: 31
      Bumpo
    • Posts: 617 Member
      bump
    • Posts: 781 Member
      Bumpity bump.
    • Posts: 1,011 Member
      - if you run on the streets, always run facing traffic so you can see cars coming at you (I see way too many people running with their backs to traffic, wearing black while listening to music...)

      way too much
    • Posts: 775 Member
      - Don't stop running over the winter months. You can run in all kinds of weather! (I learned this too after several non-running winters.)


      I live in an area where the weather gets down to -40... and the sidewalks/roads can be slippery, I'm afraid of falling due to this, therefore I think running inside on a treadmill is safer.. haha..
    • Posts: 102 Member
      Thanks for this post.......I run on the weekends and have completed a few 5ks but I am now training for my first half marathon. Running on a regular basis has changed my life. These tips are great for new runners! Wish me luck--April will be here before I know it
    • Posts: 203 Member
      Bump, half for the info, half for laughs!
    • Posts: 12 Member
      bump
    • Posts: 64 Member
      Force yourself to do hill sprints once a week, even if you only do a couple it will make a massive difference to your training. When you're in a race and you're overtaking everyone on the hills you'll feel like a champ.

      Cross train to prevent injury, squats and planks are great for building strength.

      It doesn't matter how slow you go, you're still going faster than everyone at home on the couch.
    • Posts: 184 Member
      i am so glad that I came across this thread. I am doing my first 5K in June. The foam run. So many great tips here for me!
    • Posts: 185
      show previous quotes

      I LOVE that one! I want to cheer every time I see a new runner out.

      LOVE IT!! I cheer people on too! ;)
    • Posts: 142 Member
      bump
    • Posts: 987 Member
      show previous quotes

      "Joggers" are runners with inferiority complexes. If you can go faster than a walk, you are a runner. Now go work on being a better runner!

      Thank you for that. I run like heard of speeding turtles. Bt you know what, me and my 15 minute mile are out there doing it!
    • Posts: 27,167 Member
      So many great comments. Love the suggestion to thank the volunteers. I am a race director and can't begin to explain how important volunteers are. I thank everyone I come in contact with.

      Do not take ibuprofen before a run (on the advice of he head of our running club who is also a doctor)
      - running is not "hard on your joints"
      - with a little practice you can fire snot rockets like a pro
      - Under Armour compression shirts will prevent bloody nipples
      - buy the gaudiest coloured running jacket you can find (preferably fluorescent green or yellow) with lots of reflective stripes if you run in poor visibility conditions
      - buy a LED headlight to go with your gaudy jacket for running when it's dark

      Ha. See my avatar. I've a number of people comment on it when I was wearing it not running on how visible it was. I said yeah, that's the point.

      That's one of my big pieces of advice - be visible!

      ETA - oh and the first mile or two are always the hardest.
    • Posts: 48 Member
      This thread has seriously given me the boost I needed. Have been starting to dread my runs because they've become discouraging (can't seem to break 8 miles, a mental barrier I know) but I really feel a little better now!! :)
    • Posts: 226 Member
      My two cents:

      If you'e interested in truly improving times/performance, incorporate hill reps or speed workouts. I like (and by that, I mean like/hate) the 200s for sprint workouts.

      Give yourself a rest when needed, even if it means rearranging your scheduled workouts. I found that when I occasionally skipped a run in favour of a nap but made sure to run the next day, my performance was good.

      GET OFF THE TREADMILL. Do as many of your workouts outdoors as possible. Your stride will be longer and the time will go faster.

      You do not need a waterbottle, Gatorade or Gu for your 5-10ks. Hell, I ran my first HM without even stopping at a water station once. (Not necessarily recommended, but my point is that I survived AND ran about 10 minutes faster than my final race distance training run).

      Don't feel guilty for bad runs. Running sucks sometimes, especially when you're thrown into a new situation (see: going from road running to trail running). It can make you feel slow and out of shape. Still, just because you had to walk a few hundred meters or had a killer cramp doesn't mean you are a bad runner.
    • Posts: 27,167 Member
      Okay, one more - I am on the committee for our local marathon and a race director for a smaller 5/10k race.
      nowadays big sponsored runs are really popular. They have a lot to offer, great swag, lots of excitement, instant timing but there are still a lot of smaller, grassroots races out there. Enjoy them both for what they are. Both have benefits, everyone has their preference. But if you do choose a smaller race, keep in mind you can't compare.
      We really don't have a lot of big races around here. Most are the smaller races, less than 100 runners that depend on local donations for swag (and race fees are much smaller). Chip timing is expensive and not always available. Swag, insurance, entertainment, water stops and post race food cost money. In some places, police cost money to be there (my favorite triathlon requires you to actually stop during the bike portion because they can't afford the uniformed officer required to direct traffic at the intersection)
      Don't expect a big race experience from a small/inexpensive race.


      Planning a race is really hard. Especially when you or the race is new. Routes arent always easy to find. You would be amazed at the red tape behind being allowed to use some Roads. To find a good course, that is easy (we get a lot of criticism for difficult courses unless you bill yourself as that), that is interesting, managable, safe and that you are allowed to use is really not as easy as one would think. Dont forget, you need to have a suitable start/end point as well. And as hard as organizers try there will be hiccups. There may be two dozen problems that get handled without you being aware but some glitches are inevitable. We had the local company mix up our order and not reliever the porta potties the day of our local marathon. Good luck getting ahold of someone late Saturday or early Sunday for porta potties.

      Feedback is always welcome. Constructive criticism is definitely welcome.
    • Posts: 572 Member
      show previous quotes

      "Joggers" are runners with inferiority complexes. If you can go faster than a walk, you are a runner. Now go work on being a better runner!


      what if you run at the same speed you walk?????
    • Posts: 27,167 Member
      Duplicate post.
    • Posts: 27,167 Member
      show previous quotes


      what if you run at the same speed you walk?????

      If both feet are off the ground at the same time, you are running. Walking is one foot on the ground at all times.
      Speed is not a dictator.


      I was once passed by a speed walker in a race. True story. I was running, he was walking.
    • Posts: 6,550 Member
      Bump! Love this thread :love:
    • Posts: 15
      I especially love this. I know I look ridiculous out there, but this made me smile.
    • Posts: 124 Member
      Wow. Lots of great words of advice. Thanks everyone.
    • Posts: 333 Member
      show previous quotes


      I live in an area where the weather gets down to -40... and the sidewalks/roads can be slippery, I'm afraid of falling due to this, therefore I think running inside on a treadmill is safer.. haha..



      Same here. Weather is 100% a reason not to run outside sometimes. When its -40 and there is a frostbite warning of 5 minutes (meaning if you are outside for more then 5 mins, expect frozen flesh) and there is so much fresh snow that cars can't stay on the road, its not a safe place to be.
    • Posts: 333 Member
      show previous quotes

      :laugh: Damn you, I already have a slight bear phobia! Not around here, black bears in this part of the country are usually docile, but as I've considered moving out to grizzly country, I had planned to carry bear spray. But not in hopes of attracting bears who like their food spicy!


      LOL! Our bears aren't docile....we have the fur of one that was rather nasty hanging on our living room wall. (sorry vegans) Make sure if you use bear spray, you don't accidently spray yourself in the face, I hear its incredibly painful lol. And we carry whistles when we hike....they aren't a fan of loud noises.

      We also have mean moose that run around town in winter lol. They are scarier then the bears.


      And I LOVE this thread, so many great tips!
    • Posts: 631 Member
      No matter how good/bad I'm feeling, I always feel better after a run.
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