Advice for a 1st time 5K-er?

rockabillydarlin
rockabillydarlin Posts: 240 Member
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all! I'm running my first 5K this Sunday (eek!). I feel pretty ready; I'm not afraid of the work. I used to be very active in high school and played sports year-round. However, I've never run a race before and was wondering if anyone had tips for the night before and morning of... even afterward too! What foods do you suggest eating? Do you do any physical activity the day before? I was thinking of taking a walk the evening before just to keep loose and relaxed. What do you have for breakfast?

Thanks for any tips and hopefully this will be the first of many 5Ks for me!

Replies

  • mjones634
    mjones634 Posts: 1
    Congratulations in advance on completing your first 5k! My advice:

    - Lay your clothes out the night before, you don't want to have to worry about forgetting anything the morning of the race
    - Get plenty of sleep Friday night since you will most likely be a little nervous Saturday night. Don't worry if you don't sleep well Saturday night, you'll be fine as long as you're well rested from the rest of the week.
    - For breakfast, you'll want carbs - something that won't upset your stomach (don't try anything new in the days before your race, either). I usually go with cereal and a banana and I have to have my coffee!
    - Stay hydrated, especially the day before. But don't drink TOO much water the morning of the race... you don't want to be stuck waiting for the porta potty! (The lines are usually long at races for porta potties!)
    - As far as activity, a walk would be good for the day before. I usually go for a little jog the day before, depending on the race. Just don't do any workout that will leave you feeling sore or tired. It is a good idea to loosen up a little bit though.
    - Go for a warm up jog before the race. You'll see a lot of runners taking short jogs to loosen their muscles up.
    - Get to the race early! Depending on the race, it could take extra time to find parking, etc.
    - Most importantly, have fun!! Focus on how your hard work has paid off for you!

    I ran my first 5K a little over a year ago and I will be running my first half marathon this Sunday, so I remember exactly how you feel! Best of luck to you, you'll do great!
  • tay_913
    tay_913 Posts: 71 Member
    Bump! Doing my 1st 5k on July 2nd!
  • overit
    overit Posts: 273
    I would love to hear this advice as well! i am running my first 5k on Saturday. Good luck with yours!
  • fthoodbaby
    fthoodbaby Posts: 52 Member
    I usually have my coffee when I get up as usual. Then I eat peanut butter and banana or something w/some protein. Last week when I ran a 5K, I had an egg sandwich for breakfast. I don't eat a lot and I don't eat too close to starting time becuase it makes me sick to my stomach if it's to close to running time. However, in the past I have run w/out eating and I get tired a lot quicker when I eat nothing before running. Also, I do not run for two days before the race but I do walk on those days.

    Good luck!!
  • bunnysone
    bunnysone Posts: 486 Member
    OK - the NUMBER ONE advice is - HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THE DAY!

    5k isnt REALLY that far - with all the commotion and cheering around you from other competitors it will seem over very quickly, so make the most of it!

    Dont change anything about what you are doing now. Dont have new food for breakfast or the night before, dont wear new clothes you havent trained in, especially shoes! Your body is used to what you are doing, keep it that way. GOLDEN RULE of running an event is dont try anything new the night before or on the day!! Only try new things in training.

    A walk the day before is fine, keep the exercise to a minimum though. I usually have a banana before I run if it is within an hour of starting, but light breakfast is ok as long as you have some time to digest it. DRINK LOTS OF WATER the day before, and AFTER the race.

    But dont be too stressed about the right eating plan for you - your body will cope with 5km just fine without worrying about extra protein at the end or carb loadng or anything like that - when you get to much longer runs that is something you can worry about!!

    Good luck on Sunday - I've done it too and it is an AMAZING feeling when you finish - you will spend the next 24 hours scouring to find the SECOND race to sign up for - trust me!!!

    Happy to help where I can :) - I'm training for a half xx
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    There's no need to do anything different food-wise the day before or morning of, other than making sure it's nothing that will sit funny. I like a light breakfast with some protein, like an English muffing or toast with peanut butter. Have a good amount of fluid, but not so much that you'll need to pee halfway through the race. Although that *is* great motivation to finish faster.

    Personally, I get wicked thirsty when I run, so I like keeping jelly beans or fruity tootsie rolls in my pocket to nibble. Keeps me from feeling parched. (Note to self: Go stock up on jelly beans while they're on clearance!)

    Take it easy the day before. I need to do some kind of exercise or I feel too jittery, plus I like eating my exercise calories and would feel hungry if I didn't have them. But I won't run the day before.

    If the race allows mp3 players, load it up with kickass songs that'll keep you moving. When I get tired running, I tune into the music and pretend I'm dancing. :smile:

    Most of all... relax, take it easy, and enjoy setting a personal record!
  • rockabillydarlin
    rockabillydarlin Posts: 240 Member
    Thank you everyone for the great tips and encouragement! The race is at 10am and I tend to feel sick if I don't have breakfast, so I really appreciate the food suggestions. Unfortunately we're not allowed headphones but there are four people I know who signed up for the race too so we're all going to pump each other up lol. I can't wait.

    Also, congrats and good luck to all of you bad *kitten* running the half marathons! I'll get there some day! ;)
  • exercisarah
    exercisarah Posts: 37
    Honestly, you don't really need to switch much up food-wise. just do what's worked for you before, you'll be more comfortable that way. Also, a 5k is a pretty short race, so you don't really need to "carb up" too much. You should have a good amount of carbs before your race, but no need to have excessive amounts. I recommend drinking coffee before your race - it will wake you up, and research has been linked to coffee to improve athletic performance (it works for me anyway!) best of luck!
  • bbbbb33333
    bbbbb33333 Posts: 1,107 Member
    Don't start off too fast. With all the adreneline running through your body, you will be ready to run and the tendency is to run faster than you can substain for the whole run. I run 1 or 2 10Ks every year. You always see a few people blow by you just to be stalled walking, holding their side a few blocks down the road. Just keep your normal pace... or just a little faster.
  • miovlb6
    miovlb6 Posts: 339 Member
    If the race allows mp3 players, load it up with kickass songs that'll keep you moving.
    Some races don't allow headphones? That's terrible! I'm running my first 5k Thursday and I didn't even think of that. I have never run without music or an audiobook to keep my mind occupied. I need to look into my race now to see if they allow them or not. *fingers crossed*
  • monoxidechick
    monoxidechick Posts: 339
    Congrats and way to go!! I will be running my first 5K on June 11th, i just signed up today. I am on week 4 of C25K so I am still worried that I wont even be able to run that far. This is a great question and I look forward to reading all of the suggestions. :flowerforyou:
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
    Don't start off too fast. With all the adreneline running through your body, you will be ready to run and the tendency is to run faster than you can substain for the whole run. I run 1 or 2 10Ks every year. You always see a few people blow by you just to be stalled walking, holding their side a few blocks down the road. Just keep your normal pace... or just a little faster.

    Ditto - this is one of the biggest mistakes newbie runners make, and they can't maintain the faster pace the whole way - once you hit that wall, you're in trouble. The best strategy is to start off slow, even slower than your target race pace, then pick it up if your feeling good later in the race - I usually speed up for the last mile, because then I know I've made it 2/3 of the way, and I have a good idea of how much I have left in reserve. You'll start passing all of those people who started out too fast, too - that's always fun :-)

    Oh, and good luck and have fun!
  • Ree_Chatelain
    Ree_Chatelain Posts: 229 Member
    I did a 10K this past Saturday. Everyone has posted such great advise. The only think that I can add is don't forget your music (i did) and after have some poweraid or gatoraid, something to replinish your electrolytes. I just drank water and ended up getting kind of dehydrated. I felt almost hung over but without the headache. After a carb meal and some drinks I was good.

    Have a great time. Let us know how you do.
  • BobbyDaniel
    BobbyDaniel Posts: 1,459 Member
    I wouldn't do anything more than a nice walk the night before, make sure your legs are fresh. Have a small breakfast before the race, about an hour ahead...I usually have a banana and/or a protein energy bar. Run your race, consider starting in the back so that you don't get caught up in the mad dash at the start, and then work on finishing your own race and not someone else's. And have a great time, make sure you celebrate your success! Have fun!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Most importantly... come back and post about it when you're done! :happy:
  • Kath712
    Kath712 Posts: 1,263 Member
    Good luck on Sunday - I've done it too and it is an AMAZING feeling when you finish - you will spend the next 24 hours scouring to find the SECOND race to sign up for - trust me!!!

    I ran my first 5K on Saturday. You've gotten great advice from the above posters - no need to "carb load," take it easy the day before, eat your regular breakfast, etc. I had a banana and a bowl of instant oatmeal with my usual tea that morning. I made sure I ate at least an hour and a half before the race, so I was well digested.

    You really do get caught up in the excitement and energy at the race. I had no idea what it was like until I got there. Even on a cold rainy morning, the energy was contagious. And yes, when you are done, you will feel ON TOP OF THE WORLD! My excitement lasted me the rest of the day, and I signed up for my second race that afternoon. Guess I'm hooked!

    Good luck and enjoy it! Let us know how it goes!
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