Running a 5K next weekend . . . tips please!

I love running 5K's. First, what do you usually run the distance in/what's your pace? The reason I ask this: If you are pretty fast, don't put yourself in the back - you will be weaving in and out of people, which take a lot of energy. Also, I wear headphones because I am musically motivated. I have a playlist of my favorite upbeat songs, the fast beat helps me keep moving faster. Plus, it drowns out the other "noise" and I can concentrate on my race. Also, Monday or Tuesday run a 4 or 5 mile run, then start tapering by Wednesday to 1-2 miles.

As for food - eat clean. A little tip, there are foods such as spinach and beets that have an element in them called nitric oxide, which has been shown in studies to help athletes perform better. Theses are natural foods and I once did a triathalon where I ate a spinach salad the night before and eggs with spinach race day and I felt the best in this race.

Good luck!

I just ran my first last month!! You'll have so much fun...I'm already looking for more to sign up for!
What I can tell you is to eat something light...I had an apple and a little bit of Gatorade. The friend I ran with didn't eat anything because he was afraid he would feel sick...he was very hungry and tired out faster than I did! Your body needs something to run on, even if it's just an apple!

*Arrive early enough to navigate the area, especially if it's a large event. Sometimes parking, walking to the course, packet pickup, and starting line location can take some time!
*I generally try to find a starting spot in the middle. The very front are fasties and the very back are walkers.
*Drink plenty of water the day before and the morning of. I enjoy a coconut water before a run. I generally have 2 hardboiled eggs and a Cliff bar for breakfast. I normally bring a banana for afterwards, although a lot of the 5ks I've done have provided bananas. (I ate terrible, greasy, but delicious pizza the night before a run a while ago and felt TERRIBLE during. NEVER AGAIN!)
*I also feel that my iPod is a must. I've learned that music definitely keeps me motivated... and makes me deaf to the strange noises people make while running. :-)
Good luck! Have fun!

I eat oatmeal cooked in milk with apples and walnuts on race day. ANd I make sure to drink lots of water that week. You cannot get hydrated the night before the race if you are already dehydrated. A second the banana after the run. It seems to help treat/prevent cramps. I run 5ks at about a minute thirty faster than my normal jogging pace, so I need to help the body recover.

If there are water stations made available, skip the first one. It will be crowded with people and that will slow you down. If you absolutely need water during it, stop at the second or third station to save on time.

Bring a friend with you to cheer you on! It is great having someone waiting for you at the finish line or somewhere in the middle to keep you motivated.

I love 5K's (I'm addicted to them). I'm excited you are running your first one. Enjoy it!

You might want to make sure you don't start too quick, but for a 5k there's really not a ton you need to differently from what you're doing now.

Let me start this long list with, my dad's family is all long distance cross-country runners and we do a 10k every year as a family and this is what they taught me.

Put your bib on the front and your time tag (if you have one) on your shoe, and do these before you leave the house to make sure you have enough safety pins/ have scissors, etc. (My husband has to remind me of this every time because I ALWAYS leave without scissors, which is why I mention it. )

I always make sure to pee before I start because I get so excited. So I try to get there about 45 minutes early so I can find the start and parking and the nearest porto-let. There are usually potties on course, but they usually have lines, so it will kill your time.

Getting back to your car will undoubtedly be difficult, so make sure to bring things you might need with you, like your ID (for beer or if you're my fam, the medical tent), credit card/cash (for goodies afterward, I love a good slurpee post/during race).

If you can, drive the course the day before. Pay attention to the ups and downs. Be ready to lengthen your stride on the downhill and shorten it on the uphill. Being familiar with your course will help you keep from getting injured. On the inside of the corners and the uphill, it WILL get packed with people, so you might decide to take the outside of the corners just to not get caught in the craziness. Yes, this will "add to your time" but it's seriously a few extra feet, and getting hurt in the craziness is NOT worth it. People will try to cut around you on corners and on hills, it's best just to avoid the crowd.

When there are water stations, use them. You might not want to suck down a whole cup, so throwing it on you to keep cool is also an option. Just always use it. They're set up at certain places for a reason.

Do your normal routine this week. Don't taper on your first race. If you change it up and run more than your used to, your muscles might need more time than you have to replenish. If you go too much under, you might be sore to run as much as you're going to. You'll want to be comfortable and you will have some adrenaline to make you go faster, so just do what you're comfortable with.

Eat light the night before. If you're going to carbo load, do it lunch the day before or dinner two nights before, but since it's only 3 miles and you're used to it, I wouldn't carbo load at all. DO eat a little something for breakfast. I personally love honey sticks for early morning. They're pretty much instant energy, they taste good, and they're only 15 cals, so you get energy, but don't feel weighed down or hungry. 1-2 are enough for a 3 mile race. Also, caffeine has been proven to increase performance, so if you usually have a coffee in the morning, DO IT!

Most importantly, HAVE FUN and stay safe and hydrated!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!