5k....???

This is it, this is the year you have committed to get in shape by running. You have set the goal, made the resolutions and now you are ready to run a marathon.... Ok, let's be serious. A marathon, if you've never run more than 2 miles in your life a marathon this year is going to be quite a challenge (possible to achieve, but very difficult). But never fear, enter the world of 5k's and you are in business. What is so exciting about 5k's? Well they are fairly easy to train for, and they are so very popular, you can usually plan to run more than one a year. So how far is a 5k?... 3.1 miles. Easy as pie right? Well, 5k is a very short distance (compared to a marathon). But a 5k race can still be a great challenge and great way to boost your running confidence. So here are some tips and some reasons why a 5k is your race this year. Ok... Step#1 Pick a race and commit: Find a race, easy to do if you look on www.active.com, then pay for your entry. Now you have a reason to start training. Step#2 Shoes: Your old Nike's from High School PE class are not your ideal shoe to train / run in. So go to your local sporting good store (or better yet, a running store). Try on lots of different shoes, run up and down the aisles (you may get some strange looks, but hey, gotta test the merchandise), talk to the staff (especially at a running store, most people that work in a running store are avid runners), if you are planning on running a few races and are going to be training through "the season" you may want to go more high end for running shoes (probably in the 100- 150$ price range). Step#3 Start Training: So this is where things get tricky, you don't want to "overtrain" (running too much, too fast, too hard, too often), start each run with some stretching (seriously... I can't emphasize this enough, stretch your body will thank you later), start off running at a slow, easy pace, no need to overdo it and burn out too fast, build up to your "race pace". **TIP**- Use something to time your runs, it can be a state of the art Garmin Forerunner (Love this), or a smartphone with GPS (Love this too), or go buy a simple stopwatch, but you need to keep track of time. (I have used all three of these items and they all are simply fantastic, but keep track of your times and your distances, the Garmin and smartphone will do it in a neat electronic data format, but even if you are writing it down in a notebook it still is important. **TIP**- I make notes about each run, weather, time of day, problems I had, etc. This helps you see trends and analyze your runs for tweaking and adjustments. **TIP**- I highly recommend using a training guide if you are new to running, or it has been awhile, you can google "5k training plans" and you will probably have well over 100, 000 links to choose from. Or once again ask for help from your local running shop, or post a comment on this blog, or email (familyfitnessforlife@gmail.com). Step#4: Keep Running: There may be some discouraging times in your training, you may have some physical struggles, you may want to quit, you may just say " I don't have time". My suggestion: Keep Running!, you can make time ( I am a man and therefore can run pretty safely in the dark without fear of being attacked, so I have run on many dark and cold evenings, and have "made the time", if you are a woman use some common sense and run in a safe, bright environment. (Not being sexist here but I know that female runners are a very targeted group), keep running when you feel like you aren't getting any better, or faster, you will improve just be patient). Step#5 Plan for your Race: If your race is in the morning (most likely it is), then try to run some training runs at the same time of the day, figure out how full you want your stomach to be, how much water you want to consume the night before and right before the race (taking a potty break during a race is no fun, just sayin'). Step#6 Hydrate: If your not hydrated correctly you will cramp, you will be miserable, and you won't want to run, drink plenty of water. And don't wait to hydrate yourself the night before a race, true hydration takes a much longer time (think weeks, not hours).

****RACE DAY**** Get there on time, most every race has some sort of Pre-Race check in, these are usually a bit chaotic, so get there early. Make sure any gadgets you are using are charged (Garmin, HR Monitor, mp3 player, etc.) Find your spot in the starting line (faster runners are usually at the front, slower usually at the back), **TIP**- If you don't know where you fall in pace time (fast or slow) then just go to the middle, once the race starts you can either speed up or slow down accordingly. Finally, stretch (once again- emphasis on this one), then on your mark, get set, GO!!!!!! (Smile, have fun, and run!!!) This is what you have trained for and set out to do, enjoy every minute and it will be over before you know it.