race tips

Is one of your goals this year to run a race? Here's why you should sign up for one ASAP!

1. To test the waters: You don't have to convince yourself to sign up for a marathon; there are many smaller races that will give you the sense of accomplishment and help you decide if running is for you. 5K races, for example, are great for new and experienced runners alike; even if you've clocked longer races under your belt, 5Ks are a great way to test your speed and improve on your time. If you're new to running, five kilometers (or 3.1 miles) is the perfect distance to tackle as a beginner. If you're new to 5Ks, here's a 5K training plan for beginners.
2. To stick to your goals: If you're like most of us, your New Year's resolutions include a new (or better) fitness regimen. Signing up for a race now will help you not become a member of the broken resolutions club. After you sign up for a race, look for a running club to join; training for a race with newfound friends will further ensure that you stay motivated and on track.
3. No last-minute diet plans: Sign up for a late-spring marathon now and you'll have ample time to start a four-month marathon-training plan. Committing now will help you finish your race like you want to, but will also help you stay ahead of the game when it's bikini weather; you won't have to resort to last-minute diets and crazy fitness regimens when Summer rolls around.

You've stuck to your race training plan and counted down the days, and now your big marathon (or half) is here. Here's what to do in the final hours before the starting gun to ensure you have a happy race day.

The night-before routine: Now's not the time stress about the whether or not you've trained enough for your race. Relax, eat a big, familiar carb-heavy dinner (hello, pasta!), drink lots of water, and make sure you go to bed early so you get enough sleep. It's also a good idea to stay off of your feet; now's not the time to to do a walking tour of the city you're in!

The race-day outfit: By now, you should have figured out what clothes you feel most comfortable in during a long run. Most importantly, don't run in new gear — you could be met with unexpected chafing and discomfort. Same goes for your shoes: stick with a pair that you know will still feel great once you've racked up the miles. If the weather is chilly, you may want take this pro tip: dress in layers and ditch the outer ones in a trash bag before you start.

The morning of: What you eat before a race depends largely on your own body. Again, go for something familiar that is high in protein and will keep you energized and full. A bowl of oatmeal or a protein shake a couple of hours before helps ensure your stomach will stay happy and full throughout the race. For more advice on what to eat before, during, and after your big race, read these tips from Olympic marathoner Ryan Hall.

The extras: Print and test directions before your big day so you know exactly where you're going and the parking or public transportation situation — you don't want to be late the morning of. Make sure you have Gu, gels, chews, or gummies with you to help keep your energy up throughout the race.

Once you've crossed the finish line, congratulations are in order — as are these tips for recovering from an endurance race.

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

You've signed up, you've logged the training miles and race day is almost here! Taking on a 5K can be both an exciting and nerve-wracking experience. Here, find the best tips when it comes to running for beginners. These will help you maximize the enjoyment out there — and make your first race fun, fast and stress-free.

• Get Your Z's Two Nights Before. Pre-race jitters tend to strike the night before the race, interrupting your sleep. When it comes to running for beginners or even experienced racers, trust that this is normal and will not influence your race. Prepare yourself instead by getting quality sleep two nights before the race and taking that day completely off from any activity.
• Keep It Light. During race week, your running mileage should decrease. At this point, your training is really about "storing up" rest so your legs are ready on race day. During the week, include two to three short runs with a few, small pick ups — short, snappy segments that get your legs moving faster and prepare you for the faster tempo of the race — to keep your legs fresh. Two days out from the race, take a day off for total rest. The day before the race, do a short (20-minute) run with up to five pick ups under 45 seconds to sharpen your legs.

See seven more race-day tips after the break!

Brad Pitt "married" into kids. Kate Middleton is about to marry into royalty. Me? I married into athleticism. My in-laws treat their vacation like a weight-loss camp. They don't need to lose weight, and they don't impose their lifestyle on anyone else, but you can't help but catch the fitness fever in their presence. My brother-in-law Jim, age 32, is no exception to the rule. A jock his whole life, it was no surprise to us when he decided to tackle a half ironman race with little training behind him. He finished the triathlon, but it wasn't without its challenges . . . and big ones at that. As a novice, he learned a few tough lessons that made his journey an uphill battle. After completing his first race, he took his lessons learned and used them just a month later as he conquered his second half ironman in a much smarter and quicker fashion.

The lessons learned:

• Read the rules. Skimming doesn't count. He wore his iPod Shuffle and was later told it was a rule that he couldn't wear ear buds during the race. He ended up tossing it to the side of the road never to be seen again.
• Early bird gets the worm! Even though you may think you are prepared the night before, it's a good thing to wake up earlier than necessary. It will give you time to deal with potential disasters and if nothing else, relax!
• Map it out. Know where to be and when to be there the night before. When the race kicks off before the break of dawn, it's good to know what goes where before the adrenaline kicks in. The biggest concern you should have in the morning is getting to the starting line as even that can be a challenge sometimes.
• Practice your transitions. As organized as he might have been, Jim accidentally left his biking shoes in his running bag. His plan was to put the bike shoes into the bike bag when he got to the race. Instead, he left them in the original bag and had to bike the entire 66 miles barefoot! Do a dry run of the transitions so you won't be surprised when it's go time.
• Do your homework. Attend the pre-race briefing so you know all the facts before starting the race. Small nuances or rule changes may be announced, and you may even learn a few pointers to help you tighten up your finish time.
• Eat up. One of the things Jim did right was to eat well before the race. It is important to test yourself with different foods prior to the competition so you know what to feed your body during the actual event.

Do you have any lessons you can add to the list?

Back in January, many of you wrote that running in longer races was one of your fitness goals in our Get Fit For 2010 community group and contest. Hopefully you signed up for a race, and are steadily training and staying injury free. The magazine Outside shared some training tips for newbie marathoners, and I'm going to share them with you.

• First things first, the magazine suggest you "go for a run." Easy to do. Lace up your sneaks and go. Check!
• The second suggestion is the same as the first. Endurance, like Rome, isn't built in a day.
• Now "hit the brakes," says Outside: "If running feels hard, you're going too fast." Going slow helps avoid injuries.

For more helpful tips, keep on reading.

If you're training for your first triathlon, I hope you're having fun mixing up your cardio while training. It's fun to bike one day and swim hard the next. Unfortunately when actually at the race, you have to do all the events back-to-back, and they all require different gear. The transitions can be nerve-wracking. That is why I like to think of tries as three-act plays with two quick costume changes. Just like life in the theater, or on the set of Deseperate Housewives, you need to rehearse those transitions. Going through the peeling off of a wetsuit to slipping socks onto wet feet is important for a couple of reasons: One, practicing will decrease the anxiety-inducing unknowns — being more familiar with the struggles of tying your shoes while sucking down some sports goo will help you stay calm. Two, while practice doesn't make perfect, these mini-rehearsals will help you solve many problems ahead of time, ensuring that you don't forget important equipment prior to the race.

If you're training for a race be sure to join the Race Day Training Group to share your training tips, racing fears, and moments of glory.