racing tips

You've been running regularly for some time and have completed a few 5K fun runs. But now it's time to step it up and take this distance seriously. Here are some tips to help you beat your personal record when running 3.1 miles.

During Training

• Add speedwork: If you want to run a faster 5K, then you have to practice running faster. Coach Andrew Kastor recommends adding 80-meter sprints into your training schedule, and here's his plan for running a faster 5K in four weeks. Remember: sprinting can be hard on the body, so make sure to start off with shorter sprints and build up to the full 80 meters, especially if you're new to speedwork.
• Add short uphills: Hills require strength and endurance, so if you practice them during your training, then you'll develop speed and muscle power, and just as with plyometrics (jump exercises), hill sprints will increase flexibility in your muscles and tendons, which reduces your risk of injury. In your training, tackle shorter steep hills (about 6 to 10 percent incline). Sprint up for 10 seconds, and then walk downhill backward to avoid pressure on the knees. Repeat, eventually building up to eight 10-second sprints. It's a surefire way to stronger, faster legs.
• Incorporate strength-training moves that target your shins, calves, quads, glutes, and core: Running alone won't increase your speed. You need to strengthen the muscles that make you move so your actions will be more powerful and more efficient. Incorporate variations of squats, lunges, step-ups, calf raises, bent over rows, and these three booty moves from celebrity trainer David Kirsch.
• Become familiar with the route: Obtain a map of the 5K course, and if the route is open (like in a neighborhood or wooded trail), then practice running it to familiarize yourself with the hills, curves, and mile markers. Knowing the course in advance will give you confidence and an added advantage over runners who are tackling it for the first time.

Keep reading to find out what to do on race day to run a faster 5K.

Last Sunday in (usually) sunny San Diego, I raced the SheRox Triathlon, compliments of race sponsor Toyota. Unfortunately, the sun did not make an appearance on race day, but heavy mist did. While a light drizzle is inconsequential during a swim and can be downright refreshing on a run, wet roads are not the safest for slick-tired road bikes. Rainy conditions do not mean you need to abandon biking altogether, but you do need to be a bit more cautious on the road whether you're cycling to work or tackling a tri.

Here are four ways to play it safe on two wheels when the roads are wet.

Lower your tire pressure: When riding on wet, slick roads, you want to decrease the pressure in your tires. Road bike tires are usually pumped to just below 120 psi (pounds per square inch), but lowering the air pressure will allow the tire to make more contact with the road, which gives you more traction on wet surfaces. Professional triathlete Sarah Haskins suggests decreasing your tire pressure to as low as 100 psi. The Liv/giant support team suggests going five to 10 psi under normal pressure.

Feather your brakes: When the roads are wet, hitting your brakes hard is a bad idea and can lead to skidding out. Use the technique know as feathering, where you lightly and quickly apply the brakes repeatedly to slow down. It is especially important to slow down well before curves and turns when the pavement is slick to prevent the bike from sliding out from under you, so feather early and often.

Avoid the paint: The support team from Liv/giant pointed out that anything painted on the pavement, from traffic lines to turn arrows, will be extra slick when wet. The bright paint should be easy to spot and equally easy to avoid. Hitting your brakes on the paint is also not recommended.

Reduce your speed: This tip might be obvious, but for all the speed demons out there, here is a reminder: when the roads are wet, no matter if you're commuting to work or competing in a race, taking your ride a bit slower is much safer. It can be a difficult to back off your intended race pace, but in a tri, just hit the running section a little harder to make up for your slightly cautious cycling.

I am happier when I workout, but I often seem to forget this fact and need a little outside motivation to get my sweat on. This is why I sign up for races. They provide set goals and a training plan — I love a schedule. If you're the same way, whether you're competing in a triathlon or a half or whole marathon, I have a little tip: use your long workouts as dress rehearsals. Wear the clothes, down to the socks, that you plan to wear on race day. This way you'll know what works and what rubs. Make sure to test your nutritional regimen, too, from the premeal dinner, prerace breakfast, to sports chews for during the race. Race days tend to be a little bit crazy and your adrenaline will likely be pumping. Having put your gear through trial runs, you can focus on making it to the finish line rather than futzing with your new shorts.

Share your training tips in the comments section below!