4 Tips to Prepare for a 5K Race

So, you are looking for more ways to keep your heart healthy and enjoy the outdoors. The thought of entering some local 5K races then enters your head. Can you do it, though? Or will you pass out and flop to the ground after running just 300 yards?

Ultimately, it takes practice to be a successful runner, but there are some tips you can follow right away to have a better chance of making it to the finish unharmed.

Here are things to consider before you start your race:

PRE-RACE RUN!
Yes, a pre-race run! I know what most people think when they hear this advice. Why would you want to waste some of your energy before the race even starts? What a crazy and bizarre idea! Hear me out, though! Running for about 7-10 minutes before the race will ensure that your body is 100% warmed up and ready to go! Plus, another huge factor to think about is that the first 5-7 minutes are often the toughest minutes of the entire race for many of us. Sure, the first 30 seconds is easy, but then reality starts to set in very quickly after you have only run for about 100 yards. You quickly start breathing harder and the legs start feeling tighter. This moment of discomfort eventually fades as your body gets in a rhythm later on, but why go through that? If you run the 7-10 minute pre-race run, those aforementioned feelings of tightness and hard-breathing will be taken care of before the race even starts! You put that moment of discomfort behind you! Would you rather suffer in a pre-race run? Or would you rather suffer immediately after your 5K race starts? I am not saying the entire remainder of the race will be a breeze, but this will make your life MUCH easier if you do this pre-race run!

HILLS!
If you have access to any type of hill or elevated area, then do some uphill sprints a day or two before the race. Do as many as you can until you cannot move your legs anymore. This will build endurance and will also help your overall speed on race day. I can personally attest to this strategy.  Last fall, I ran hills prior to 4 of my 5K races. In the other 4 races, I did not do any hill-running beforehand. Of those 8 races, my 4 fastest times all happened after running hills!

GOOD TUNES!
You certainly do not need to use music when running, but a lot of us can’t function without it. Personally, I can’t stand to hear myself breathing when running. Music is a great motivator and can get you going when your tank is on empty! Just be careful with your choices. Do not start the race out with your fastest-paced songs. In the start of the race, you are already going to have a lot of excitement and adrenaline, so why waste your best songs on that moment? The energy is already going to be there! Instead, start the race with a “medium-paced” song. Use your best upbeat, quick-moving, and motivating songs for the middle or the end of the race. Use those kick-butt songs when you REALLY need them!

START POSITION!
Many 5K races have designated areas for people to start based on their average finish times. People that usually finish in under 20 minutes will all be in the front.  The people that usually finish in 35-45+ minutes will start in the back. Problem is, though, that is not monitored by the event staff. They do not enforce any laws or punishments for people that line up in the wrong areas. Many racers (especially the new ones) will just start as close to the start-line as they can without even paying attention to the recommended skill levels of each area. If your goal is to finish the race as fast as possible, do not start the race in the middle of the pack. You will end up wasting a lot of your energy trying to zig zag your way past many slower runners in front of you. In some cases, you may find yourself passing by some WALKERS! With that said, go ahead and start close to the front. Even if you think you will finish in 30 minutes, do not be afraid to line up next to the runners in the 20-25 minute area. You may even find a good pace runner to follow. Just don’t try to follow a runner that is way above your level or you will be paying the price very shortly!