Running a race 101

I was recently asked to help a friend of mine come up with ideas for a running clinic she wants to put on at the gym she works at. She said she is getting a lot of questions form people getting ready to race. So, I wrote up kindof a Racing 101/race prep bloggy thing. It's got some of the things I think are useful and important. I'm not an expert, but I have been coaching cross country and track for 8 years as well as running for myself. There are so many great articles and experts out there, but I think this is a decent list for starters. It covers preparing for a race, workout ideas, day of race prep, food, warm ups, and some other odds and ends. I hope it helps. 

That guy in the middle... Jesus... he's really fast. Seriously. 

Lets start with training and race prep:

1.      1. Prepare for the distance you are running. If you are running a 5K your training is different than and marathon. If you are doing an obstacle course, you aren’t going to need to run as much as someone trying to run a half marathon. Look at the race ahead, decide on a goal, and work towards that.

2.      2. You also don’t need to over train. When I train for a 5K, I do one long run a week. Usually at an easier pace (1:30 – 2:00 plus mile goal mile pace). So I want to run my 5k miles at 6 – 6:15 a mile, so my 8 mile run is 8-8:15 per mile. I might do 8 – 10 miles on my long run. But I have worked up to that. Someone else’s long run, might be 5. Maybe you are just trying to finish a 5K. I that case or if you need to ease into running, use the run/walk strategy to build up. Jog 2 minutes, walk one. Then build up to 4 and 1 or 5 and 1, you get the picture. It’s a great way to build up without getting hurt or burned out.

3.      3. Do shorter runs with intervals, tempos, or hard last miles. AKA, jog a mile warm up, pick it up for a mile, then blast the last one. 3 miles… that’s it to train for a 5K. But run that last mile close to goal pace. Or, jog a mile warm up, blast the middle, cool down the last mile. Don’t be afraid of running some 400’s or something on the track. Run them at goal pace, then rest for 2X what it took you to run it. Run 4 of them. Jog back home. If you are training for a longer race, adjust the time and distances. You want to work in hard runs to build muscle and lactic thresholds, but also just mental toughness. When I am trying to go fast at the end of a race, I can think back to the 200 repeats I killed myself on or the 400’s I ran at goal pace because they were hard.

4.      4. Prepare for the terrain. If you are running in a hilly place, get in some hilly runs. If it’s a trail run….. you get the picture. Plan ahead.

5.      5. Do some speed work. Run 40m with all out sprint. Rest 3 minutes. Repeat x 4-5. Do these 1-2 times a week before or after a run. It’s proven to increase speed over time. The 3 minutes help your ATP system come back to normal levels. In other words, the rest time is important in speed work.

6.      6. Use an app to track data about runs or even set up a plan for you. I use Nike +. It has training plans and I have it set up to tell me my pace very half mile. I love that feature. I can look at how fast I ran each mile in a run, and it pauses automatically when I stop. I live it, but there are lots of others out there.

No static stretching

Warm ups:

1.   1. If you are still static stretching please stop doing this. (I am assuming you may know this, but I will put it out there anyway). Your muscles are like a rubber band. If you stretch it and hold, the band gets weaker. If you stretch and release repeatedly it will work the job you need it for without becoming weaker or breaking. I do the following to active warm up before a race: (and sometimes before a hard workout):

a.       Jog 10 minutes

b.      Walk on toes with them pointed in for 20 meters.

c.       Walk back on heels pointed out.

d.      Knee hugs (step and hug the your knee, switch, repeat)

e.      Flamingos (step, grab foot behind back to stretch quad, repeat)

f.        Military walk/Frankensteins (step, leg swing straight up and out, switch, repeat)

g.       Balance birds (step, touch toes, switch legs , repeat)

h.      High knees (good form, not too fast or too high)

i.         Butt kicks (heel straight up to butt underneath)

j.        A skips (look it up… too hard to explain, but they are great)

k.       A skip backward

l.         Side shuffles with arms swings down and back

m.    Karaoke (tiny steps) down and back

n.      Backwards running with big steps, down and back

2.       This will take, all together, about 20 minutes. Then I might jog  a little more, take a few strides, and hydrate. Don’t overwork. Take breaks as needed. Sip water, etc. It’s a warm up, not a workout, although the first few times you do it you might think otherwise.

Strategy:

1.   1. Have a race strategy way in advance. Picture the type of race you want to run while training. I like getting in a good, quick 1/3 of the race to start, getting a head of my goal a little, trying to stay strong and even and relaxed the second third of a race, then gradually pick it up as I go the last third. Others, beginners (and often myself), will do better starting of slower than goal pace, then picking it up and you go. Either way, have an idea, stick to it, know your pace. If you blow it out the first mile, the rest of the race will be hell. To figure out goal pace, take your goal time and divide it by miles (I know, you know this…). But you will not run each mile at this pace. It’s an average. Don’t panic if you are too fast or slow by a 10 seconds on any given mile. Panic if you are too fast or slow by a few minutes.

2.   2. Race! Don’t just go for a run. Try to stick to a pack if possible. Avoid no man’s land between packs. It sucks there. Don’t lead a pack, it takes up valuable energy. Instead, ride the shoulder of someone going your pace. Use them. I like to give my athletes challenges also: Count how many people you pass after the first mile. Count how many you pass the third mile and so on.

3.   3. Have a mantra. Have a small phrase that you can repeat to yourself while running when it gets hard. I have 2 things I use. I count my breaths down from 20 when I need to get through a hill or a stretch I am struggling with. I might need to do it more than once in a row, but it takes my mind off whatever it is. The other thing I say in my head, and sometimes out loud, is “Come on coach!” and picture all my athletes yelling at me. I just repeat it over and over near the end of a race. It can really be anything, but it should help.

Form and function:

1.   1. Rhythmic breathing… work on it. Looking it up is an easier way of reading about it, but it’s the idea of balancing out your breathing and muscle use to avoid injury, control your breathing, and use your energy better. When running easy, I breathe in 3 steps and out for 2. This makes sure I breathe out of the opposite foot every time I breathe. If you are always breathing out on your right foot, you are flexing just those muscles involved every single time you breathe. It causes cramps, leg pain, etc. Try to exhale on the opposite foot each time. If going faster, I breathe in 1 step and out 2. Always an odd number. It’s really hard to do at first. Its automatic now but I still catch myself getting off of it and have to work to get back on. It’s so helpful, though. It changed a lot for me. Start out at a slow pace to figure it out, then increase.

2.   

      2. Shorter steps. Stop over striding. That’s now how you run faster. The more your feet touch the ground, the more forward momentum you get. If you over stride, your weight is behind your feet and you have to drag your body forward. Your foot should land just about underneath your shoulders with a slight lean forward of the whole body. To check this position, stand on both feet like normal. Lean forward until you need to put a foot out. See where your foot lands in comparison to your body. That’s ideally where you want it landing all the time. I have recently been working on this myself and have seen vast improvements in my abilities, especially when going uphill. If you can maybe take one big step, do it in 2.

3.   3. You don’t need really expensive corrective shoes. I won’t go into the whole thing here. Not enough time for that. Find shoes that fit your feet and are preferably neutral and comfortable. Work on your body strength and form instead of finding a shoe to fix your aches and pains. Imbalances and body mechanic take time and work to fix. A shoe won’t do it. It may help, but ultimately, it’s a Band-Aid.

4.   4. That brings us to strength training. Very important. There’s a lot of stuff you can do to help, but I like to stick to the basics. I have even stopped using weights for the most part. Squats, push-ups, lunges, planks, etc. Replace old workouts. Do rows instead of bicep curls (speed is generated from the pulling back motion, not driving arms forward). You need to work your glutes, core, and some arm strength. You don’t need to max out on the squat rack, but don’t just do 10 squats. I have upped my game to 300 squats a day. It’s awesome and took time and don’t do them all at once, but I do as many as I can until the burn is too much to do them right. I won’t write up a whole plan here, but 2-3 times a week you need to do some strength work. You will see a huge difference.

Food:

1.       

      1. I am far from the person that needs to lecture anyone about eating and how to do it. Most people know what is good and what’s not. I feel and run better if I try to eat a little cleaner. I try to stick to food I find on the outskirts of the grocery store. I do have a fruit and spinach/kale smoothie almost every day for a snack. I do take a vegan protein powder in the morning when I wake up and after a workout. I take some supplements (fish oil, vitamin d, multi-vitamin, b-vitamin complex with electrolytes, and randomly a few others to try it out). I don’t think they are necessary always, but I feel a difference. It could be a placebo, but it’s just my opinion.

2.   2. Eat like you normally do before a race. If you usually have cereal for breakfast, have cereal. If you don’t use goo and stuff while training, don’t use it in the race. If you have coffee right before you run, have coffee right before your race. Train how you want to race, race like you trained. You can’t eat like crap for weeks while training, then eat a kale salad before a race and expect results. You can’t run at a super slow pace training for months and then expect speed in the race. Not everyone’s eating is perfect. I love donuts. “Free donuts” if my second favorite phrase to “free beer.” We are here to enjoy ourselves. If you hate life while eating healthy and stay alive forever, what’s the point? But if you eat pretty darn healthy and feel good and treat yourself sometimes, I think we’ll be OK.

Day of the race:

1.   1. Plan it out. Get a good night’s sleep. Lay out your clothes and stuff you need ahead of time. Know how to get to the race, where to park, how to check in, and how much time you need to warm up. I like to get to a race an hour before. I usually try to pick up my packets before the day of if possible.

2.   2. Clothing. I try to race in as little as I need to be comfortable. If you don’t train in tiny short shorts and a jersey, don’t race in it. But if you want to race in it, train in it once in a while. I just wear my normal training shoes. If you want to wear racing flats or something, train in them once in a while. I usually have a way to put my warm ups away before a race. I will wear wind pants and a long sleeve shirt or hoodie to warm up in. I just throw them in my car or give them to my wonderful wife before the start of a race. I try to keep them on until right before the start. If you can’t do either of these things, go to a Goodwill and get some very cheap sweatpants and shirt you are willing to lose or throw away before the start of a race. It’s a common strategy. I like wearing a stocking cap if it’s cool out, even if I just go with a t-shirt. Its just my style and comfort. Be comfortable while racing. It’s less distracting.

3.   3. Headphones or not?… I wear them. I have a playlist and everything. I also use my app to help me pace. I train with music and podcasts all the time. I know there are lots of experts that argue against this. That’s fine. It’s how I run, so I don’t change it for race day. I go with what I know. I suggest the same. If you want to run without the headphones, train without them and least once a week. For me, I like my time out alone with my music or audio books.

4.   4. Schedule the day of…. Get up at a normal time, eat at a normal time, etc…. unless you have a ways to travel. I plan backwards. If the race starts at 9, I want to start warming up at 8:20-30. I want to be there by 8 to get my bearings. If I need to drive 30 minutes I leave the house at 7:30, which means I should eat around 7:15 or so. I try to eat about an hour and a half before the race to allow digestion, but might have some b-vitamins or a granola bar closer to the race.  I should get up at 6:15-30 so I have time to wake up, shower, dress, etc. It’s my routine. Know yours and plan backwards.

5.   5. Bag O’ stuff…. I have a bag o’ stuff. In it I have gloves, a hat, chaffing sticks, a muscle stick, extra socks, extra underwear, extra shorts, a water bottle, knee braces, etc. Anything I may or may not need for a race. The day of the race I pack my race bib, shoes, and other crap I need for the day. This way I have a bag full of whatever I might need the day of the race. If you are doing a long race and need to keep an ID or phone on you, you can get cheap pouches to wear around your waist. You can always tie your car key into your shoes, but most running shorts have a tiny pocket for this stuff.

Last pieces of advice:

1.   1. Relax and enjoy the run. It might not go as planned. Make adjustments. I had a race recently in which I had a time goal. I trained really hard for it. They day before and of the race it snowed like crazy. They held the race anyways. I changed my goal from tie to a place. I had to let the time go. It happens. I’ve had races that started great and had a bad cramp and had to adjust. It happens. It’s not the end of the world.

2.   2. Find a reason to run. You know why you are running. There’s a very personal reason somewhere inside you… maybe even one you don’t want to share out loud with anyone. That’s OK. Identify it and use it to your advantage.