Hello everyone. Today’s article is a guest post from Christine Kane who writes on a variety of different topics for a number of different blogs.
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Maybe you’ve been running for a while and you’re looking to take your running to the next level. Maybe you need some extra motivation to get out the door and work out every day. And maybe you’re just looking for a new challenge to tackle. Whatever your reason, signing up for a race is a great way to push yourself and see what you’re really capable of accomplishing in terms of your physical fitness. However whenever you do decide to dive head first into tackling a 5k, or even a marathon, make sure you don’t commit these common faux pas:
1. Don’t Skimp On Sleep The Days Leading Up To The Race
Getting enough sleep is crucial to preforming well at your race, and this means getting several good nights’ sleep in the days leading up to the event. Even if you don’t get enough sleep the night before the race, if you’ve rested up in the days prior you will be fine. Likewise, if you skimp on sleep in the days leading up to the race then you’ll probably show up tired and not ready to give it your best effort.
2. Don’t Start Off Too Fast
It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of toeing the start line of a race. The crowd is cheering, you’ve trained hard, and you’re ready to GO. Unfortunately, a lot of people – newbie athletes and experienced ones alike – make the grave mistake of starting out way too fast… and then end up burning out before the race is over. Be sure to pace yourself at the start so that you can finish strong.
3. Don’t Try Anything New On Race Day
If you’ve been eating toast before your runs then stick to toast before your race – don’t try to experiment with new foods because the end result could be unpleasant. You should never try anything new on race day, and that’s not just for foods but also for shoes and clothes too – the last thing you want is for your body to have a negative reaction to something leaving you uncomfortable and out of luck.
4. Don’t Skip The Water Stations
You have to stay hydrated so that you can keep going! It might be crowded at each station, but slowing down a little bit to grab a cup of water is a much better option than slowing down – or passing out – during the race because your body is no longer functioning the way it should be… dehydration is easy to avoid, so avoid it!
5. Don’t Show Up At The Last Minute
Remember: early is on time, on time is late. It’s better to get there way too early than it is to get there late so that you can have time to make sure that you can go to the bathroom, loosen up, warm up, stretch and anything else that you normally do pre-run. Getting there late will only leave you stressed out, which is never a good thing.
Participating in races is a great way to push yourself farther, get in some exercise, and connect with like-minded individuals. However if you aren’t kind to your body it likely won’t be kind to you, so treat it with respect so that you can give it your best shot!
About the Author:
This guest post is by Christine Kane from internet service providers. She is a graduate of communication and journalism. She enjoys writing about a wide-variety of subjects for different blogs. She can be reached via email at: Christi.Kane00 @ gmail.com.