How to Prepare for Your First Road Race

I know this sounds like such a bizarre thing to write a blog post about. I cannot possibly teach you how to physically run a road race. But I can teach you how to follow through with your goal when your personal fitness goal is to run a race.

So if your personal fitness goal is to run a road race, this is how you do it:

Step 1 – Pick a race. I like to choose races close to me because usually they are early in the morning, and I don’t like traveling far. Some are more fun than others. It seems like there’s a color run every weekend, where you get splashed with paint along the route. The rock and roll half marathons always seem like a fun theme. I used to do the Disney Princess Half every year. There are even runs where you get chased by zombies!!

Step 2 – Train. If you have never worked out at all, or if it’s been a really long time, I recommend trying the couch to 5k program. If you workout and do any form of cardio at all, you can probably do a 5k. If you run a few miles without stopping, a 10k shouldn’t be out of the question for you. If you want to run a longer distance like a half marathon or marathon then you will probably need to train.

Hal Higdon is a great resource for any distance training plan. So is Jeff Galloway. As a matter of fact, I use Jeff Galloway’s run/ walk method for my very first half marathon I’ve ever run. His training/ workout plans are great for beginners because he does use a run/ walk technique where you can incorporate more walking into your plan in the beginning while you condition your body for running.

Step 3 – Set a time goal. If you have never run the distance you are preparing for, you very well may not have a time goal. But if you do have one, you need to train your body to be prepared to run that distance in that time. If you need help with this, please get in touch with me! I am experienced in writing training and workout plans for clients who have time goals for their runs!

Step 4 – Eat right. Yes, even if you are not doing this to change your physique, the fuel you put into your body will have an impact on your training and your running. if you fuel your body with healthy, unprocessed foods loaded with vitamins and minerals your training runs will go much smoother than when you try to run on popcorn and oreos. Your body is like a car – you will go farther on premium fuel. And this is your body – not a car!!!!!!!!

Step 5 – Get ready to run! The night before a race, don’t eat something bizarre. Eat what your body is used to eating. The morning before a race, eat what you usually eat before you go workout or what you usually eat for breakfast. This is not the time to be experimenting. When it’s cold I like to make sure I have on a layer I can toss a mile or two into the run. Gloves. I’m a baby so I usually have hand warmers inside my gloves. Possibly a scarf. Definitely something to cover my ears, but not my head. Heat needs to escape from it. I like to keep an ID and a little cash with me *justincase* as well. If it’s raining, I’d bring a change of clothes, socks and shoes in the car if you can. If it’s warm, all you need is you!

Step 6 – Post run. I like to bring a little something to eat after. After some of the bigger races you will find plenty of cookies, bananas, coconut water, etc. But you have to balance out your blood sugar, not just spike it again with sugar, to have it drop rapidly again. Bring protein powder!!!!! (I recommend About Time – and you get 25% off with the code KWF.) It’s perfect to add to water and to have with your post race banana. Trust me – I’ve run enough races to know what happens. I’m in such a fog after half marathons usually, but after my most recent one, I brought a bowl of oatmeal with a scoop of protein and a banana with me to eat along with a ton of water, and I felt so amazing – not in a fog at all!