Tips for running a race

I really enjoy racing, it's a massive part of why I run. I have taken part in several races before, from winter duathlons to sprint triathlons as well as a few 10ks, and there are a few hints an tips I have picked up along the way. I thought it would be a good time to share these with you all.

Entry central

Every race has to start by first finding the right race for you. Entry central is where you will have to sign up for most of your races unless it's one of the massive city marathons or 10ks. It has great search functions where you can filter all the races by sport, date, distance from your house etc. have a look for yourself and find your next race.

Think about the route

I am certainly not one for studying every inch of a race route before the big day, but I would suggest having a quick look at the route so there are no surprises. For example, If there are lots of hills you want to do some hill training.

Train properly

If you sign up to a race you are making a commitment that goes beyond just the day of the race. You need to train properly for the distance you are racing to give a good account of yourself. There is nothing worse than finishing and thinking "if only I had trained more"! So be sure that you can commit to at least 8 weeks of training before you sign up.

Eat right

It is very important to eat right on race day. You need to eat a substantial amount 2 hours before your race. If you are running in the morning you NEED to get up early and have a good breakfast. If not you will just crash half way through the race and feel like a prat! True story! I would also recommend taking a banana to eat about half an hour before the start.

Have you got everything?

Most races will send you a race number before the race, or will get you to register before the race starts. You need to read everything the race organisers send you. Don't be caught out by small admin things, you want to be 100% focused on the race so make sure you take everything with you to avoid last minute panics.

If you are going to race then race!

This might not work for everyone, but when I run in a race I treat it as just that...a race! I get extremely well motivated by picking people in the pack and racing them, if I overtake them I if d someone else to catch. It really gets me through and makes things fun.

Know your pace

Work out what finish time you would be happy with, and work out the pace you need to run to achieve this time. You need to stick to this pace until the last 20% I would say, where you can pick things up a bit if you feel able. It's very important to not get carried away and sprint off the start line. Here is a great pace calculator where you can work out what pace you need to run.

Change of clothes for after

If you are running a race in a place that means you have to drive home after, take a change of clothes for the car. It's a horrible feeling when you cool down, but still have to sit in sweaty clothes. Eurgh!

Drink

It is very important to stay hydrated before during and after the race. I know we all know this but the excitement of race day sometimes gets the better of us. Keep drinking water, but not too much, you don't want to pee yourself half way through.

Have fun

How cliched is this tip? But it's worth saying I think. Races can bring out nerves in runners and get people stressed. The way I see it, there is no point worrying. Races are meant to be fun, and most of the time they are if you approach it with a relaxed and positive attitude (I just read that back and it sounds really cheesy
but I am keeping it in!).

Good luck with your next race, I hope there was something helpful above. I am going to sign up for the Fourth road bridge 10k next, it's where I got my PB so I hope to better it again this year!

Running to lose weight

Yes. Running will most definitely make you lose weight, however it needs to be combined with a healthy eating plan too or else, what's the point? The reason running will help you lose weight is because it burns tonnes of calories, more than any other sport (except cross country skiing but who wants to do that?). However, if you eat more than you are burning, that excess weight is going nowhere.

Here are some tips for using running to lose weight.



Combine running with a healthy balanced diet

Avoid processed, sugary foods that are high in fat. You should be eating a lot of lean protein and complex carbs. Replace white bread and pasta for wholegrain versions. I would recommend eating 5 smaller meals throughout the day rather than the standard breakfast, lunch and tea. Eating 3 meals a day is not the best way for you to keep yourself fuelled and certainly not the best way to lose weight.

1. Eating frequently prevents hunger pangs and curbs over eating.
2. Eating more often keeps your metabolism working quickly so you burn calories more efficiently.
3. Food is also absorbed more efficiently when we eat regularly

(Article source)

Another important bit of advice is to avoid the trap of thinking "well I have ran tonight, therefore I can eat a huge meal and have loads of junk food, I have earned it". Stop right there! Take the donuts out your mouth! Treats are allowed but why not treat yourself with some new running gear, or a trip out somewhere nice, try and get out of the habit of having food treats.

Intervals

Interval training is great for burning calories. If you are unsure what I mean by intervals read my post here. This type of training will use up a lot of calories because of the high intensity. High intensity exercise drains your muscles of their inbuilt energy. Your muscles then need to get this energy back but this can take up to 48 hours. During this time your body has no alternative but to draw and burn up your fat reserves. This is perfect if you want to lose weight.

Keep focused on goals

If loosing weight is your primary goal with running then keep to this and use it as a motivating factor. If you do not enjoy running, and are just doing it for weight loss motivation could be a challenge. Keep focused on the fact it will work, you will feel a lot better about yourself, you will lose weight and be a happier person. What more motivation do you need? Tell friends about it so that you are committing to it, they will ask how you are getting on and if you quit you will be disappointed. Finding a friend with similar goals and running with them is another great way to stay motivated and keep you running.

Don't do too much too soon

If you are wanting to lose weight, don't run yourself in to the ground. You need to be realistic and build up gradually. The couch to 5K programme is a fantastic way to start running, it will get you running to 5k in 8 weeks. I would recommend this if you are a complete beginner. If you want to lose weight quick and do way too much to start, the chances are you will injure yourself and not be able to do any exercise. I would suggest 3 times a week to start. It will be tough and you do need to push yourself, but there is not point killing yourself. You will just be dead and fat.

Me having a rest!

Rest days

The reason running is so good for you is that it uses so many of your muscles, and in turn burns more calories. When you are working your muscles, they actually get microscopic tears in them and this is why you hurt after a long run. These tears need to repair, and when they do this is what makes your muscles stronger. You need to provide you muscles with the right foods (protein, complex carbs etc.) but they also need rest. How cool is that, you can lose weight by doing nothing! great stuff!

Let me know what you think and if you have any tips of your own for loosing weight while running. Running can do so much to make you feel healthy and better about yourself. I would say it is the best and quickest way you can lose weight.

10 tips for running in the city

My lovely city

My run home from work involves running in the city. This presents a few challenges to overcome to ensure a pleasurable experience. Here are some of my tips for best practise when running in a city.

Know your route

It's important to know your route. I would advise planning so you avoid the busiest pedestrian spots. If you have to go down a certain busy street, have a look on the map and see if there is a side street you could use instead.

Be careful when crossing roads

Although you are running and probably in the zone, you still need to pay attention when crossing the road. A few minutes off your time while waiting to cross is better than getting knocked over. The green man is your friend.

Garmin satellite problems

I have found my garmin watch takes a few minutes lo get to locate satellites in the city, which I think is because of the tall buildings. Keep this in mind when planning your run.

Use the city for training

The city has tonnes of great training opportunities that you can build in to your run to keep the body guessing. Try and work in some stairs, wall jumps, hills, tricep dips on benches etc. use your imagination.

Mix up your route

I said before its important to know your route, it's also a nice idea to change it once in a while, just to keep things fresh and exciting.

Ignore the drunks

When I run home I sometimes get heckled by drunks or youths. Just ignore them, or give them a wave it's up to you, just be secure in the knowledge that in 2 secs you will be away from them, they will be left behind, still drunk, still fat, still a lesser person than you.

Where glasses

I find that I get a lot of dust in my eyes when running in the city so I would recommend wearing glasses of some description to keep this out.

Running at night

Wear bright florescent clothes so that you can be seen. I am sure you have all had the experience from a driver's point of view, when you don't see a runner till the last second because they are dressed all in black, more like a ninja than a runner.

Take water

Cities are hot places because of all the traffic and people. Take some water so you can stay hydrated.

Pedestrian navigation

Sometimes you will have to run through very busy parts of town. I would recommend slowing down a bit, looking as far ahead as possible and pick a route through. Of course you could just put your head down and sprint, crashing in to anyone who gets in your way.

All in all I enjoy running in the city. Hopefully these handy hints will help you navigate your way through the busy metropolis that is your city.
Let me know if you have any other tips I can add to the list.

Run home - 3/7/12

Last night I ran home from work for the 4th or 5th time since "the accident". I felt good but still felt my power draining away from my legs at around 6 kilometres. The full run is around 8km, so great training for my 10k races planned for later in the year.

Stats from run

I have really suffered from having almost 3 full weeks off, but think I am getting back to the way I felt before I injured myself. I will need to do some speed work/interval training to get fully fighting fit.

Running home from work is a great idea for anyone who struggles to fit running in to their schedule. I find because I work in the city, I actually get home quicker than if I were to take the bus. I just change at work, put my valuables in my rucksack and leave my work clothes at work to be collected the next day! This works a treat for me and really allows me to increase my weekly mileage.

So that's it really, I am out a lot this week (Edinburgh Magic Festival is happening) so I am going to try and do some early morning runs, keep reading to find out how I get on.

Hydration

Staying hydrated while running is of paramount importance. If you become dehydrated doing any sort of exercise you are putting yourself in risk of some serious side effects (headaches, dizziness, muscle fatigue, disorientation) not exactly what you want to be happening when out on a run. Here are some handy hints on how to stay hydrated while running.


mmm I love water (looks pretty natural eh?)



1. Eat foods that are rich in water.

Iceberg lettuce, watermelon, broccoli, carrots, beets, oranges and apples, tomatoes, radish and loads more. Processed foods will give you nothing in terms of keeping you hydrated, they will in fact take and use up some of the water you have consumed that day. Stay away from processed foods as much as you can. Try for 70 % of your diet to include water rich foods.

2. Drink water all day

This is a good rule whether you are running that day or not. As an athlete you should be drinking water consistently throughout the day, every day of the week. As a runner, it is recommended you drink 2-3 litres of water a day. This will help keep you hydrated, but it will also help with other elements of diet and nutrition. Don't just have a pint of water before your run as this will not be as effective, and you may pee yourself while running.

3. Hydration pack
I have a hydration pack that I wear while running. I don't like running with a bottle, and I am sure some of you are the same, so this is ideal. I run home from work a lot and can put my things in the rucksack, but there is a big tube that comes out the pack that allows you to drink on the move. I would recommend getting one of these, they are cheap to pick up and ideal if you are doing longer runs.

4. Remember to hydrate after your run

While you are running you are sweating an awful lot, which means you are loosing fluids. You need to re-hydrate after you have been running. Everyone will be different, there is a general rule of thumb that you should drink 2 cups of water for every pound lost during running. For this you need to weigh yourself before and after, which is a bit of a faff! My advice would be to have a pint or so when you get home, I couldn't be bothered weighing myself and working all that out but if you can, go for it! Also keep a close eye on your wee (not too close) , if it is darker than normal this means you need more water!