Lace Up And Go!
Steps To The Starting Line
What Type of Runner Are You?
Take this interactive quiz to find out what type of runner you are: http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_kind_of_runner_are_you.
So You Signed Up For Your First Race...Now What?
If you are new to running, you probably signed up for a 5k as your first race. A 5K is 5 kilometers or 3.1 miles which is 25 laps on a 200 meter, indoor track and 12.5 laps on a 400 meter, indoor track. The world record for the 5K is 12:37:35! A 5K is the most popular entry-level distance run. Now that you know what you're getting into, let's talk about some of tips for the day before, morning of, the race, and afterwards. Jennifer Van Allen, author of the Runner's World column, "The Starting Line", suggests that the week before your race, "If you can, workout on the route where the race will take place so you can get familiar with where you'll need to push and where you can cruise" -"Tips For Your First Race". No one wants to get lost their first race! The night before a race, Allen says that you should "lay out your gear and get as much sleep as possible- aim for eight hours" -"Tips For Your First Race". If you lay out your gear the night before you'll be less stressed the morning of. Also on the night before, don't try anything you haven't done before, get off your feet, and pick up your bib (racing number). On the big day, don't drink too much before the race, you should at least 45 minutes to an hour early,make sure you stretch/warmup, and line up early. During race, you need to pace yourself. Start off slow and keep even splits. After the race, celebrate, refuel, stretch, and cool-down. A few days later sign up for your next race!
If you're new to running but think you could win a race, check out this link: http://m.wikihow.com/Win-a-Running-Race
Importance Of Stretching
Without proper stretching before and after a run, getting injuried is likely. Stretching properly prolongs your running career and protects your joints. Stretching also helps loosen tight muscles. In the article of "The Importance of Stretching for Runners," stretching benefits are addressed, as the article states,"Stretching before running helps to warm the muscles and get them ready for work. Pre-stretching can also help to lengthen the muscles and aid in a wider running stride. Post-stretching helps to pull out and lengthen the muscles that have become tightly wound from running" -"The Importance of Stretching For Runners". To get all of these benefits, runners should stretch their thighs, calfs, lower back, and arms. Don't forget to stretch so that you can keep running for your entire life!
Proper running form is important so check out this link on tips to improve running form: http://www.active.com/running/articles/5-tips-to-improve-your-running-form
What’s your ideal race distance?
Take this quiz to discover your ideal racing distance:
http://www.iamrunningthis.com/quiz-whats-your-ideal-race-distance/
Click the image above to learn how to style your hair for runs!
Types of Running: XC vs Track and Distance vs Sprinting
I run cross-country (XC) and track. Though I like distance and XC better, I feel I should still cover the types of running for high school and collegiate athletes. There are entire blogs discussing which is better, XC or track and I will reference two of them. Off and Running, a running blog written by Maddie Verbeke, discusses the running world. Verbeke states that "cross-country is a fall sport, taking place on paths and trails usually on the school's campus" -"A Battle of the Running Giants: Track vs. Cross-Country". In high school, runners run a 5k (3.1 miles) and in college, runners run an 8K (4.9 miles) during the XC season. Verbeke also discusses track, stating that "track is a spring sport run on the oval (or track) that usually surrounds a school's football field. The distances vary from the 100m dash to the 3200m run in high school, but in college you can run up to the 10,000m run. Relays, where members pass off a baton to each other as they each complete a specific distance, are also included"-"A Battle of the Running Giants: Track vs. Cross-Country". If you desire to learn more about the great divide between XC and track, check out LOVETORUN17 blog and Maddie Verbeke's blog, both blogs cover both genres of running and go in depth about running each sport. Up next, distance vs sprinting. Long-distance running is just like it sounds: long. The 5K and up is considered long distance in road races and XC while in track, the one mile and up is considered distance running. Sprinting is short bursts of running and includes the 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, and sometimes the 800m and hurdles. Distance runners tend to be lean and small while sprinters are muscle-bound and strong. The Physical Difference Between Long Distance Runners & Sprinters provides some interesting comparisons on bodies of distance runners and sprinters. Choosing the type of runner you want to be is essential because your training will be decided.
Click the button for a link to a comprehensive guide of what you need to pack.
Click the button for a link to some stylish track bag items that can help you stand out from the crowd.
Runner Safety:
Check out the slideshow for more information.
Runner Safety
Click the link to learn more about safety tips for runners: http://www.active.com/running/articles/6-running-safety-tips