Running your first 5k or THINKING about it?

TRUST ME I know how scary it can be!

Having just found the confidence to sign up for my next race (10k, info at bottom) I figured it was only right of me to share with you some tips that could have helped me when venturing into my first race.

First things first…

Sign up for a race! Find a FUN RUN or something in your area that will keep you motivated, once you’ve found it SIGN UP RIGHT AWAY! Ask some friends, or if you’re like me  JUST DO IT! – Write your date down & get to work! This looming date will keep you going when that “motivational gas tank” is a running low!

Training expectations

Be flexible with your training, you need to realize that it’s not a FAILURE when your training doesn’t look or feel like you expect it does, your work is YOUR WORK and no one can take that away from you!

Mindset

Don’t compare your training with someone else’s, you are on your own journey with different goals, different weaknesses and strengths it’s EASY to judge your performance based off someone elses! BUT NOT REALISTIC! Your goals are for you as theirs are for them, you got this baby! No matter how fast or how slow you WILL finish!

BUILD!

Start by gauging how long you can run and increasing it by even one or two minutes so let’s say you know you can run a solid two minutes straight (yes we can start that low) go for THREE – walk for two – run for THREE- walk for two, this will help you adapt to your training and build up your intervals of running vs. walking!

Create a playlist!

I’m not talking  just ANY play list here I’m talking a completely mind blistering and distracting playlist of every upbeat and powerful song you have every come across in your life! 🙂

The way I was able to do this personally was to venture into the “shuffle ALL songs” portion of my iPhone about a week or two before the race and every time I felt that i couldn’t live without the song playing, or perhaps caught my self dancing uncontrollably i would quickly add it to my “SavSmiles 5k” Playlist  and come the morning of the race i was pretty much partying like a rock star! haha

The night before & morning of your race

• DON’T EAT ANYTHING WEIRD! Stick to your normal routine for your body dont try anything new the night before!

• As my girl Fitness on Toast said in a recent blog “SLEEP YOURSELF STRONGER” You’re gonna be excited,nervous or scared but at the very least LAY YOUR ASS in bed haha! The rest will be very important

• Set out your clothes ahead of time, EVERYTHING from the socks to the headphones! You’re more likely to forget something important morning of…let’s just avoid that all together!

• Remember LONG deep breaths through your sternum – don’t cut your self short on the oxygen, you’re gonna need it! haha

LAST BUT NOT LEAST! 

• RELAX! being tense will only waste energy and THIS IS YOUR FIRST 5K youre here to have fun!

Oh yeah 😉 – February 11, 2017 I’ll OFFICIALLY be running my first 10k at the MARDI GRAS x San Diego run!

Wish me luck & THANKS FOR READING, I hope the SMALLEST tips may have helped you!