How To Train For Your First Race

The Olympic games are in full swing and watching the pinnacle of athletic ability from the comfort of your couch may be lighting some inner fires to start setting training goals for yourself. Well, if one of those goals is running-related, signing up for a race is the best way to keep yourself motivated and accountable.

Nobody knows this more than US Olympic distance runner Jared Ward, who is in Rio right now anxiously waiting for his shot at the podium in the men’s marathon final on August 21. We spoke to the GLUKOS athlete as he was gearing up for his travels down to the Olympic Village and asked him to provide tips on training for your first race. (And we also got running coach Matt Wilpers to design an eight-week 10K training plan for you.)

Take Time To Unplug

We get it, sometimes it’s hard to even think about running without music. But Ward is a firm believer that your runs should be your time with your thoughts. “My runs are my think time, I enjoy just feeling free for an hour or two, says the marathoner and statistics professor. “Sometimes I am sorting out statistical problems, sometimes I’m dreaming about crossing the finish line at the Olympic Games and having a gold medal put around my neck, but most of the time I kinda just enjoy my numb-to-the-world time.

Run Conservatively

If you’re running your first race, your endorphins will be soaring and you’ll find yourself running 30 to 60-second splits faster than your goal race pace, which isn’t sustainable long-term. “When you get to the start line, go out a bit conservatively, says Ward. “Going out a bit slow is not going to hurt you nearly as much as going out a bit too fast will.

Take Your Nutrition Seriously

Your body is only as good as the fuel you put in. “I try to really push the vegetables. They give you nutrition, and when I fill up on veggies I’m less likely to gravitate towards foods with a higher inflammatory response (sugars, processed foods, etc.), says Ward. “I work on managing myself with proteins and good fats and timing carbohydrates well to aid recovery and energy. I eat roughly 3000 calories a day when I’m in peak training. As for the days leading into the marathon, I shift away from fats and towards carbohydrates. I don’t eat a lot the night before because I want my GI tract empty on race morning.

Plan Ahead

So you’ve picked a race. Bravo! But, preparation comes down to far more than being able to run the distance of the race. Here are insider tips to help you prep for the big day:

• Study the course: Have a strong understanding of the elevation and where the inclines and declines are going to appear.
• Climate: Is it traditionally hot, humid, cold, windy? Train in similar conditions as much as possible so your body suffers the least amount of shock on race day.
• Gear: What are you wearing? What nutrition sources are you taking with you? How are you carrying all this? Have you trained in your full race gear before race day?
• Start Time: Get there at least an hour before. The bathroom lines are usually horrendous and you’ll definitely have a case of the “nervous pees" and want to go multiple times before the race starts.

Set Goals

There’s a great saying that goes, “goals are dreams with deadlines. This is so true. If you have a goal and a well-planned course to achieve it, you simply cannot fail. “I often look at what I've done in the past to achieve certain goals and can extrapolate what I think I'd need to do to achieve future goals, says Ward.

One goal you can set right now is finding a local 10K (6.2 miles) to sign up and train for. This provides a challenging distance if you're a beginner runner – but totally attainable with the right preparation and planning. We caught up with Matt Wilpers, RRCA certified running coach and founder of CoachCasts, to map out the best way to train for your first 10K race – and maybe even inspire you to try for a half-marathon after.

"[When it comes to 10K training,] many people often forget key components such as strength and cross training, stretching and foam rolling, and doing solid warm-ups, says Wilpers. “I always tell my athletes to think of their bodies like high-performance race cars. You can run it hard, but if you do not properly maintain the race car, it will soon not function correctly and you will be on the sidelines.

Wilpers put together a beginner's eight-week training guide that will help you run your first 10K.

Keep in mind the best way to properly optimise your training is to invest in a quality fitness tracker you can connect to a social app like Strava to log all of your sessions and also engage with other athletes. Here are our top fitness tracker picks:

1. Garmin Fenix 3 HR

Garmin

The original Fenix3 was utter perfection in terms of being a GPS-enabled training watch suitable for every activity – from running to swimming to biking and hiking. But one feature that was missing for many users was a built-in heart rate monitor – strapping a sensor around your chest and syncing it was cumbersome and useless from a multi-sport perspective. This new version of the watch allows you to measure your heart rate while computing metrics such as running dynamics with vertical oscillation and vertical ratio, VO2 max, and more. Oh, and it looks sexy too.

2. TomTom Spark

TomTom

This moderately-priced and customisable watch allows you to carry up to 500 songs with you. Sync a pair of Bluetooth-enabled headphones with it for a lightweight and comfortable run. The Spark also includes features such as an activity tracker, heart rate monitor and different modes for indoor running/cycling (remember what Wilpers said about cross-training?).

3. Fitbit Surge

FitBIt

This tracker is a great bargain for the functionality it boasts. Its GPS tracking feature allows you to see distance, pace, split times and elevation while the PurePulse Heart Rate system lets you monitor your body's cardiovascular effort. You can also track your steps on a daily basis and compare (read: compete) with your friends to see who is the most active. The watch can be synced with your phone so you can change songs or even view text messages on the go.

4. Polar V800 HR

Polar

The Polar V800 includes fast and accurate GPS functionality, allowing you to see your speed, distance, and route. You can actually create and customise profiles for different sports and get the data you need to train effectively in each one.If you're a data nerd, you can track your long-term progress and get finish time predictions for your future runs.

Via : https://boutder.blogspot.com