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LAURIE5658
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My first ever 5K tomorrow... Any tips for NOT making a spectacle of myself?

Friday, August 28, 2009

I participate in my first 5K tomorrow morning and I am getting nervous (I am just that way). My daughter who is a former cross country runner gave me these tips:

Don't take off sprinting, just go at your own pace, save the sprint for the end

Keep your breathing even.

Its like herding cattle in the beginning but then everyone spreads out.

Double knot your shoestrings so you don't have to stop and tie them.

Go pee beforehand.

Eat a 1/2 a whole wheat bagel with PB the morning of, maybe some nuts and eat carbs and sodium the night before. Sodium is good when you are running.

Work on getting hydrated today and drink some before and then they will have it along the race route.

Anybody have any others she may have missed? Anyone want to hold my hand?

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Member Comments About This Blog Post
  • 2WHEELER
    Hope you had a great race and had a great time. By now you know the trick--just put one foot in front of the other until you cross the finish line.
    4242 days ago
  • JENNIFER124
    enjoy yourself~~~ really few people make this a goal ~~ you really should be so proud~!! and yes, make sure you get a post-race pic!! emoticon
    4242 days ago
  • JEM0622
    You'll do great! Good advice. Enjoy yourself! ~julie
    4242 days ago
  • DMILLER33
    Good Luck and Enjoy!! emoticon
    4242 days ago
  • SORGIN
    Enjoy the ride. Just enjoy the ride. Your daughter has given you excellent advice! Congrats on your first 5K and have a blast! (The post a blog about it!)
    4242 days ago
  • MCDEANE52
    I think you've got about everything you'll need for a successful 5K! Well, don't forget to hold your head high! You will have accomplished a task that made you nervous. You're gonna do great, I have no doubt.

    Hugs and GO GIRL!!!
    Sandy
    4243 days ago
  • XHASTEDMOMOF2
    Sounds like you have it all under control between your list of tips and the suggestions above!! I wish you all the best and have a great time!! Nothing better than a post race picture with a big smile showing your joy and pride in your accomplishment!!

    emoticon (Because no matter how you place, you're a winner!!)


    4243 days ago
  • BOBBYD31
    relax and enjoy the run, it is no different than running your regular 3 mile route. good luck
    ps. bet it won't be your last
    4243 days ago
  • FATGEEKNINJA
    Don't worry, Laurie! At least you won't have as embarrassing an experience as I did: Years ago, I signed up for a 5 K through work. A small team of us were going to represent the company; the other team members worked for different divisions within the company, so I hadn't met any of them. I was a TOTAL novice, seriously. I had just started jogging. Well, there's categories: walker, casual runner, and competetive runner. Little did I know that our team leader had signed us all up for the competetive runner category!! What was worse, they were all toned and fit, and here I was, a beginner fat girl wearing the bright yellow banner that meant "Competetive Runner"! Needless to say, I sucked wind the whole time and looked like a total fool. I came in dead last for the company. They all had probably gone home and showered by the time I finished the race.
    LOL! It's funny, looking back.
    4243 days ago
  • AINTSKEERD
    I'm not a runner but it sounds like you have your bases covered. And the only spectacle you will make of yourself is as a WINNER! No worries there. xoxo tam
    4243 days ago
  • ZOMMBIE1
    Those all sound like good advice.

    Just remember that everyone else will be more focused on their own running and not on you. Have fun!
    4243 days ago
  • no profile photo CD5586355
    wow those all sound like good tips! Congrats on your first 5k! I'm still working on conditioning my body for running so I don't really have any advice, but I'd just say make sure you listen to your body and don't get swept up in everyone's pace but to save your strength for the whole run (kind of like what your daughter said about not sprinting ahead in the beginning). I liked the tip about sodium, never really thought of that before!

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    Steph
    4243 days ago

    Comment edited on: 8/28/2009 12:02:56 PM

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