HOW I PREPPED FOR MY 5K RACE!

So I will be the first to tell you: I HATE running. I don't even think 'hate' is strong enough word for my abhorrence for running. But, surprise, surprise, it's another one of those things in life that is so hard to get a liking to, no matter how good you know it is for you. That's probably one of the few reasons I signed up to do a 5K race for the third time.` I still consider myself a beginner since I do it so infrequently but there are a few tricks that I've found that helps me to push through. So, if you have a 5K race coming up or just want to know how I prep for my race, keep scrolling!

      

Catch Some ZZZ's

Quality sleep is critical to doing well in your race. I try to get quality sleep at least two nights in a row. I also try to keep my schedule pretty clear so that I'm not mentally and physically drained.

Eat Some Food!

A misconception many have when prepping for a 5K race is that they need to carb-load. Let me clear this up: carb-loading is only necessary for races lasting 90-minutes or longer. What's the likelihood that's you're still running at 90 minutes? Very unlikely. So what do you eat to prep for your race? Make sure to eat breakfast consisting of complex carbs like oatmeal (my fave!) with some protein (surprise, hard-boiled egg). Lunch may include protein but not too much since it takes longer for digest and healthy carbs (you're not carb loading but you still don't want to deplete your muscles stores of glycogen). Having a light snack that digests easily such as a banana two hours before will also ensure you have enough energy to make it through the race.

Hydrate!

Here in Orlando, the humidity will knock you out faster than anything will so make sure you keep yourself hydrated. While water is great, sport drinks can help replenish electrolytes lost when the weather heats up.

Warm Up!

Just as you would warm up for an workout routine, you need to warm up before your race. That is if you want to spare yourself further discomfort from cramps. Come on, just getting through the race is harder enough. Try to get there early and start warming up at least 25 minutes before with stretches and a few 30 second sprints.

Have Fun!

If this is your first 5K, don't compare yourself too much to the other runners. Just have fun, don't forget to breathe and use this experience as the starting point to your journey.