Racing 101

You may feel out of place the first time you appear at a race. This is natural. It happens whenever we do something new and don’t understand the rules. Rest assured that every other runner participating in the event has had a “First Race” experience. They didn’t know what to expect the first time they walked into the start area, but they learned fast.

Here are a few tips:

Get a Race Flyer

Read the race flyer or entry form carefully, because it will contain important information about the time of the race, where registration is held and (hopefully) directions on how to get there. The more you know, the more comfortable you’ll feel at your first race.

Enter Early

This is partly for motivational reasons. By mailing in your entry or entering online, you make a commitment to run that race. That’s very important if you’re a beginner. Your entering early simplifies registration both for you and the race organisers, plus the entry fee could be less. Some races will acknowledge your entry; others will not.

Plan What to Bring

Most runners like to plan what outfit to wear, including shoes. Lay your gear out the night before, so you don’t forget anything, especially not your race number. Plan for all kinds of weather. Most runners come dressed to run, but you might want to bring some extra clothes for post-race activities.

Pin Your Numbers

In official road races, you will wear race or licence numbers on both the front and back of your vest or shirt. Therefore bring a couple of extra safety pins to make sure you can secure your number on all four corners so it won’t flap around and irritate you.

Arrive Early

Since this is your first race, you might as well enjoy the total experience and not feel rushed. Arrive at least 30 to 60 minutes before the scheduled start and give yourself enough time to pick up your number, warm up and visit the toilet. (The earlier you arrive, the shorter the lines you’ll encounter.) Watch what other runners do, and do the same. When everybody starts moving toward the starting line, that’s your cue too.

Start In Back

Don’t make the mistake of starting near the front, otherwise you’ll spend the first few kays watching everybody run past you. Start toward the back. People are cheerier in the middle to back of the pack, since their goal is usually only to finish, not run fast. You may lose some time crossing the starting line, particularly in big races, but time isn’t important to you in your first race – or shouldn’t be.

Pace Yourself

One reason for starting near the back is to avoid running the first kays too fast, either because of enthusiasm or because faster runners pull you along. Once you cross the starting line, settle into your normal training pace – or run even slower. You’ll enjoy your first race more if you run comfortably and see what’s happening. Save the personal bests (known as PB’s, by the way) for later races.