Signing up for a race can seem daunting, not least when it’s tied to fundraising or supporting a person that you care about. But whether you’re new to running or a seasoned pro, there are lots of ways to make sure you have the best race possible.
Buy the right shoes
Once you’ve signed up, get training as soon as you can. You don’t need lots of fancy equipment, though a decent pair of running shoes can help to prevent injury.
Most running brands have a ‘shoe finder’ on their website that can help you decide which shoe you want. Our advice is to try on a lot of shoes before choosing something that you’ll be running hundreds of kilometres in. If you can, order the shoes in multiple sizes and styles and return the ones that don’t work for you. Sports Shoes sells a range of shoes from the latest versions to last year’s models (which can often be significantly cheaper). If you know what shoe you’d like you can also check out Vinted or Ebay for lightly worn shoes at a discount.
A word of warning: many people buy ‘super shoes’, carbon-plated shoes, which offer the chance of a faster time and reduced fatigue, with the aim of securing a personal best time. Super shoes are not only expensive but when used inappropriately, they can also lead to injury. Don’t buy them unless you’re an experienced runner and you’ve got the time to work them into your training programme before the big day!
Start slowly
Whether you’re running 5km or 42.2km, training properly will help to make sure you put in your best performance on the day! It can be tempting to push yourself early to make sure that you can run the distance, but this can also lead to injury and illness. Starting off slow and increasing your training load by no more than 10% a week is usually recommended (for example – if you run 5km one week, add 10% – to make 5.5km – the second week).
Couch to 5K can be a good way to get started although you can also search online for ‘beginner running plans’ many of which are suitable even if you’ve never run a long distance before.
Get a training plan
Most running training plans contain a mixture of activities, from long, slow runs to speed work and paced runs to help build the different muscles and endurance that you’ll need. A proper training plan will also include a day or two of rest each week which are important for recovery.
You can find plans all over the web, but a few we like are below:
Run with others
Running, especially if you’re doing long runs, can be a rather solitary pursuit. If you’ve got some friends that are also into running, going out with them – especially for long slow runs – can help keep your motivation up.
It’s also worth looking at local running clubs. Many of them have different groups across a whole range of abilities and can help you to improve your fitness as well as meet new people locally.
If you’re in England, you can search for running clubs near you via the England Athletics website.
ParkRuns are also free 5km runs which are held locally around the country, every Saturday at 9am. To find your local run, visit their website.
Fuel and hydration
You don’t need fancy equipment or a specialised diet to run – especially if you’re doing a shorter race. If you’re running a half marathon or marathon, it can be useful to make sure that you’re eating enough of the right things and also that you’re staying hydrated on your runs, particularly in the warmer weather.
A lot of long-distance runners use ‘gels’ for fuel over longer distances. These contain carbohydrates and electrolytes to give you an energy boost when you need it. Make sure to try them out before your race as they can sometimes upset your stomach – you’ll also want to find one that you like the taste of. The Shine Team likes the Science in Sport Energy Gels and they come in a range of flavours – but there are loads out there!
You may also want to look at electrolyte drinks to take during or after your long run. Science in Sport, Puresport, Maurten and High5 are all brands you might want to look at, though others are available.
Track your progress (if you feel like it!)
Smart watches can be really helpful if you want to track your progress and keep on track (alternatively, we do know some people who don’t like to do that!). You can get a reasonably-price basic smart watch from brands like Garmin, Coros or Polar – all of which offer much fancier versions too. If you don’t want to spend a lot, remember that you probably won’t use 90% of the features that the high-end models offer. If you don’t know your VO2 max now, it probably won’t matter in six months either!
Apps like Runna, Garmin Connect and Strava can also be a good way to keep track of your progress and share your training with friends. They’ll give you an overview of your latest exercise, including things like time, distance, calories burned, and more. You can even link Strava to your JustGiving fundraising page and keep those who donate to you up-to-date with your progress.
Don’t push through injury
Being stiff and sore after a long run is normal – but if your pain tends to only be on one side, or is getting worse, taking a few days off might be needed. Running through pain can often lead to more serious injuries – don’t be a hero! If your pain isn’t getting better, finding a physiotherapist can be helpful. Physio is available on the NHS although there may be a waiting list (some GPs also have them in their surgeries regularly). Private physios can likely see you more quickly but can cost £50+ for an initial assessment.
If you know what’s wrong and you need some strengthening exercises, YouTube can be really helpful.
Have fun!
Running can be fun, painful, sweaty, tiring, joyful and inspiring – often all at once. We can’t thank you enough for choosing to run for Shine and for raising money to help us keep going.
We’re a small charity and each of our runners is really important to us. Training for your race should be fun – on days when it feels tough, remember that the goal is really to get to the end and pick up that medal. Your time doesn’t matter (well, it might matter to you – but it doesn’t matter to us!). Make sure to send us your photos so that we can celebrate your success!
***
If you’re reading this and are interested in taking on a run as part of Team Shine, click the button below to see which events we have spots on!
We look forward to welcoming you on board!
