First Race Jitters
Walking, running or riding in your first race with Team Diabetes? First time jitters are common but you don’t want them to distract you too much at the start line. Many of us train alone or in very small groups so the idea of being part of an event with thousands of others can be a bit intimidating! Here are a few tips to help you be prepared for race day.
If you’re used to running alone, start out by joining a few of the free group runs or rides offered by a local club or specialty retailer. It will help you get used to maintaining your own pace in a crowd and sharing the pavement or trails with others. You’ll also benefit from tips and advice from others who have done a lot of races.
Once you’ve done a few club runs or rides, sign up for a local event that fits within your training schedule. There are a lot of shorter race options available that will give you the experience of participating with a larger crowd and make you go through race morning preparations a few times. Every race day is a bit different but these “practice” events will help you feel more prepared and comfortable on the day it counts most – the day of your Team Diabetes event!
On race morning, it’s important to follow your usual eating and warm up routine. The last thing you want to do is get stomach cramps because you ate something new that doesn’t agree with you or pull a muscle because you tried some untested stretch that even a yoga master would find difficult!
Once the race starts it’s important to stay focused on your own goal and not go at the pace of those around you who may be faster. We’ve all done it during our training – someone passes you going up a hill and you put in the extra burst of effort to stay on their wheel or you see someone running a few blocks ahead and you’re determined to catch and stay ahead of them the rest of the way. It feels great at the time but you pay the price towards the end! Same thing can happen on race day. You’ll feel strong at the start but your finish time will definitely be impacted for the worse, not the better. Stick to your plan and own pace and if you have a little left in the tank towards the end, pick it up a bit and finish with a smile knowing you have achieved your goal!