This is my virgin post for Taking It and Run Thursday over at the Runner’s Lounge. Throughout my racing “career” I have definitely learned a thing or to about what to do during training and what to avoid at all cost.

The biggest Do is to have fun. No matter what race distance you choose to train for, never forget how much fun it is to be outside with like minded people and being able to run. If fun is your priority the rest will follow. Once you decide to train for a race tell you friends, family, and especially your running buddies about it. It is always easier to stay committed when people close to you remind you what you signed up for and in order to not look like a loser quitter you will probably stick with the program.

Dedicate a set time for most of your training runs. Some people like to run in the morning before the day gets away from them, some prefer a lunch time exercise break to free their minds and be ready for the afternoon and others prefer the after work workout. Even if it seems tough at first to fit a training run into your already packed day, once you start running at the same time you will realize how it becomes just part of your routine. If you run in the morning lay out all of your clothes the night before so all you have to do is jump into them first thing after getting up, lace up your shoes and off you go. If you have a shower at work you could even run to work and run back home at night. 

Running with friends that are training for the same race is always easiest. It is much harder to ignore the early morning  alarm or just get lost in the couch cushion when your friends are waiting for you at the door step or a designated meeting point. If you do not show up YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT IT!

Do try to run the distance you are supposed to according to your training plan for that day. If you do not have time to cover the entire distance in one run split the run in half and do one workout in the morning and one at night. As long as you run the entire distance in the same day you will get the benefits. If for some reason you really have no time at all to run the distance, run a shorter one and leave the longer run for another day within the same week.

TAPER! Cutting back on mileage and speed is essential when preparing for a race, especially a long distance race like a half or full marathon. Be sure you get plenty of rest before the big day. Eat nutritious foods and hydrate!

There are many Don’ts I have tried and believe me, all of them were ugly. The biggest one hit me at mile 9 in San Diego in 2005. I have always had a hard time eating breakfast at the best of times and that morning my nerves got a better of me for extra measure. I ate one piece candy! When my coach saw me at mile 9 and asked how I was feeling all I could say was “Fine!” but what I really wanted to do was lay down and die. The prospect of having 17.2 miles to go to the finish did nothing to help my death wish. Hitting the wall at mile 9 in a marathon is not what anybody sets out to do – especially not if your goal for the race is to qualify for Boston. After downing a GU and some Gatorade I came back to my senses and managed to finish strong (many GUs and cups of Gatorade later) and ended up Boston bound, but I have never ever run on a piece of candy alone again. Neither should you. Even a non breakfast person like yours truly can teach her/himself to have a snack before a long run. These days I usually munch on dry whole grain cereal and always have a big spoon of peanut butter.

Don’t overdress! I often see runners at the start line of races who are dressed as if they were hitting the slopes of Colorado in the dead of winter. And they are not even layered so unless they want to provide their fellow runners with some entertainment they are stuck in their snow suits. Since most races start at the crack (no pun intended) of dawn anyone can understand the need for wrapping up in warm clothing. However once you start running the warming and sweating factor will set in fast and furious especially if you are running in thick clothes that you cannot take off. Dressing in layers is the best option for staying warm while waiting for the start and just taking all the unnecessary layers off once the race begins. If you have the option of leaving your clothes with someone who is not running, in your car or in one of the buses many marathons provide these days you can wear anything you want but if you are alone at the start and have no way of depositing your clothes just wear a sweatshirt and pants that you don’t mind tossing. Many race organizers collect discarded clothing that is still wearable and donate it to homeless shelters.

Another big no no I have personally witnessed but thankfully not experienced myself is to over train. Some runners tend to get extremely agitated and nervous before a race and convince themselves that they have no trained enough and are ill prepared. Instead of tapering and recovering properly for race day they continue to run long and hard. I have even seen someone put in another 22 mile run the weekend before the marathon. She came across the finish line three hours beyond her target time. When you are that close to the race you simply cannot improve your performance but you can definitely injure yourself and therefore not perform at all, or if you are lucky, just about make it and the skin of your knees. Instead of endless training start tapering three weeks prior to race day, take shorter, easy runs, and rest up. 

These are just a few Do’s and Don’ts but to me they play a major role in your race experience and since having fun is the number one priority I would suggest you stay away from the Don’ts.

Today’s Running Tip: Listen to advice from seasoned runners!

Advice from seasoned runners who have a few races under their belts can be a great resource during your training, especially if you are a beginner runner.