You’ll find them at the heart of almost every goal, and the centre of almost all worry.
We psych ourselves out over them and beat ourselves up about them.
We train for weeks, and we work for months simply to put our best foot forward.
We go above and beyond all for a bit of bling.
Racing is something we’ve always done, be it sports day at school, sprints on the track or roads around London. We’ve included them amidst our running years for as long as we can remember, but yet still they send butterflies to our tummies and shivers down our spine.
So how do we settle them?
Race with Friends.
Shocker, we’re turning to our usual trick… each other! Only this time it doesn’t stop there. More often than not we’re joined by our We are Runners team who help us tear down the nerves and tear up the excitement. Whilst we don’t always run together, we do warm-up together, cool down together and collect our thoughts in company we trust. There’s something special about knowing you’re not in it alone.
Race friendly and fun.
Choose events that are well supported, well run and well enjoyed. These can come in the form of anything from a beer mile, to 100 miles, just be sure to choose the route that suits you. When it comes to picking events that excite us, Let’s Do This is the place to help you find your perfect race, with over 30,000 events. They have the most comprehensive list of 10k, Half Marathons, and Marathons in the UK – so you’re sure to find something that suits!
Race easy.
Not every race has to be a championship, not every race has to be an ultra and not every race has to be one that fills you with total dread. Enter races as ‘runs’, not just as PB chasing, heart racing dashes. Say for example you have a long run on the plan, enter a race and just run it for the miles. Enjoy each step, and forget the beep coming from your wrist. The team at Runthrough host hundreds of races, some less serious than others and often in this instance they are where we turn.
Race smart.
If a PB chaser is on the cards, be ready for it. Nerves are normal, excitement is understandable but the prep is the one thing you can be totally in control of. Practice your fuel, know your pace and drop your ego. Race the way your training has told you, and execute the result you’ve earned.
TTH x
