10 Preparation Tips For Running A Race

Racing well requires plenty of training and preparation. However, a case of the jitters can jeopardize your run, as can preparing the wrong way. Read on to find out some helpful tips to improve your races and stay safe.

Pick Smart Pre-Race Food
According to Active.com, "a runner's carbohydrate intake should increase to 70 to 80 percent of his/her total daily caloric intake." Try to avoid eating protein and fat, and eat food with a high-glycemic index that is easy to digest. The reason for this is, eating a meal with high GI allows for carbohydrates to get into your bloodstream faster. You should eat about four hours before the race, so that way your body can store the energy without burning it all before the race.

Plan Your Training
You'll have to pick a training plan before your race. The plan you pick will vary depending on how much you want to train, the length of the race, and how intense the workouts will be. Unfortunately, it can take casual runners weeks to months before their distance running improves. You can find some great training programs at Runners World.

Stay Hydrated and Use Water Stops
On the days leading up to your race, you will want to hydrate your body plenty. By drinking around 8 glasses of water a day, you will minimize the risk of dehydration and related injuries. On the day of the race, try to avoid drinking at the first stop, because it will be the most crowded. If the race is providing sports drinks, find out and train with it.

Don't Overdress
Make sure not to overdress, because running will heat up your body. By overdressing, you risk dehydration and overheating, both of which can lead to fainting on the track. Be sure to prepare all of your clothes the night before the race, so you don't forget any in the frenzy leading up to running.

Warm Up
The warm-up is as important as the race. However, that doesn't mean the warm-up should be intense. Your warm-up should involve dynamic movements and stretches. Walking and jogging is an ideal warm-up for a race, because you want to be energized and not tired.

Arrive Early
Try to arrive early so you can sign-in, get your bib, and start warming up. Providing yourself enough time before the race to participate in the pre-race activities can help reduce nervousness and jitters. Be warned though, giving yourself too much time to relax can lead to a cool down (and more nervousness.)

Keep Moving
Staying at a constant throughout the whole race will help you much more than fast sprints with long break times. You may want to use bursts of speed every once in a while, but never completely stop moving or you may get tired and not pick up pace again.

Use A Mantra
While some may find it ridiculous, many runners have said repeating a motivational mantra has helped them cross the finish line. Finding a mantra that speaks true and motivates you can be tricky though. Brian Sell, 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathoner, says that "My favorite saying is 'Do or do not; there is no try.' It's from Star Wars"

Use Other Runners
Using other runners as references can help you stay in the game. Try to pick a goal (a runner), and keep pace with them. Switching between farther and farther goals will keep you steady and ahead until you find a comfortable position.

Bring Support
Bringing family and friends to see you run is a great way to motivate yourself into staying in the race. It's one of the things that makes running such a rewarding experience.

Practice and preparation are essential to having a good race. Make sure to stay hydrated, eat well, and train. Good luck!

About the author: Kennith Campbell blogs for ultraslide.com. Ken enjoys reviewing fitness equipment and exercise routines.

Get Back Your Motivation for Weight Loss

If you don't like weight loss programs and tricks, then below are some easy and nice tips to energize your body and reach your goal of fitness.

1. Spice up Your Menus

One and the most common complaint about diet is that choosing food which is healthy for the body is a hard task. Everyone seems to advise differently and the person willing to do dieting is left in a whirlwind. Further, to complicate the matter, if there are other family members in the house, preparing a separate meal daily to lose weight seems like an unachievable task.

However, you have to work hard on dieting if you want to lose weight consistently and if you are sick of eating the same thing again and again, you should update the recipe knowledge bank with new idea. Going online will be a big help as there are recipe websites filled with ideas of food for people looking to lose weight.

Try to search for meals and snacks that are easy to make as well as healthy. It is not necessary to give up everything for weight loss. You can still have those delicious sauces and herbs provided they are made with low calories and fat.

2. Shop from Some New Stores

Try to change your daily shop weekly food purchasing. If you can search for new stores, it can bring you some more varieties of fresh foods which might not be available in the previous shop. If there are no shops nearby except for the local grocery store, you can search for them online or even purchase online. Or, you can earmark stores located a bit far and you can make bi-monthly or monthly trips to get the essentials.

3. Treat Yourself!

It is not at all necessary to starve yourself in the dieting process to lose weight. Offer yourself treats for accomplished goals or targets to remain motivated.

For instance, promise yourself a piece of Belgian chocolate if you have low calorie diet consistently for 10 days or buy yourself a new yoga CD if you are able to survive on salad diet for 15 days. Make such pointers and treat yourself once the target is achieved.

Conclusion

You should always keep in mind that motivation in every step is necessary to achieve weight loss constantly and successfully. You should always try to motivate yourself about what you have planned with regards to weight loss and dieting.

Author Bio: Samantha Kingston is a passionate health blogger who is associated a health website that features great weight loss product deals and helps people maintain ideal body weight without much trouble.

By Samantha Kingston

O2 Fitness Personal Training

Are you looking for a personal trainer? O2 Fitness has you covered! We have experienced, professional and highly knowledgeable personal trainers throughout our Triangle and Wilmington fitness centers. Each new membership comes with 2 free personal training sessions, so be sure to take advantage of yours!

At O2 Fitness, we hold our personal trainers to the highest standards, accepting only those who have completed and achieved the highest level of personal training certifications: The American College of Sports Medicine, National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise, just to name a few.

Benefits of Hiring an O2 Fitness Personal Trainer:
At O2 Fitness, working with one of our certified personal trainers can help you get started on the path towards achieving your fitness and nutritional goals. Each O2 Fitness personal trainer is a certified and skilled professional with years of experience in exercise science and physiology, nutrition and have worked with people from a variety of fitness backgrounds. Other benefits of using a personal trainer include (but are not limited to):

• Improve your overall fitness
• Lose weight
• Improve flexibility and muscle endurance
• Become educated on how to properly/efficiently work out
• Learn how to get and STAY motivated
• Learn how to maximize your workout efforts in minimal time
• Exercise safely

Additionally, regardless of whether you opt for personal training in Wilmington or personal training at our Raleigh locations, O2 Fitness also offers a FREE fitness assessment as well as a FREE personal training session! Contact the club nearest to you for more details.

Source: O2FitnessClubs.com