How to Prepare For Your First 5K

You’ve decided to run your first 5k, and like most people you have a reason. Maybe it’s for a good cause—a program or person you want to support. Or maybe it’s just for you and your health. Many people make a 5k part of their fitness goals as they start their journey to better health, but no matter why you’re putting your sneakers to the asphalt, you will need to be prepared.  Here are a few ways you can train for the big day:

• You have to log some miles. Let’s hope you had plans to practice for your race. The 3.1 mile trek isn’t something most people can just bolt out their door and do. You’ll need to build up to that distance and be able to run it without collapsing with fatigue. Plenty of programs (and even apps for your phone) offer what’s known as “couch to 5k” training plans that can get you up and running a little bit at a time so you’ll be ready for race day.

• Don’t do too much in the days before the race.  It may be tempting to run even more in the days leading up to your race, but what you really need is rest. Decrease the number of miles you run and just do a couple of short (20 minute) jogs to keep your legs tuned up.

• Don’t do anything different. Race day isn’t the time to try out your new sneakers or a fancy pair of leggings you bought. You may soon find that a blister or raw spot slows you down and you can’t take that risk. Stick with the same clothes you’ve trained in, eat the same breakfast you’ve trained with and follow the same sleep patterns.

• Get to the race early. You’ll need time to find a parking place, register, use the bathroom and stretch and you don’t want to rush. Give yourself at least an hour to manage these tasks.

• Stretch before the race.  Experts say you should spend 25 minutes stretching and warming your muscles. Of course, warm muscles are less prone to injury so use this time to stretch, take a short, quick run then stretch again.

• Pace your effort. You may have seen some people who burst out of the starting line and disappear in the distance only to wear out halfway. Instead of giving your all in the first half of the race, split your effort and try to finish the second half faster than you ran the first. Finding your pace is essential to finishing strong.

Running is a great way to get healthy and transform your body, and a 5k is a goal many fitness newbies aspire towards. If you’re thinking about starting a new running or exercise plan this may be a good time to find out how your body may respond to it based on your genetics. Deep inside your body, your unique DNA plays a role in how you gain (or lose) weight and can tell you a lot about what type of exercise is best for you—so you can run with confidence knowing you’re making the best choice for your body.