HEALTH

It might be a little cold out, but the holidays are actually a big time for fun and festive 5ks. Running your first one this year?  You go, girl! You worked hard to get in shape for the race...but now, you might be getting a little freaked out about actually running it. Check out our top tips for killin' it on the course.      

Hydrate, honey

Running a race is hard enough, but running with a killer headache? Ick! That’s something you can easily avoid. The last thing you want is to be dehydrated on the day of your race, so on the days leading up to it, make sure you drink more water than usual. Aim for 8 glasses of water a day. If you can’t make it to eight glasses, don’t stress about it—just drink more than you’re used to. Remember: your body functions well when it’s hydrated, so your run will go a lot smoother with some extra H20. More water = less huffin’ and puffin’.

Breakfast is for champions

The day of your 5K is not the day to wake up late and dash to the starting line without having breakfast. It’s also not the day to go to IHOP for an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffe, so find a happy medium. If you don’t eat anything before your run, not only will you be ravenous, but your energy will be seriously lacking...making your run much more strenuous and less pleasant overall. If you eat too much, you’ll probably feel sick and risk throwing up all over the track (not cute girl, not cute). Make a quick fruit smoothie or grab some yogurt and granola before you leave the house—it’ll make a huge difference.

Shoes are a girl’s best friend

When running a race, shoes are of the utmost importance (the more support, the better!). Make sure to don a pair of running shoes that are already broken in to avoid nasty blisters and (even worse!) massive toenail trauma.

Taking care of business

Nerves can get the best of us, and you might feel the need to use the bathroom before or during your race. Take care of the problem by being sure to use the bathroom about an hour before and then right before you leave for your race. Otherwise, you might have to use a porta-potty (ugh) and risk adding minutes to your time.

Slow and steady wins the race

The second the race begins, there will be some crazy people who shoot off the start line like a bolt of lightning—don’t let this be you. If you start off too fast at the beginning of the race, you will lose momentum and seriously regret it. People who start off too fast often tire too quickly, and then by the time the third mile comes up, they don’t even know if they’ll make it through the race. Pace yourself, pretty.

Gather your squad

On the day of your race, make sure you bring at least one of your best girlfriends to cheer you on. If she’s running too, that’s even better! When one of you is beginning to struggle, the other can shout words of encouragement. If your bestie isn’t running, have her stand on the sidelines a little down the course and make you a funny sign. That way, when you begin to think “What did I get myself into?" at mile two, you'll get a good-mood boost.

Celebrate

One of the most important parts of the 5K comes at the finish line—the celebration. YOU DID IT! You finally finished your first 5K! How do you feel? Probably tired—and that’s okay, but don’t be too tired to take in the awesome energy of everyone around you. Be proud of yourself for all your hard work.

Have you ever run of 5k before? Got any great tips we can try? Share with us in the comments!

by Melanie White | 2/1/2016