There are many things to take into consideration when picking a race. Races are great motivators to help us focused on fitness goals, which is why we keep signing up for them. The thing is you need to be picky and make sure the race is a good one for you. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are trying to figure out if you really do need to sign up for your 7th race in a month.
1) Do I get a t-shirt? Or better yet is the t-shirt Dri-fit? It's basically like college where we would do anything for a shirt. It's probably not that extreme but it's close but it is still one of the very first things we look at. The more races you do, the more likely it will become that you can go a week or four with out wearing the same race t-shirt.
2) Is there a medal? Nothing will get us to a finish line faster than getting a medal now a days. It's so important to have that bling around our necks now. Not only is having a medal important, but so is what it looks like. Is
it shaped like a tiara or a firework? Does it sparkle or light up?
Seriously, you think this is a joke but something about having this
amazing 6 inch medal hanging around the neck after a few miles of
running is incredibly rewarding!
3. What's in the Swag Bag? We need to know e're getting something besides the medal. It's assumed there is an awesome shirt but if a jacket or a towel are an added bonus, sign our butts up! There is a very real chance that we will train for and run a half marathon just so the jacket can be in our wardrobes. It's totally worth that $60 fee. Plus if we are being honest, how many of you our there get a little bit of enjoyment out of wearing your swag around town? Then you see someone else with the same stuff and you have a silent moment of like of appreciation for each other.
4) What's the distance? Oh it's a marathon....26.2 miles...umm no!! You would think this would be one of the very first things on the list but it usually isn't. However the distance is oh so very important. Most longer races will have a time limit and then they will start shutting down parts of the course. It's important to know if you are able to do the distance of the race in the given time period. Plus longer races take a toll on your body and you need to know if you body can handle the distance.
Related: Beat The Heat
Related: Beat The Heat
5) What's the fee? This really should be one of the first questions asked but it's not anymore. As we sat discussing our upcoming half marathon and whether or not to do another one, for the first 15 minutes neither of us even mentioned he fees. We discussed whether or not our bodies could handle the distance and what the medal looked like and what the swag was. Then for the last few minutes we finally discussed the fee. It just doesn't matter as much! Also ask yourself is there a groupon, is the fee on sale, or when are the dates the fee will go up. Most races will be less expensive the further out you sign up. As you get closer the fees tend to go up, for many races you aren't gauranteed a t-shirt after a certain sign up date.
6) Where is the race fee going? Many of us love doing these races because they are fundraisers for a good cause. It's important however to read the fine print if that is something you really care about. We recently did a race, not naming names, that said it went in support of a local charity but when we looked into it only $1 of our $30 entry fee was going to that charity.
6) Where is the race fee going? Many of us love doing these races because they are fundraisers for a good cause. It's important however to read the fine print if that is something you really care about. We recently did a race, not naming names, that said it went in support of a local charity but when we looked into it only $1 of our $30 entry fee was going to that charity.
7) When is it? If we are being honest this should be the second thing you ask your self. Mostly because you need to maike sure you have time to train for the race. We both know people who can go out and run a half-marathon with next to know training, and run fast. It's not fair and it's not something most people can do. We really encourage you to take the time to train for races! Especially if it's your first one at a longer distance. This will help you to avoid injury.
Whatever your reason is for a race, commit to it and own that day! Whether you run it, walk it or skip, that race is yours and remember you got this!
Fitster Sisters
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