1 Plan ahead. Make a training schedule, working from the day of the run backwards.
2 Try to get a uniform progression in distance and speed. The mistake some people make is they go out on a training run and they feel good, so they keep running until their muscles get tired. Don’t do that! Start training at a low level and gradually progress until you get to the level you will be running at on the day, so you don’t overload your body. The older you are, the slower you need to build up.
3 Pace is important. Get running at a pace you are comfortable with. If you are running for fun, then you should be able to talk while you’re running.
4 Once you have established a comfortable pace, time yourself. On the day, because of the adrenaline and the great atmosphere, you will tend to run too quickly, but if you know what your average pace is, you’ll be able to make sure you stick to it. That way, you’ll know you can finish, rather than running out of steam half way through.
5 Make sure you listen to your body. If you have an ache, then don’t think “I’ll rest for a day and then, even if it’s still a bit painful, I’ll run through it”. Get some professional advice and don’t keep running with the injury until a niggle becomes a serious problem.
6 Don’t wear brand-new trainers and clothes on the day of the run. It’s like anything you wear – if you put on a brand-new shirt, for instance, it can rub. Unpack that Maccabi GB Community Fun Run/charity t-shirt now and start wearing it on your training runs. Otherwise, on the day, you may get blisters and friction burns.
7 Stay hydrated – drink and drink and drink. My biggest advice on this is to drink continuously and sip. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty and then gulp the water down. There are two reasons for this. By the time you’re feeling thirsty, you will already be dehydrated. And also, the quicker you take the water in, the quicker it… will need to come out again.
8 Another point about hydration is – don’t assume it’s easy to drink water while running – you actually need to practise this too.
9 Training isn’t only about physically preparing yourself. It’s about preparing yourself for what the day is going to be like. If you are going to be running with your children, as you might well be for the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run, then practise with them. It’s easy to think – oh, the children will run with no problem, whatever happens – I am going to be the problem one. You need to practise together. And part of the fun is training as a family.
10 Don’t be too ambitious. If you’re not sure what distance to aim for (for the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run, you have a choice of 1K, 5K and 10K), sign up for the shorter distance and if on the day, you run it and you feel really good, you can do a longer distance next year. Or practise the shorter one and go up if you feel really good in training. You can always register and then progress to the next distance up, but it’s difficult to go back.
11 The Maccabi GB Community Fun Run is meant to get people active; get the community out there. The aim is to have a good time, so you want to do it again. So the most important thing of all is to enjoy your run!
Gary Lewin is a chartered physio specialising in sports medicine at Centennial Medical Care, Elstree
www.communityfunrun.org
