Obsessive Runner - Andrew Chak, Running Blog Idol 2.0
Five ways to choose your next race
November 25th, 2012As we recover from the fall running season, it’s time to set our sights on the next race to keep motivated to run through the winter months. For me, picking a race is a picky process – I want everything from a fast course to great fan support to a stylish medal at the end. After doing many races, I’ve come to appreciate the different reasons why a given race is a great one to do. The short answer for choosing which race to sign up for next is “it depends.”
Races can’t be perfect in every way, but they can be quite a good match for you if you know what’s important to you. Here are five perspectives on how you can choose your next race.
Running for a cause is a great motivator – you’re not just running for yourself, you’re running for others in need and you just won’t let them down. When you’re running for a charitable cause, you’re also more likely to share your race intentions with others which is even more of a motivator for you to train.
What to look for:
- Races focused on a single cause. Races oriented around a singular cause often have a great sense of community as many of the runners and spectators are there for the same reason.
- Know how the funds are being raised. Is a part of the race fee being donated? Or are funds strictly raised from runners soliciting donations?
When you’re running for a personal record, it’s the combination of the course and race day conditions which will impact you the most.
What to look for:
- A course that is flat or slightly downhill. Check also that the course has a wide enough running path for the number of expected runners so that you don’t get caught in congestion – you can’t go fast if people are in your way!
- Expected race day temperature. Races in the middle of a humid summer aren’t going to afford you the same results that you’d expect in the spring or fall. Use a tool like the Old Farmer’s Almanac to check the historical weather.
Sharing in a race experience with your friends can make it much more meaningful and fun. There are few things better than celebrating each other’s accomplishment at the end of a hard fought run.
What to look for:
- Races which have multiple distances on the same day. Having multiple distances makes a race much more accessible to friends at different levels of running. This year I ran the Montreal Marathon which had a 1K kids run, 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and full-marathon on the same course on the same day which made for a very fun and diverse group of finishers at the end.
- Post-run festivities. There is a certain euphoria immediately after a race and it’s great to be able to celebrate and party right away. I’ve seen races which have had full meal options, family play areas, and post-run concerts which provide more great moments for friends to share in.
If your primary goal is to finish then I salute you in your courage to choose to sign up for a race. Finishing is no small feat and it’s important that you choose a race which will provide you with the support you need to get to that finish line.
What to look for:
- Race pacers. Pacers help lead a group of runners to run an even pace to hit a desired time goal. The advantage of running with pacers is that by default you get to run with a group of people to support you throughout the race and you can always choose a pace that is comfortable for you.
- Lots of fan support. Having people cheer you on throughout the race can be a big boost to keep you going. Look for races which have a long history and weave through residential areas where it’s easy for residents to come out and cheer. When I ran the Philadelphia Marathon this year, I was impressed with how many people were out at 7am lining the streets with their awesome cheers.
I have to admit that I’m a bonafide schwagamaniac – if the medal is shiny, big and even a little bit novel, I just have to make a run for it! Medals, shirts and race kits are all very valid reasons to be motivated for choosing a given run – at least that’s what I tell myself…
What to look for:
- A medal that you’ll be proud of. More races are using medals to differentiate themselves: I’ve seen spinners, LED lights, and even bottle openers be incorporated into medal designs. I usually like to see what the previous year’s medal looked like to help me decide on the next race. To browse the latest medals, check out 26point2medals.com.
- Cool race kit items. Another way for races to differentiate themselves is by giving away something other than a race t-shirt. I’ve seen race kits can include items such as: re-usable sacks, water bottles, caps, gloves, and even jackets for colder weather runs. The best way to find out what has been in the race kit previously is to search online for something like “[race name] recap” to see what other runners have shared about the kit.
So, what are you waiting for? Now that you know what to look for, get yourself to sign up for that next race!
See you at the start line,
Andrew
