Run-Down Forums

[falconpilot]

Alrighty my name is David.

I'm 17.....i weigh 71kgs (multiply by 2.2 for lbs equivalent) am 5'10 in height and have good body proportions.

My training (done under my own logical thinking) is a 5km run done to 105% of my best effort. I then rest, drink a 25% of a sports drink for hydration and walk around a 550m strip to rewarm my muscles.
I then run each 'lap' again to the b est of my ability averaging about 2min 10sec a lap and getting my 5th and final lap down to 2 sec.

I have been training up to 5-7 times a week and have been incorporating hill sprinting after this evolution. This 'regime' has lasted about a month with perseverence and is prefaced by 3yrs of running 'to keep fit' and maintain a decent degree of fitness....by that i mean doin a 6k run in lilltle over 20min.

My diet consists of carbohydrates, proteins and minerals. During, before and after my regimes of training I warm up and warm down thorougly to decrease lactic acid build up in my muscles and of course prevent injuries.

I have never had a trainer, (nor have i raced) and now have had an opportunity to run a 5Km race......I haven't an experienced clue on how to prepare.....my thoughts are i run hard until 2 days before the race.....just relax and carbo load a little and give my aching muscles time to recharge.

What psychological probs will i face? How do i overcome them? How do i best time my speed during the race........how should I race to achieve the best time possible......?
What times should i be trying to achieve for 5km? 19 min? (goal)..am 17yrs old
Are my eating habits correct...........please I have 3 days before race day and am panicking as I'm so green in this area. Please post replies ASAP!

Thanks so much
Dave (south african by birth...living in Belgium)

[Distance_Guru]

With three days before the race here is what I recommend you do. Rest up, two days before the race run a little shorter and a little easier than normal, and get a good nights sleep. Try to eat healthy, but don't worry to much about the details. Just try to get a high percentage of carbohydrates in your diet. The day before the race run easy for 20-30 minutes and do around ten 100 meter strides (gradual accelerations where you focus on running as smoothly as possible while going fast).

If the race is on a track then focus on running each lap at an even and steady pace that will allow you to hit your goal time (19 minutes 5k= 91 seconds per lap). If you race is on the roads you will face a different problem. This being your first race you will probably be very excited and want to run a fast time which can result in running the first portion of the race faster than you should. My advice is to run controlled early. Run fast but not as fast as you can. After the first kilometer you should start to settle down and from there you can start to speed up if you need to. Also since this is your first race don't put any pressure on yourself to run fast. Just go and enjoy yourself, you will learn a lot about how to race just by doing it. And the more races you run in the better you will become.

Good luck
_________________
Time is the fire in which we burn

[Micah Ward]

I agree with DG and would go so far as to say start the race feeling like you are going too slow. Keep that pace for the first kilometer then adjust depending on how you feel.

Let us know how you do. Good luck.