Racing - During the Race
The starter pistol is fired and there's no more turning back. The race has begun and it's now your chance to see how far your weeks of training can take you. At this stage of the race, inexperienced runners become tempted to run as fast as they can to take an early lead. A lot of them succumb to that temptation and lose their breath almost immediately. Set yourself apart from the inexperienced pack by taking it slowly at the beginning. Don't worry, about not being ahead of the other runners, because the real race starts when fatigue comes in.
Fatigue is inevitable, especially in longer races. So what can you do to at least lessen its impact on you? For one, you should always take in fluids wherever they are offered. Some races have pit-stops where you can get a cup of water of energy drinks. These fluids not only keep you well-hydrated but also provide you with the glucose that you need for that extra energy, in the case of energy drinks.
Another way to get around the fatigue factor in racing is by conserving your energy instead of exerting it at one time and losing it at a time when you most need it. One way to save precious energy is by running behind a competitor. This technique is called drafting. By running behind another runner the effect of air friction is reduced because the person ahead of you hits the stream of air head on and in effect creates a calm stream of air behind him/her. You can then utilize that calm stream of air and run efficiently with less air friction. However, avoid running too close to a competitor. Always maintain the so-called courtesy distance of about five feet.
Aside from drafting, another way to conserve your energy is by taking the shortest route to get from one point to another. This may sound like an advice for you to cheat but what we mean is that instead of taking the outer lane, take the inner one since it is the shortest way for you to get to the finish line.
Finally, when you're nearing the finish line, it's time to expend all the energy that you have been conserving for most of the race. What you can do at this point of the race is, continue drafting behind your competitor and surge occasionally. Surging works by increasing the pace of your pack which in effect tires those who can't catch up with the pace. By doing so, you gain enough advantage over some of your competitors until the end of the race.
Reaching the finish line can give an indescribable sense of satisfaction if you come in first, but what if you don't? Don't fret because the goal of running is not always about finishing first, but is seeing yourself improve after every race that you join. Now, pick yourself up from the finish line and let's move on and talk about what you can do after the race by reading our section entitled, Racing: After the Race.
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