Racing

Competition is defined as the act or process of competing.  Competing is to strive consciously or unconsciously for an objective.  When participating in an athletic event, the objective may be to win, to set a personal record (PR), to have fun, to be active, to push yourself, or just get a cool race t-shirt.

A few race t-shirts from my favorite races.

My dresser drawer is overflowing with race shirts.  I love competing in races.  I have rarely won a race, so I’m not in it to win it.  I am, however, in it to push myself harder than I thought possible, to get in a great workout, and to enjoy the experience with other competitors.

I’ve participated in all types of races, both short and long distances, placing both in the front and back of the pack.  Some types of races I’ve done include: half marathons (Des Moines, Lincoln, Dam to Dam), 8-10k cross country races (Green Run, Grimes Farm Run, Living History Farms Run), mountain biking races (Iowa mountain biking series), duathlons (Dirty Du, Scheel’s), adventures races (Iowa Games Adventure Race, Sunflower State Games), and many others.  I have competed both solo and as a part of a team.  I try to experience races in all shapes and forms!  I even participated in an adventure race the day after getting married (my husband and I won!).

Jason and I won the co-ed two-person
Great Ames Adventure Race the day
after we got married.  And yes, I wore a
veil the entire race!

There can be many health benefits to competing in a race.  First and foremost, if you plan to participate in a race, you typically train for the event.  The structure of training can lead to consistent exercise.  When I ran my first Dam to Dam race, I followed a running training schedule for four months prior to the race.  It helped me improve my endurance so that I could run the whole race and gave me the confidence to do it.  There are many different types of training schedules, based on your current athletic ability.  Go to Fitness Magazine for various training schedules to follow.  You can find training plans for just about any type of race for any skill level by searching online.

In addition to following a training plan, many people notice that they perform better, both in training and on race day, when eating healthier.  Complex carbohydrates (the healthy kinds found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes) and protein (found in lean meats, dairy, seafood and legumes) help keep the body functioning at optimal levels.  When you eat a lot of junk food while trying to train for a race, you may find yourself with an upset stomach and poor race times.

Finally, race day itself can provide many health benefits!  All of your training has lead you to race day, where you will likely push yourself at the hardest level you can.  Getting that heart rate up helps pump oxygen rich blood throughout the body.  You also get the benefit of burning calories!  Wearing a heart rate monitor can show you exactly where your rate was during the race and how many calories burned.  There are many different kinds available with lots of different features.  I like my Suunto t6c watch.

The excitement of competing in a race offers a boost in confidence and mental wellness.  Even if you don’t win, don’t set a personal record, or even don’t finish the race, if you showed up and gave your best effort, you should be very proud of yourself!  It’s hard work (or it should be!) and participating makes you a competitor.  Ever thought you’d own that title?  I never imagined that for myself and now I’m excited to be a race competitor :)

Competing as a team in races pushes me
harder because I want to do my part in
helping the team do well.  Jason wore a
bow tie to complement my veil :)

Having a training schedule to follow and a healthy meal plan in place may help give you that extra push to reach your health and fitness goals.  There are races (especially running/walking) pretty much every weekend in Iowa and around the US.  Again, a quick Internet search should result in a long list of events in your area.  I recommend checking out the race calendar on Fitness Sports.

Don’t forget - you don’t have to do this alone!  Find a friend or family member to sign up and train with you.  You’ll develop a unique bond with your race buddy, who can help motivate and push you to your best!

With the new year quickly approaching, think about finding a spring race to participate in and set up a training schedule to start with the new year.  It’s a great jump start for those who like to set health and fitness New Year’s resolutions.  In 2012, I’m thinking about training for a triathlon.  I have NO swimming experience (except for splashing around the pool as a kid) so I definitely have to put a plan in place if I expect to participate!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!  Keep me posted if you sign up - let me know how your training and race go!

Miss FitGab

P.S. - look for my next posting about my attempt to train for a marathon, failing to do it, and why I’m still proud of the entire journey!