#1 on your checklist: request earned Runs™ Bibs!!!


​1.CONTACT Earned Runs to receive racing bibs for your or friends' use in training/racing

THE FOLLOWING TASKS ARE A GUIDE TO PREPARATION.
Each might best (but need not necessarily)  be taken on in this exact order.

​2. COMMIT TO COMPETE OR ACCOMPLISH A GOAL
The goal can be to run, walk, or race a certain distance, achieve a specific finish time or pace,or train consistently over a set number of weeks or months. It will be your accomplishment, so choose something meningful to you, especially if you've had difficulty persevering in past attempts to reach a goal.

Set your mind to go it alone or find a buddy, family members,  or group of friends to aspire with you to train for a competition. The most common advice given for success in this kind of endeavor is to reach out to others for support. However, if the reason that YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THROUGH ON TRAINING COMMITMENTS is that a friend or friends cancel out on scheduled training, then YOU must decidee to carry on alone if needed. YOU can do it.

3. CHOOSE A RACE DISTANCE AND DATE
Building a conditioning "base" takes several months, and you will need time to develop your training habits and find routes and gear. Plan your race on a date 3-6 months from the start of training, farther out if your race is a longer distance, like half or full marathon, and have a back-up date several weeks later. It can be your birthday, a holiday, or other date or time of year that is convenient or has significance for you. Training in winter snow may be difficult, so factor this into your date selection.

Optional: MAKE A CHALLENGE DONATION
Consider increasing your level of commitment by donating to a cause or charity. There was no registration fee for your personal competition with EARNED RUNS BIBS, so this an opportunity to be generous. The physical ability to exercise, afford shoes, train without threat of violence, and enjoy clean drinking water and air are relative luxuries. Racers can appreciate these privileges by helping those in need.
See the GENEROSITY page.

Optional: PLEDGE TO TRAIN AND COMPETE "GREEN"
Racing alone or in small groups and re-using race materials, like earned Runs bibs, is a good start to decreasing the impact of your sport participation on the environment. Be alert to other ways of being earth sensitive; limit use of plastic bottles and other disposables; clean up after yourself and group.

4. GET CHECKED OUT
Contact the physician you see for general health issues and indicate you are stepping up your exercise routine to include competition. Ask whether you need to first be seen for medical clearance. Persons who have special need for physician approval are those who:
1. Are new to exercise, especially if older than 40 years of age
2. Have been seen by a physician for joint, muscle, or bone problems
3. Have history or family history of heart disease or other significant medical problem

​Previous injury DOESN'T' NECESSARILY EXCLUDE your participation. Contact the physical therapy group who helped you then for advice now.

5. FIND A TRAINING PLAN 
See RESOURCES page. Learn the signs of over-training to avoid Injury, which can sideline you for months.
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6. TRACK PROGRESS; PREPARE A CALENDAR or DIARY
You can make a separate CALENDAR or check-off completed days on A PRINTED training plan. You might also keep a kind of diary, recording performance at each training session, or writing in times or other measures to chart progress. This can be done on a printed copy of your plan or in an online program that allows comments. Although it may seem like a pointless effort, since the program is already constructed and you just follow it, checking off or writing about your training sessions silently urges you to complete each day's work and congratulates you afterward!. You can also get a better picture of how to adjust the schedule, if you routinely skip certain days or times for various reasons.

7. FIND SHOES AND OTHER GEAR
a. Most importantly, first shop for shoes, socks, support wear (bras for women and athletic supporters for men) and safety wear (reflective strips for clothing, vests; lights). See RESOURCES page.

b.Other running aids you should look into include eye protection like polarized sunglasses, anti-chafing aids, sunblock, BPA free water bottles, and carbohydrate snacks to eat on long runs and carbohydrate+protein snacks for recovery. You can discover what you need as you go, or learn in advance from other runners if you routinely investigate online running sites or magazines.
8. DOWNLOAD A RUNNING APP OR FIND OTHER METHOD TO MEASURE DISTANCES
See RESOURCES page. Driving your car is the old-fashioned way to do this but it limits you to road courses. Once you measure a specific distance you won't need a device when you run it again; an economical way is to borrow what you need if the expense is to high to own a tracker or app yourself. Old fashioned timers and stop-watches may be a less costly way to measure time when covering a known distance. Some trainers and coaches advocate running "by feel" so that the distraction of constantly checking time is eliminated. 

9. SECURE TRAINING AND RACING ROUTES
Map out courses or find tracks for your mileage and weather needs.  It's nice to explore with new running or walking venues, but easiest to train when your body knows it's way on a familiar path, even if it's around and around your neighborhood. The best course choice may change with the time of year and day of week. Shaded routes are helpful in hot months. Level and smooth surfaces are best for darkness and on slippery days. Staying out of the wind is helpful in colder, wetter months. Routes that have too much busy traffic on weekdays may be quiet and perfect for weekends!
TO REMAIN INJURY FREE AND ALLOW YOUR BEST PERFORMANCE

​A. FIND A GUIDE TO FLEXIBILITY AND STRETCHING AND DEVELOP THOSE MOVES
Pre- and/or post- runs and walks. See RESOURCES page.

B. FIND AND START A STRENGTH BUILDING ROUTINE  
Weekly or as more needed. See RESOURCES page.

C. GET A FOAM ROLLER AND LEARN HOW TO USE IT SAFELY
Pre- and/or post- runs and walks. See RESOURCES page.

D. READ UP ON HYDRATION AND NUTRITION
In preparation for, and recovery after, training sessions and competitions. See RESOURCES page.

E. PERFORM A SAFETY INVENTORY
Look critically at each component of your training and racing plan for safety risks and make changes as needed. See RESOURCES page

Advice re:MUSIC
Don't worry too much about playlists. For safety you should consider not always running or walking with earbuds. To train successfully and avoid injury your mind must be on your task. If listening to music ups your energy, do so on runs/walks in which your course is without significant traffic risk or not in an isolated area, or when your plan calls for an easy, slow session without speed intervals. Some organized races discourage or won't allow listening to music. It can be advantageous to avoid becoming dependent on entertainment!

Advice re: REWARDS
It's helpful to break down a single large goal into a series of stepwise smaller goals. For example if you wish to run a 10K (6.25 miles) race but have not yet been able to cover more than 3 miles of continuous running in training or racing, consider each additional mile marker of continuous running to be an accomplishment, worthy of celebration or reward. Or completion of all training components each week of an 8 - 10 week plan as deserving recognition. Rewards should not sabotage training. Thus partying may not be best choice. New socks, a hat, a 'star' sticker on the calendar, a cup of coffee or tea at a favorite specialty shop could qualify. 

Above all, mentally congratulate yourself for a job well done and remember to.....

RUN HAPPY!
“If your spine is inflexibly stiff at age 30, you are old. If it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.”
Joseph H Pilates, creator of the Pilates method of exercise

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