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So you’ve decided to attempt a fun run. Congratulations!! it could be your first or maybe you’ve done one or more before.

How do you prepare??

First and foremost get a good training program and stick to it. A good plan should not only incorporate running but should include some cross training, as well as stretching or yoga. Also very important is giving your body the time to rest, and of course refueling your body with the best possible nutrition.

Doing all of things will give you the best chance to have a great run. Remember that a fun run is just that, fun. Especially if its your first one, So try to enjoy the run as well as the training.

Never try something new on your fun run. Play with some strategies so you can reduce the chance of discomfort during the event.

Here are some tips on getting yourself ready for your first or any fun run.

Nutrition – on a few of your longer training runs try the food and hydration that you are planning to have the day before and on the day of the event. This will reduce the chance of food playing havoc with your digestive system on the day of the run. Don’t try anything new on the day of the run keep it basic

Clothing and shoes – Wearing new clothing and a shiny pair of running shoes always makes us feel good but there is nothing worse than running and a new piece of clothing causing blisters or chaffing so whatever you do always try your new clothing at least a couple of times before your event.

Sleep – most of us lead busy lives and between work, families, socializing, and training we often don’t get enough sleep. So in the lead up to your event especially in the final week, try to cut back on the busyness and get yourself as early as possible, An extra 30mins of sleep each night can help greatly in ensuring your are better rested and therefore ready for a great run.

Mental preparation – Completing a fun run can be as much about preparing your mind as it is about preparing physically. So what can you do to prepare mentally? First of all there is nothing wrong with feeling a little nervous about your first fun run. It’s a new experience and hopefully that small amount of nervousness will help you to make sure you prepare everything for your run. So get organized, get your clothes, shoes socks, hat etc. ready the day before. Ensure you know your plan for the morning of the run, this should include what you are going to eat, what you are going to take, how you are going to get the start line. Read any information about the run you are going to participate in so that you are familiar with all parts of the run. It may also help to talk to someone that has done this run for any tips they may have. Most importantly have fun enjoy the experience of your first fun run. Hopefully it will be your first of many so use it as a learning experience rather than putting pressure on yourself and becoming too nervous about.

Doing all these things and double checking them will leave you feeling more relaxed about your run.

Doing these things will undoubtedly help you in your preparation for your event so you can enjoy it with minimal chance of things going astray.

Gluteal Muscles

Gluteal muscles often refereed to as glutes are essentially the muscles we sit on. And with most humans being desk bound at work we often end us sitting on them too much. Unfortunately sitting on them does not work our glutes in fact its quite the opposite, these muscles tend to become weak because we do sit for long periods of time. The other issue is that when we do get up and move the glutes become lazy from sitting down too much.

Glutes are one of the biggest muscle group in our body and are vitally important when we run. This is because along with the hip and hamstrings the glutes are the main muscle group that propel us forward when we run. We are propelled forward as we go into hip extension which is when our leg drives back when our foot is in contact with the ground. This action of the hip extension is what drives our body forward. If the glute muscles aren’t working well then it places extra pressure and extra load on other muscles such as lower back, hamstrings and even calves.

So if you sit for long periods of time here are some exercises that you can do to get your glutes firing and working when you head out for your run.

There a many other exercises to work the glutes but these are great because they require no equipment and very little space to perform them.