💥GOAL RACE CRITERIA💥
When we are picking our goal races for the year, we want to think about putting ourselves in the BEST possible position to see what we are capable of 💯
👇Consider the following to ensure your goal race will set YOU up for success:👇
❇️TIME OF YEAR:
A race in August versus a race in November will yield VERY different temperatures anywhere in the U.S. Shoot for goal races in the Fall and Spring for optimal running conditions! ⛅️Experts say the ideal running temperatures for the human body are 45-50 degrees for long distance races
❇️COURSE ELEVATION:
It’s no secret that running on hills slows you down, though some runners do thrive on smaller rolling hills versus a completely flat course. Know what type of course suits you best! 🏔
❇️CROWD SUPPORT/SPECTATORS:
Do you love having spectators cheer you on, or does all the commotion of a big race stress you out? Figure out what environment you run your best in! 👨👨👦👦
❇️TRAVEL:
Some runners LOVE runcations while others prefer to stay close to home for races. Plan to run races that make the most sense for you and your situation! ✈️
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❇️COMPETITION/FIELD SIZE:
Are you the type of runner who is motivated and pushed by other runners around you, or can you thrive out on your own during a race? Figure out your ideal racing scenario 🏃♀️🏃🏃♂️
Studies show that competition improves performance through a few different psychological and physiological pathways. 💪 As runners, we tend to run better when others are present versus when we are by ourselves
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❓Do you like to be competitive with others in races❓We want to know!👇Let us know in the comments below👇
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🔥Check out some possible reasons as to WHY our performance improves when we have competition:🔥
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✅INCREASED ENJOYMENT: Runners LOVE the race atmosphere! It pulls us along and can even make us smile when our bodies are in pain during the hardest miles 😊
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✅INCREASED EFFORT: Being in a competition can increase the amount of attention devoted to the task at hand, thereby improving performance 💪
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✅EXTERNAL REWARDS: Having race money, age group awards, or fun finish line medals on the line help motivate us to keep moving forward and pushing. External rewards can be a really strong motivator 💵
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✅SOCIAL COMPARISON: The reason we race is to see who the fastest is. Humans inherently want to know how they stack up against others and see who is better, faster, stronger. Our willingness to suffer increases because of this desire to see who is the best! 🏃♀️🏃♂️🏃
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