Vancouver Island is host to many amazing athletic events, from cycling to marathons to adventure races. If you haven’t participated in a race event before, I would encourage you to try one! There is a lovely camaraderie of friendly competition, but more than that, it’s the common goal of completing a physically challenging event. Regardless of the distance, time or difficulty, the satisfaction of finishing an event that may have taken months to train for is extremely gratifying. So, lace up those shoes and start training!
Pick a reasonable distance. If it’s your first time tackling an event, think small and smart. Start SLOWLY, even if your heart and head want to go fast! And if you’re excited, you will definitely feel the urge to go faster and / or farther than your body may be ready for. It may actually be the toughest part of training! But too much too soon can lead to injuries and, subsequently, frustration.
Cross training is an important aspect of your workout routine. If your body is begging for more, mix up your training! This can be done in a couple of ways.
1) Switch up your training with different activities. For example, if your training for a mountain bike race, cross train with swimming, running or yoga.
2) Another form of cross training can be to alternate similar activities, thereby training sport specific muscles but in different ways. For example, if you are training for a marathon, mix up your training by heading out into the trails. You will still train your “running muscles” but they will be challenged in different ways, reducing your chance of overuse injuries.
Just as some people are gung-ho about a new race or training challenge, others find it difficult to stay motivated and get out the door. Set yourself up for success by creating a personalized reward program. For example, if you are training for your first 10km race, set out a reasonable goal of how many times per week you are going to train and the distance for each outing. If you accomplish your goal each week, reward yourself with a star on a chart or a new pair of running socks. Of course, completing your 10km will be reward enough come race day! Another way many athletes stay motivated is to join a team or connect with a friend that wants to share your goal. Many local athletic stores or recreation centres have training programs that will fit your racing goals.
As always, be aware of injuries, as they may crop up now and then. If you are in doubt as to whether you are on the brink of an injury, a rest day or week is as good as any therapy. Seek out medical advice if there is pain and treat it promptly. Taking time off to heal is a great test of patience, but it is well rewarded if you can respect your body’s ability to mend itself. It may mean changing your race goals, but it will be well worth it if you want to continue to be injury free in the future. There are ALWAYS other races!!
A final piece of advice. If you train smart and consistently throughout your months of training, make sure you don’t do ANYTHING different on race day! Really! Resist the urge to try out new shoes, socks, or even underwear! Don’t change what you normally eat or drink or when you eat or drink them. Chafing from a new pair of shorts can make a race truly miserable, or suffering from tummy cramps after consuming that new sports drink that promised extra energy….not fun! Stick with what you know and experiment on your training days.
Now check out these fantastic races here on Vancouver Island and get yourself and a friend registered! Below is a list of races that are coming up in the next couple of months (2014)….check out the links and register for one or two!
A great go-to list for events is raceonline.ca – this site gives a list of race events from different categories – cycling, mountain biking, road running, trail running, adventure racing, multisport – and covers areas all over Canada (but a surprising amount seem to be in BC).
Vancouver Island Events:
MARCH 30 – Cobble Hill XC Bike Race : from expert to beginner and even a vintage bike race, this event has something for everyone
APRIL 13 – Sooke River 10km road run
APRIL 13 – Nanaimo 5km run/walk and Children’s 1km to Conquer Cancer
APRIL 18 – Fletchers Challenge Trail Race -Westwood Lake (Nanaimo) – @15km trail race or 6km family cookie walk/run
APRIL 27 – The famous Times Colonist 10km road run!
MAY 10 – 27th Annual Island Runner Elk/Beaver Lake Ultras (24km – 100km distances!) – trail running
MAY 11 – Oceanside Mothers Day 10km Road Run – Parksville, BC
MAY 18 – 6 Hours of Maple – Maple Mountain, Duncan – biking
MAY 18 – Gut Buster Trail Running Series – Western Speedway – Langford
May 25 – Oak Bay Half Marathon and Asics Ekiden Relay – road running
Register for one of these, and you won’t regret it!
While there may be information related to certain medical conditions and their treatment on this website, please consult your doctor or other healthcare professional to determine if a treatment described in the website is appropriate for you.
Kirsten Hammond is a Registered Massage Therapist and owner of Evolutions Massage Therapy Clinic- Saanich, BC & Sidney, BC & Brentwood Bay, BC