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Runners World Articles: Archives Reasons to Race About half of today's runners never enter a road race. That's a shame, because they're missing an energy jolt that enhances the running experience in more ways that I can possibly describe in a single column. Many runners find that participating in races jump-starts their motivation for running; others improve their performance by training for challenging events. Many recreational runners are surprised to find in themselves the seed of a true athlete, and almost everyone comes away from a community road race invigorated and inspired. Here a few goals that runners at any level can accomplish through road racing. Embark on a mission. When you put a race date on your calendar, it adds meaning to your training runs. You'll find more motivation for logging those miles. Just finish it. Most nonracers are surprised to learn that road races aren't super-competitive. Yes, a few speedsters at the front are going for the win, but the rest of us are there just to finish, and to enjoy ourselves along the way. Start a running relationship. While a few runners meet their future spouses at road races, thousands more forge long-term friendships by comparing notes with and encouraging others during the trek. Have an adventure. If your running is settling into too much of a routine, a monthly race will help you shake things up a bit. Tune in to your tribal instincts. In a way, community runs echo prehistoric times, when our ancestors migrated in groups to find food, escape predators and search for better place to live. Things like cooperation and teamwork developed to help us survive these journeys. So it's natural to feel a sense of belonging when you gather with your community's fitness tribe for a "migration" of 5 or 10 kilometers. To enter is to join an enthusiastic, positive group of people who are pulling one another along to the finish-and the feast afterward. Get to know your town. Running a road race allows you to experience a community more thoroughly than many residents do. Suburbanites can safely tour downtown areas, and inner-city denizens can get a taste of the suburbs. You can string together your own racing tour of scenic areas and historic districts you might not visit otherwise. Sneak in some speedplay. Many of us want to improve our pace but have trouble doing the faster training that can make it happen. By running two 5-k races a month, you'll incorporate enough speed to improve, without having to do the work alone. Take an annual fitness test. Almost every year, I run Atlanta's Peachtree Road Race to see if I've lost any speed. Events that are always run on the same course give you a good measure of your progress. Be inspired. From the kids' energy to the determination of the 70-plus group, from the beginners' fresh enthusiasm to the grace and speed of the elites, you'll come away with enough inspiration to last for weeks. Win some prize money. A group of fun-runners I know pooled all the loose change they found on runs during the year into their own prize purse at an annual race. You and your running friends can arrange your own reward system. Extend yourself. About half of those who enter races don't push themselves at all. But if you wish, you can challenge yourself a bit. You'll usually find that you've got a lot more inner strength than you gave yourself credit for. Feast. Most races have a food reward system beyond the finish line. And some runners choose a special reloading restaurant where they gather after a race. Remind yourself that we're at our best when we help others. It's so easy, yet so satisfying, to give support and encouragement at a road race. Races put us into this positive role and virtually guarantee uplifting feelings afterward. You'll increase the effect when you get one or more new racers to join you each time. All you have to do is ask-and give them an entry form.
From Runner's World, March 1998, p. 3
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