Before I ever competed in any type of race, the fear and apprehension that I felt was enormous. There were so many what ifs—what if I couldn’t finish, what if I finished last in my age group or even worse, what if I finished last in the whole race, what if I had some type of panic attack out on the course, what if I peed myself in front of thousands of spectators. I tried to come up with every type of excuse not to run an event

The list can go on and on for many people and the truth is that competing in your first event is indeed very nerve racking and tense but invigorating and exciting all at the same time. Once you have completed the event, it may be one of the best feelings of accomplishments you may ever feel.

When I first met my wife, she never ran. I tried to get her to run with me but she had other types of workouts that she much preferred. She did have a fear of the unknown because she was never a runner and she didn’t want to make a fool of herself. Eventually, she got the nerve up to do a 5k and then another one and then she followed up with a few more 10k’s. Now she is currently signed up for her 2^nd half marathon that she will be competing in and I am sensing that a marathon is in her sights.

She was always a fitness person but the increased confidence levels that I have seen in her since she has begun her racing has been nothing short of amazing!

There is no doubt that even the most sedentary individual can go out and at least walk the 5k and finish it. (5 kilometers equals 3.1 miles in case you were wondering but too afraid to ask).

If you went out and at least attempted this, you may feel a bit overwhelmed at first with all the other runners who may look quite a bit more athletic than you are and who may even finish the race by the time you get out of the starting gate, but don’t fret.

An organized race is a place where positive attitudes are abundant! It’s people with like minds getting together on a weekend morning with one goal in mind—to live an active and healthy lifestyle, to have fun and to stay fit. But more importantly, it’s where friends and family get together to motivate each other and have a blast doing it. What a feeling to cross that finish line with a best friend, a sibling, your child, spouse or parent.

That is a strong recommendation, by the way: try your first race with someone that you know well. This will make it much more painless. What if you don’t know anybody who wants to do it with you? That’s okay—these types of races are environments where it’s very easy to meet other people and you never know--you may meet someone who is competing in their first race, too. Talk about an immediate bond!

I do want to advise that if you have trained for this event (I do highly recommend this) and have set your goal at a certain finishing time, you may not finish in that desired time. This may lead to disappointment and a good reason for you not to want to run in another race. While it is great to have a goal time to finish in, I would recommend that for your first race just go out and have fun with it and not worry too much about your time and just get used to the wonderful atmosphere before, during and especially after the race ( I love the races with live bands playing).

Finally, get prepared. Look up local events in your area and find what races are coming up. You may want to compete in a race that benefits a cause that you have a passion for such as breast cancer, Earth Day or a doggie dash. Then go to the many websites that are available on how to train for a 5k. You need to learn about running habits, resting your body, injuries, shoes, etc. Don’t make the mistake of trying to do it all on your own. Seek out expert advice and find a plan that you feel comfortable with but either way, mark it on your calendar and just do it! The physical benefits and the self confidence that it will give you will far outweigh any fears or apprehension and the soreness you may have afterwards.

As always, if you do suffer from an injury or illness, make sure to speak with your healthcare provider prior to the race.