The luck of the Irish may have blessed you if you happened to count yourself among the living in the early morning after St. Patrick’s day (I was not). If you were downtown you may have been confused to still see the green-clad hordes. This was the Portland Shamrock Run and the revelers were running, not drinking. The event was an example of the increasing popularity of road races. Options for road races abound these days and the sport is a far cry from the Spartan, elites-only events of old. I remember attending such an event as a kid and watching my super-athlete mother tear through the finish line to collapse, gasping for breath after a grueling, no-frills road race. Cut to my most recent road race, where I was offered cupcakes at mile 2 and a Slip-n-Slide at mile 4.
The Shamrock Run offered race options of 5km, 8km, and 15km and the entry fee included beer and chowder at the end. Many road races now offer such options, making it a much more accessible and convivial sport. Entry fees are reasonable, usually around $30, and often include t-shirts or drinks. Anyone may participate and you can run as quickly or as leisurely as you like. And there are racing events for everyone- from the World Water Day Run for Water to the Garlic Festival Run. Many charities organize runs to benefit causes like cancer research and education programs. I fully support this new face of running races, it has made the sport more welcoming and is a fun way to compete and be active.
Here are some tips for new road runners:
1. Find a buddy. Committing to a race with a friend will keep you motivated, help you train better, and be more fun.
2. Train. Seems obvious but is surprisingly easy to ignore until a panic moment the week before. Work up to the distance and be sure to stretch before and after. Start training at least a month beforehand and commit to running at least every three days (after three days of inactivity you will start to lose the muscles you have worked so hard to build).
3. If you are running to help a charity, look into other sponsors to get more bang for your buck. Your friends and family can offer a pledge for every mile you run. Also, some companies consider your entry fee a donation and will match it, for example pharmaceutical behemoth Ely Lilly with match every dollar donated to Alzheimer’s research.
4. Be realistic. Depending on your running background, you may be turned off from the sport if you jump right in to a 15km. Challenge yourself within reason. And if you have any Irish in you, don’t sign up for a race the morning after St. Patrick’s day.
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