News-Letter Challenger: The ins and outs of racing a 5K

Whether we like to admit it or not, most of us spend a ridiculous amount of our time planted at a desk in the library or squished into a dorm room that practically requires a shoehorn to squeeze in and out of.

While this voluntary imprisonment is great for staying on-task, it's a poor choice for improving circulation in your legs or raising your heartbeat above resting rate.

We didn't come to Hopkins to experience the culture and thrills of "The City that Reads" (yes, that was in fact the short-lived epithet given to our adopted hometown before our mayor had the benches painted over).

But even in our overworked (or hung-over) states, we can't miss the city-wide event coming up in October, when thousands of runners pass the Hopkins campus as part of the annual Baltimore Marathon.

Most of us are too busy to train for a full marathon. But that won't keep us from feeling any less dissatisfied about our flabby and physically un-fit selves next month as we watch super-fit athletes run past us at ridiculous speeds.

For those of you content to remain physically inert, read no further. For those of you ready to make a change in your health, read on.

I propose a challenge: the 5K, a 3.1-mile race that requires less than an hour of daily training. You may not be able to dedicate the time necessary to train for a marathon now (or ever), but training for a 5K is a great way to push yourself and get in shape, and training will take you less than an hour of your time per day.

For those of you without a strong base (in other words, for those of you who get winded just climbing up the breezeway stairs), you'll want to work up to running a comfortable 15 to 20 miles a week.

Start out by running (or run/walking) at a comfortable pace for about 20 minutes. Over the course of five to six weeks, gradually add time to your runs, eventually building up your mileage to 15 to 20 miles per week.

You can use helpful Web sites like Mapmyrun.com to plan out and vary your running routes.

Preventing injuries

When you start training, it's normal to feel sore or achy for the first couple of weeks. This soreness will eventually decrease as your body adjusts. Don't forget to stretch after you run, while your muscles are still warmed up!

To prevent common running injuries (shin splits, sprains, muscle pulls), check your running shoes. If your old shoes' soles are worn out to the point where the treads are smooth, it's time for a running shoe makeover (i.e. visit a running store and buy a pair of running shoes suitable for your foot type).

Those of you whose running shoes have spent the past few years buried, sad and alone, in a dark closet corner, might be able to get away with the new-ish pair you already own.

To make minor pains more bearable, stick to the basic ice and Advil combination, or take a few days off from running to cross-train on the Rec Center's elliptical machines. Wear weather- and run-appropriate clothing (chafe-proof fabrics, sports bras for women, Under Armour or layers in cold weather).

Keeping a positive attitude

Now that you're equipped and ready to go, start training! Run with a partner, listen to music or vary your running routes to stay motivated and make your training experience fun and enjoyable. The goal is to feel good and de-stress, it shouldn't feel like torture every time you start to jog.

You want to build up your stamina until you're able to run five miles comfortably - plan for a "long run" of five miles once a week. If you want to work on speed, vary your training with 30-second to one-minute interval sprints during the middle part of your run.

Once you feel comfortable running a 5K, register! There are lots of 5K runs around Baltimore all year round. Register ahead of time online or early in the morning on race day. It costs a few bucks, but you'll get a race T-shirt, race number and, of course, bragging rights.

Race Day prep

Although you do want to hydrate before a race, studies have shown that there's no need to carbo-load or take a day off from running the day before a race as short as a 5K.

However, stay away from greasy or fried foods or anything incredibly different from your normal diet - the day before a race is not the best day to try cooking with curry or to let your friend spike your drink with Everclear.

On the day of the race, try to eat two hours before the start time - you'll get a boost of energy but you'll avoid stomach cramps or other unpleasant experiences.

Solid choices for pre-race foods include granola bars, peanut-butter bagels, toast and oatmeal. Bananas are also great since they are easy to digest and a great source of potassium, which helps prevent muscle cramps.

Also, if you're like me and can't get up in the morning without a caffeinated beverage, never fear: Studies have shown that consuming small amounts of coffee/caffeine before exercising can actually have positive effects.

Racing Tips

So you've navigated the registration table, you're proudly sporting your race T-shirt and bib number and you've found the starting line with plenty of time to spare. Your shoelaces are double knotted and you've braved the long lines to the port-a-potties. This is the time to keep in mind a few pointers on "race etiquette":

Number one: Most of you reading this are not elite runners. Unless you can run a five-minute mile, line up in the middle or back of the pack at the start so you won't get trampled or flat-tired. An added benefit: You can set your pace by the people near you (this way, you won't burn out at mile 0.5), and you will feel great when you pass people along the route (rather than watching 20 elite runners sprint past you in the first few seconds of the race).

Number two: Drafting, or running behind another runner to catch the least amount of wind resistance, is a great race strategy. But a word of caution to short people - for obvious reasons, be careful not to line up behind a super-tall person whose elbow is about the height of your nose or forehead. On a similar note, don't throw elbows at people around you.

Number two corollary: Some people don't like it when you pass them. Easy solution: it's perfectly acceptable to yell "on your right" or "on your left" as you speed up and pass him/her. However, if they intentionally cause problems for you, do what you need to do, elbows and flat tires included. I'll leave it at that.

Number 3: If you wear headphones, stay aware of your surroundings so you don't unintentionally become the rude runner described above.

Remember, your goal in running a 5K is to get in shape, challenge yourself and have fun doing it. So get out of the library and into your running shoes and go earn that T-shirt!

And for those of you not up to the challenge, well, we always need people to work the water stations.