You don’t have to be fast to love racing. You don’t have to race a lot to love racing, either. I don’t race as often as many of my friends race; OTOH, I race a lot more often than some of my friends race. That’s life — right? There’s always someone faster, slower, doing more, doing less.
So the proverbial you gotta do you.
Today I am joining up with the Friday Five 2.0 from Fairytales & Fitness and Rachel @ Running on Happy to talk about 5 reasons I love racing.
The Challenge
Racing is hard. And if it isn’t hard, then I say you’re not really racing. Although there are your run Disney fans, who are in it for the characters; the beer milers, who are in it for the beer — well, you get the picture.
Some racers just wanna have fun, and that’s fine. They’re out there and they’re still challenging themselves and they’re doing something good for their body.
The Atmosphere
Want to get yourself out of a funk? Volunteer at a race (which is a do as I say, not as I do). The atmosphere at a race is electric. It’s part of the reason you train at a certain pace, but you race at a faster pace.
First time racers are almost always surprised that the pace that felt so hard in training feels so easy in the race (up to a certain point, of course, and all depending on what race day hands you).
Even if your race doesn’t go as you envisioned it, as long as you’re not injured, you’ll feel proud of yourself and you’ll be in a better mood at the end of your race.
Seeing New Areas
I’ve often seen more of an area than my husband when we travel, even long before I started to run. Because I’m a morning person, I’d often go out for an early morning walk while Mr. Judy was still snoozing. Course none of those walks were ever 13.1 miles.
You can see a lot of an area in 13.1 miles. I can only imagine what it must be like in 26.2!
Pushing Myself
Life begins, as they say, outside of your comfort zone. You gym rats? Most of you go to the gym because you work out harder than then you do at home. Same thing at a race.
It can be hard to push yourself on your umpteen cold or hot run — far easier when you are surrounded with a thousand or so of your new best friends, aka other runners.
Earning My Post Race Treat
Food & running: even for the non-foodies among us, food & running often seem to be inexplicably intertwined. Who doesn’t plan their post run/race recovery meal . . . before the run? During the run? Just me? I know that’s not true!
It’s nice to know that I can let my hair down (metaphorically & in real life) and eat what I want after a hard half.
So let me know in the comments:
Are you thinking about food on the road (and before, and after)?
What do you love about racing?
What is one thing you’re loving lately?
Chocolaterunsjudy 
Great reasons but I still hate to race.
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It would be a boring world if we all were the same!
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I miss racing! I haven’t done a race since June. I love the challenge, running somewhere fun (with the roads closed for runners!) and the post-race treats! Cant wait to eventually be able to get back out there.
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I haven’t really done a race since New Years, just some fast training runs (and maybe another one Sunday — weather’s really sucky though right now).
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Yes on all these things! I love to push myself and after all the months of running by myself it’s fun to have some people around and it helps push me. I also love the social atmosphere and the fun friends I meet up with and meet along the way.
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These are great reasons. I love the positive energy on race day and the camaraderie with other runners.
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There really is nothing like the energy at a race! I never felt that way years ago when I was on a swim team.
Excitement, yes, maybe. But not the energy from the crowd (runners & non-runners alike) at a race.
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Seeing new areas is definitely a reason I race. I love racecations!
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What’s not to love about a racecation?
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I always ask myself why I’m doing this when I’m racing! Then I cross the finish line and I get my answer. No, not for the bling. For that awesome sense of accomplishment. Of setting a goal and meeting it.
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Funny, I’m not usually asking myself that during a race (although I can’t say I never do — especially at the end) — but during training, yes, there are definitely times when I wonder why I thought it was a good idea
We’re such opposites! in some ways. Which isn’t a bad thing.
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I couldn’t agree more with all of your reasons! When I’m training for a race, I tend to get bored with the process, or overwhelmed, but once I’m at the start line, I’m so excited!
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Good — I’m glad that I’m not the only one that hates (sometimes) the training process. 🙂
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You do not have to be fast to race and that is one of the things I love too. The running community is so inclusive and welcoming.
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I agree! On both points!
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All of the above reasons are applicable for me too, as a runner!
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🙂
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Going someplace new also lets me check out the food. If I ever did a race in New Orleans, I’d have a lot of fun with the post-race meal.
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We;ll see what we come up with. 🙂
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You know how I feel about racing – love it for the reasons you’ve mentioned. If I race every weekend, then I don’r need to do any speedwork training during the week.
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The other thing I forgot about was how much easier a faster pace feels in a race (at least at the beginning).
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that’s because we get sucked in with the faster runners and eventually we lose them and we are left to our own devices LOL.
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I like races because they’re like a big party. Of course I like them even better when I’ve actually trained…
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I’ve no doubt that you will be well trained for Berlin. 🙂
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I just love the energy of races! That’s something I miss as I don’t race very much anymore.
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I don’t really race a whole lot. Racing is tiring! But yup, the energy is totally contagious.
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I love having the thought of cake dangling in front of me…! And the runners high for sure!!
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Who doesn’t love a little cake? 😏
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Thank you for stating that I don’t have to be fast to love racing. I am a slow runner but I am giving it my best for every race. I will never forget that feeling when I crossed the finish line for my first 5k. I was so incredibly happy you would have thought I won the Lottery!
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Of course you don’t have to be fast to race! I definitely am not fast.
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Racing is my motivator! 🙂
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These are great reasons to love racing and I agree with all of them!
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