Positive Results by Sabrina

Community is one of my top priorities as an athlete and Coach. When I’m not racing, it is my honor to attend local races and cheer for as many racers as I can. The holiday themed fun runs have been so much fun for me to watch over the last few years. For the average runner, fun runs really do bring out the fun. The athletes don’t feel the same pressure to compete with the runners around them. There are strong runners who choose to race all out and work towards their updated PR. There are also really strong runners who choose to take it a little easier, enjoy the music, enjoy the crowds and pass the miles with their friends and family. We all need that! No matter what your fitness goals, every race cannot be an A race. Athletes use B and C races to test gear, nutrition, nerves, etc. These lower pressure races are when the athlete can take it a little easier and enjoy running with the people they may not usually see on the course.

Newer runners might choose a fun, holiday themed run as their first run because the vibe is going to be more festive and encouraging. How can you not smile when you’re running beside Santa Claus, a gingerbread family, a reindeer family or someone in an inflatable suit? Some of the fun runs are also smaller which helps minimize the intimidation factor. If you’ve never raced before, and you show up to the start line with 10k plus runners, you’re instantly going to feel the pressure, no matter where you start in the pack. Mind you, our local Turkey Trot reported to have over 20K registered runners this year, so being a smaller run may not hold up everywhere. The fun runs can also be more affordable than the bigger races. Without the large advertising budgets and timing requirements for closing streets, paying support staff, etc. their bib prices don’t have to be as high.

As an athlete and Coach, I love cheering at the local races because I know what it’s like to be in the sea of runners. I love grabbing photos of my friends so they don’t have to wait for the official shots that can take a few days to receive. I adore the diversity of ages, races, sizes and pace that you see for these races. When the races are promoted by local businesses and organizations, the participants tend to look more like our local communities, as they should! I also love supporting the athletes that are catching their breath and need a little encouragement. We don’t tell people to run, just because we see them walking. We tell them to “keep going” however that looks to them. We remind them that they’ve conquered a lot. For the last two races, I was cheering within a mile of the finish line. I loved being that voice of good news for athletes. I reminded them that the hard part was done and they truly were almost there.

So many people thank me for being out there cheering at races. Others share my words of encouragement with their kids and fellow runners. “Did you hear her? You’re almost there!” “Did you hear that? She said you can’t die this close to the finish line!” If I see someone smiling, I encourage them to hold onto their smile. Smiling while running has been proven to have a positive effect on runners. Often, we get so wrapped up in ourselves during a race, that we forget to look around. When an outsider reminds you to keep your head up, focus in front of you and celebrate your accomplishments, it can help. 

Running with our heads staring at the ground doesn’t help anything. We fold forward onto ourselves, restricting the space in our ribcage for our diaphragm. Your back can start to ache from the poor posture. Your neck is going to hurt. You can run into the person in front of you. (This applies to how you move through life also, but we can talk about that another time.) When you run with your head up, shoulders back and eyes focused a few feet in front of you, everything is happier. I’ve seen multiple pelvic floor specialists reminding women of this importance and I always pass it along when I can. We often overlook the importance of our pelvic floor but as runners, especially in the middle of a race, you want to give your pelvic floor all of the space and respect that it deserves. If you know, you know. If you don’t, ask a friend who has raced a lot. I guarantee you that they have stories to share.

Do you have a reason for supporting races that I missed? Let me know…