May is that time of the year when you get to enjoy the activity called Bay to Breakers like a local of San Francisco.
In order to boost the morale of the people after the devastating 1906 SF earthquake and fire, they held the very first Bay to Breakers in 1912.
For the past many years, this has become an event that cannot be missed of the nation which is a 12k race. This event is a costumed celebration that is often called the Mardi Gras of the West Coast, with almost the entire city folks in SF would come in costumes to celebrate.
It is advisable though to be careful and not underestimate the race so that you will avoid experiencing some dangerous results. Therefore, it is good to learn some guidelines in order to avoid getting into some incidents and will get you into the fun of the race.
The number one thing to do is train ahead of time, for a 12km or seven miles long distance, because if you are not used to running long distance, you could face some health risks with your heavy costume on.
For those who have no previous training or have not raced for the past years, it is good to follow some activities ahead of the activity.
The first thing you have to do is to work your way up, which means do not try to start running the 12km right away but start with challenging but attainable goal. Some training programs would make you start with a three mile run, or a 30-minute running sessions, and making it longer on weekends. There will be some obstacles that you may encounter like shin splints and shortness of breath, and these are uncomfortable but will give you a starting power.
Wearing the right gear would make your running easier, just like in any job where using the right tools would ease your performance. An example is the wearing of the right shoes as a very important gear, for injuries and overexertion could occur in the wearing of wrong shoes.
Next is to try cross training, like running for three days a week as a start and on your off days to push your body regularly. An example to push your body hard but not that hard is using resistance bands to work muscles.
It is wise to remember that diet matters, meaning, what you eat around the race date will make a big difference when you are running for the race. It is therefore advisable to maintain a healthy diet during your training, and do some carbohydrate loading the day before the race so you will have plenty of energy for the event.