You’re REALLY Ready, Set, 5k!

By Katie Bolton

You’re ready, right? By now, your training is done. You’re fit. You’re fast. The only thing between you and that finish line is a very surmountable 3.1-mile course. The inaugural Delta Sigma Theta 5k to benefit Calvary and DST is this Saturday, June 23rd at 9:00 a.m. in Anacostia Park. When clients at Calvary set goals, their case managers provide them the tools, thoughts, and connections to set them up for success. What kind of 5k guru would I be if I didn’t do the same?

In the days leading up to the race, do:

• Rest up! You earned it and you’ll want fresh legs on Saturday. Reschedule your full-day walking tours or 24-hour dance marathons just for this weekend. Do the runs on your training plan at the intensity they recommend.
• Drink plenty of water. Drink extra on Friday.
• Sleep well on Thursday. If you get nervous and can’t sleep on Friday, you’ll want those extra hours banked.
• On Friday night, lay out everything you’ll need for the race. When you wake up in the morning, you’ll appreciate not having to hunt for that comfortable cap or clean pair of socks.
• Check the forecast and dress for the weather on Saturday.

At the race:

• Arrive early. Check-in starts 7:30am on Saturday morning. Getting there, packet pickup, finding a bathroom, and warming up will all take longer than you expect.
• Do warm up by walking or jogging and lightly stretching for a few minutes.
• Have fun! Calvary staff and supporters will be cheering you on and we’ll all celebrate our finish together at the end.

Having laid out what you can do for race-day success, there are some things to avoid to prevent disappointment. Without dwelling on it too much:

• Don’t try anything new on race day. Eat your usual pre-run breakfast. Wear your usual shoes. Introduce no wild cards this morning and you won’t get an unexpected surprise at the starting line.
• Set your alarm the night before so that you don’t oversleep, and give yourself plenty of time to get to the race.
• Most importantly, don’t stress! This should be a fun event celebrating community, health, well-being and achievement.

Thank you again for supporting Calvary. Be sure to find me on race morning for a hearty supply of high-fives, and have a great race!