5 Important Tips For Running

5 Tips for Running

It should come as no surprise that Thanksgiving is the most popular day of the year to run a 5K. After all, everyone wants to balance out their giant feast with some exercise. Thousands of Turkey Trots—as these races are commonly called—are held all across the country, and there's an extremely good chance there's at least one that's close to your home. So why not spend your Thanksgiving morning lacing up your sneakers with hundreds of like-minded folks?

Here are some ways to ensure this year's Turkey Trot is everything you want it to be and more:

Find the Right Course for YouRace courses come in all sorts of varieties: road, trail, hilly, flat, you name it. Read the race descriptions ahead of time so you know what to expect. Here's a handy race directory you can use to find races close to you and their descriptions.

Dress In Layers
It's the end of November—the early-morning weather will likely be pretty chilly. But don't let that fool you into bundling up too much or else you'll be sweaty and uncomfortable 10 minutes into your race. Wearing layers ensures that you're still warm when you're waiting at the starting line, but you can undress as you go.

Bonus tip: wear old clothing that you don't mind ditching along the way. Not only will you not care that you don't have it anymore, but many races collect clothing discarded along the course to give to those in need.

Don't Go Out Too Fast
The energy and excitement of being at the starting line surrounded by hundreds of equally energetic and excited people bubbles up inside of you and causes you to full-out sprint when the gun goes off. We've all been there. But this is one of the worst things you can do, since you'll tire out fairly quickly. If you want a strong finish, pace yourself, and save everything you've got for the last mile, not the first. (Here's how to dominate the end of your 5K.

Have Fun
It's Thanksgiving! You're hours away from some of the most delicious food you'll eat all year! Have fun with it. Sure, PRs are nice, but Turkey Trots are just one of those races where they don't seem to matter as much. Regardless of your time, you're doing right by your body, so just enjoy it.

Focus on Recovery
It's always a smart idea to help your muscles recover after any type of workout, and a 5K is no different. And there are tons of different tools like foam rollers, massagers, and resistance bands to help you do that, so take advantage of them. (Here are seven options to get you started.) You'll sit down at the dinner table feeling like a brand new person.

And if you're planning on running a race (or getting another type of workout in) the day after Thanksgiving, just make sure you're fully digested and you'll be ready to go.