Problem with race tomorrow!

Hi everyone..

just a bit of advice if anyone can help..

I'm running in a 5K race on tomorrow.Its near where my sister lives as I thought I could see her after the race etc..

Anyway she has now said that she will do the race aswell!!I had no idea that she'd want to do it!!

I'm a bit worried about this as because its only my second race I really wanted to concentrate on finishing in a good time and beating my RFL time.Now I've got the added stress of my sister running!I don't want to run with her as I so want to just think about my own race(sounds selfish but I think you'll understand)and we've never run together before so I've no idea of how quick or slow she'd be..I honestly wouldn't mind if she beat me so its not that which worrys me.

I am going to say to her that we must run our own races but because she has never run a race before she might want me to stay with her..

Any advice really appreciated.

Explain you have a plan, and will run your race and hope she can keep up? 

If she's faster, let her go off ahead if she wants to, or stay with you if that's what she'd prefer.

Also...she will probably not be allowed to just turn up and enter on the day, depending what race it is....I'm assuming this is a spur of the moment decision on her part and she hasnt already entered?

Have a bet with her - whoever finishes last buys a bottle of champers to share afterwards. That'll make sure you're both realy racing.

Many thanks for your replies.
Difficult to really know what to do!

I was really looking forward to running this race but fear my sister running will be too much of a distraction.

I really don't want to run with her as what happens if me or her wants to go a bit faster,or she wants to walk for a minute etc etc!The list is endless.I've also never ran with anyone else before.

She hasn't entered but she can enter on the day,she emailed the organiser to check..just hope she pulls out as although she goes to the gym she hasn't been running outside nor in a race before.. I hope I don't sound like a selfish person cause I'm not but was looking forward to running this-I've been running four times a week since my RFL in preparation so its a bit annoying at the last minute to have this complication..only my second race so I'm a little nervous too as it'll be a much smaller field than the RFL..

determined to enjoy it though as thats what its all about!!

Just make sure she knows you are not running together. She runs her race, you run yours.

At my very first race my two sisters also ran. They had decided we should all run together so i let them go at the start and got lost in the crowd. Since then when we've entered the same races we've just arranged a place to meet afterwards. They got the message

I'm sure she will understand if you explain it to her.  Just say you have been training hard for this and have a race plan that you would like to follow, that you're not used to running with anyone and don't think this is the occassion to try, that maybe you could run together another time. 

Good luck!