Racing

Hi all

My runing club I joined in July are asking me if I want to race in the border league runs which are held monthly.  The next one is on Sunday, I have checked last year's results, and here's the problem, I am going to be last.  I would like to have a go at the races, because I know they will be good practice for me as I have entered the Chester Half marathon in May.  How do I approach these races, when they are for more professional runners? 

Any advice or encouragement would be greatly appreciated as I do not want to let my running club or myself down.

Beavyg

lol More professional runners !

You haven't done one yet, there are all sorts of people doing the borders league, of all sorts of standards, Just go and enjoy yourself, and don;t forget to wear your club vest

Don't be put off by what you think might happen! We turned up at the Transalpine Run in 2010 (it's a pairs race) to discover that everyone (and I mean absolutely everyone) else was some sort of skinny whippet whereas we were two fat lads.  We thought we were dead certs for last place, but actually finished 171/285, which wasn't too bad at all.

Go for it! Enjoy!

I don't do Borders League very often as it conflicts with my long runs, but they're very friendly, sometimes there's tea and cakes and stuff afterwards.

Even if you were last, and I don't think you will be, you won't bring down your team place, and as there is a minimum number for a team, you may well contribute to a team score just by turning up.

They are just the people you see at your club really.

See, Not just me telling you to have a go.....

And as I sometimes remember to turn up, I have raced in the Borders League so I do know the standard.

Won't be there this week, But I will be doing the Chester Half

 Little story, As you say you want to get better ?  My OH wants to go sub 2hrs for the Chester Half as she has never done so before... So she has joined the club training sessions on Tuesday night, and immiediately been pushed up a group, Right out of her comfort zone,

after the first week, I got a load of  "I'm never doing that again",

after the second week   "Well I wasn't at the back"

third week ?  She went 30 minutues early so she could warm up properly so she could be in the top half of the group !

Thanks for all the positive replies, I will have a go and treat it as a training run.  Hopefully after the first one, the others wont feel quite so daunting.  Will let you all know how it goes!

Absolutely - don't worry about being last.  I've been there a few times

My experience is that the people at the back get the biggest cheers.  Certainly when I've marshalled events, I cheer the people at the back the most.  The speedy ones do this all the time, but at the back I know it's people for whom this is a big challenge and that's what I admire the most.

Also for us slow plodders, we get much better value for money as we are out on the course for longer.

And exiled claret is spot on - compared with the vast majority of this country who spend too much time on the sofa, you are well ahead. 

Don't worry about being last - I've done it, and there's no shame in it.

Besides, under race conditions you can always run faster than you can in training!

Hi Beverley,

 How did it go today?  I used to be like you and look up the previous year's results to get an idea of how many were racing / would I be last etc.  Several years later and I now realise that the last runners are cheered on just as much as the first runners, if not more so.  I still look at other runners and think they look so much more 'professional' than me but then I often end up coming in way before them.  I belong to a club but haven't coughed up £20 for a club vest, it may be though that other people look at me and think I look far too 'pro' for them. 

And if you were last this time, you won't be next time as you will no doubt improved just a tad by then.

I hope you had a good run and can't wait to hear back from you.

Hi All

I did race and I did finish.  I am not sure of the exact time, but under an hour and I think there was a couple of people behind me, so I did not come last.

I wanted to try and keep my miles around 10.18, unfortunately the first couple of miles were up a very bit hill, and I am not very good on them, so I decided to re-evaluate and go for under an hour, which i did, around 57 minutes I think.  A few of my running club came back and ran with me to the end which was great.  I did enjoy it and the fact that I was at the end has not put me off.  I think for a first border league race, which was very hilly, I am quite pleased with what I achieved.

Thanks to everybody for all the encouraging comments.