The health benefits — mind, body and soul — are considerable when you race competitvely, whether this is on foot, wheels or with wings.
Have you ever considered competitive racing?
Even if you’re not the competitive type, there are reasons why you should.
Every year, people put on their running shoes to compete against others and they experience the benefits of doing so.
There are those who run the Ogden Marathon, an acclaimed course that has won several accolades. While this might sound like it’s difficult, this run is perfect for beginners too.
And then there are those who push themselves on more challenging courses, such as the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run. This is infamously hard but it encourages people to train hard to take on this difficult challenge.
No matter your running aptitude, there are thousands of other races happening all over the country, from small community races to national events.
So, what’s the attraction to racing competitively. Let’s look at some drivers of this addictive sport.
You will be motivated to keep up with your fitness routine, which is good news if you’re somebody who lacks motivation from time to time.
#1: You will have something to aim for
When you sign up for a race, you automatically give yourself something to aim for. You will be motivated to keep up with your fitness and workout routines, and you will have fewer excuses to slacken off when you don’t feel like putting your training shoes on. To run a race, you need to be fit enough. So, laziness will have to go out of the window. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced runner, you will have a fitness goal to work towards, and that is something many of us need when we would otherwise be demotivated.
#2: You will feel a sense of achievement
You don’t have to come first to feel a sense of achievement. Taking part in a race is often achievement enough and crossing over the finishing line, no matter what position you come in, is a reason for great celebration. Finishing at all is an accomplishment in itself for most events, especially when taking on a marathon that pushes you to your limits. Of course, if you do finish first, you will experience a tremendous high.
#3: You will be motivated to race again
After your first competitive race, you will probably want to race again. This is partly because you will be keen to beat your lap times (and your competitors), and partly because you will want to experience the sense of achievement you felt after finishing the last race. Once again, you will be motivated to keep up with your fitness routine, which is good news if you’re somebody who lacks motivation from time to time.
#4: You will build your fitness levels
When training for the race, you will push yourself harder than ever before. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t be careful, as you do need to pace yourself according to your fitness limits.
However, you will be motivated to work out for longer, whether that’s on your morning run, your evening bike ride, or your Saturday afternoon on the treadmill at the gym. This is one reason why you will build your fitness levels, but the race is another. You will be on a continuous run over a given distance, and you will be pushing yourself to get to the end of the race. Despite the pain, you will feel at the end, you will be fitter as a result. This will serve you well into the future.
There are all kinds of races you could take part in, from running races to competitive bike track racing, so sign up for anything that is right for you. You should experience the benefits of the race if you do, and you might even inspire others to take up racing too.
What are you waiting for? Jump on Google and start searching now to find out what races are happening near you. Then you can start your training to get yourself race-ready.
