Distance Racing



Long Distance Racing
There are many long distance races that you can sign up for, especially in the next 5 months as race season is lurking around the corner. One thing that is super important before signing up for a race is making sure you are training for that specific race as some of these races you could putting your body through a massive amount of stress and the last thing you want is a stress fracture, tendonitis, shin splints or any other injury.



The Mile Run
One of the quickest races you could do that is still considered long distance is the mile run. 3200 meters that usually take place on a track. Usually training for a mile requires a bit more of speed as you are trying to get your best mile time. The average mile time is around a 7 minute 30 seconds. 

5k 
The first of the four main long distance races. 3.1 miles that usually take around 20-40 minutes or more depending on your level to run. You would have to up your mileage to around 10-20 miles or more a week to complete this race comfortably or efficiently. There are 5k's happening at least every week, so finding one to run should be easy.

10k 
The next big race is a 6.2 miler that colligate athletes run during cross country or the next challenge after a 5k. The average time is around 45 minutes to 55 minutes. Increasing mileage is not necessary but would be super beneficial so around 15-30 miles a week is the sweet spot for a 10k run. 

Half Marathon
The famous 13.1 miler, the half marathon is one of those races that you should do at least once in your life. There is a sense of accomplishment after running for more than 1 hour long. The average half marathon time is around 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes. Increasing your mileage is a must when you sign up for a half marathon, you for sure want to be averaging 20 miles or more if you want to be sufficient in this race. The more miles the better.




Full Marathon

The staple of long distance running is the grueling 26.2 mile run called the Marathon. Training for this takes months of increasing mileage to the point you are running 8-10 miles a day. You will most likely be running for more than 3 hours during the race and will need some type of nutrition to give you energy. If you don't prepare correctly you could cause a lot of damage to your legs and may not even finish the run but if you do train properly this will be one of your biggest accomplishments in your life.

Ultramarathon
Now this race is for people who are insane and don't think a full marathon is long enough. An ultra marathon is any race that is more than a full marathon. You have a 50k, 50 miler, 100 miler or even a 200 miler run. In some of these races you may even be on your feet for more than 24 hours. If you sign up for one of these props to you. 

Triathlon 
A multisport race which includes swimming, cycling than running in that exact order. You have multiple triathlons from a sprint which is only about a a half a mile swim, 12 mile bike ride and a 3.1 mile run which is the most common. You also have the half ironman, Olympic triathlon and full ironman triathlon which are all increased distances from a sprint. 



Other races
There are many other races that happen through out the year from a 3k , 10 miler and if you are feeling thirsty a beer mile. You could also find local track events and run those races from the 800meter, 1600meter and 3200 meter runs. 

Conclusion
There are many races going on each year, go find one that you want to do and make sure you do the proper training for that specific race. Remember to have fun with the run and try your best. You never know, you may even get addicted. 

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