1.       Set yourself a goal. (e.g. to finish my first ½ marathon, to finish in less than 3 hours, to finish first in my category)

2.       Warm up. Cool Down. Walk before & after to help increase blood flow to the major muscle groups, give yourself time to relax

3.       Allow plenty of rest. If you push too hard, too fast, too soon you will risk wearing yourself out.

4.       Drink water regularly. Or risk fatigue, performance decreases and overheating.

5.       Keep a training log. Plenty of free online, and apps. Keeps you on track

6.       Find a running buddy who has similar goals.

7.       If you are training or racing for over an hour you may consider sports drinks or gels, practice what flavours you are comfortable with & test these prior to race day.

8.       Vary your training schedule. Keep track of how you felt/ slept too.

9.       Learn to run lightly & quietly. Avoid pounding the pavement.

10.   Stretch. Increase the range of motion around your joints (flexibility), Makes moving easier!

11.   Allow the knees rather than the feet to lead the movement.

12.   Vary your training routes. Keep it interesting.

13.   Taper before your race. Give yourself a chance to recover from training before you compete.

14.   Have a lucky charm, or song, or stretch that gives you energy before you head out training.

15.   Train in the shoes, clothes and socks you will race in. Avoid surprise chafing & blisters.

16.   Keep up your strength training to maintain balance & integrity around the joints

17.   Practice what you will eat the night before & what you eat on the morning of your run. Best not to have any surprises about when your “ins & outs” will occur!

18.   Thank the volunteers on race day, that good energy you put out there will come back to help you in the tough final kms!

19.   Get a good sleep 2 nights before the race. If you are excited you might not sleep as well the night before, so use this time to get enough zzzzzzz’s

20.   After your last long run, after you have stretched, take some time, sitting down with your eyes closed to visualise you finishing the race with a big smile & feeling that great energy & high that you will get from the finishline, the supporters and knowing you have put in some great training & goal forming habits that can help you with success in all areas of life.

21.   Encourage your friends & family to get involved. They might start with a smaller fun run or walk, but in sharing your sense of achievement with others you can build a network of healthy happy training buddies. Good Luck!