Prepare

Clubs near you, complete calendar of races, advice & training tools, find the running expertise of the French Athletics Federation

• Official race calendar
• Results and training tools on your personal file
• Running club search engine

Enrich your running culture, optimize your preparation for races
and benefit from the advice of FFA running coaches.

Free registration on www.jaimecourir.fr

Preparation: The essentials for my first competition

Beginner runners often set off with the objective of finishing, in the short or medium term, a first competition. An important moment that you have to know how to plan well. The advice of Patrice Binelli, trainer at the National Technical Department and referent coach I love running :

1. BE MOTIVATED… AND REGULAR

Do not go there reluctantly. If you don't feel ready, or if you haven't done everything you need to, it's better to postpone it. Nothing is worse than not enjoying your first competitions.

2. DON'T GO FOR A PERF

The objective, when you start, should not be to achieve a performance, but to go to the end of the race while being well. You also have to learn to apprehend the particular scent of the competition: you have to know how to leave without getting inflamed.

3. PROCEED BY STEPS

You have to work in stages: first be able to run 30' with relative ease, then go out for an hour, even slowly, without major difficulty. You have to be patient, on pain of not taking pleasure in the competition.

4. WHILE SETTING A GOAL

Competition is a driving force: it allows you to stay motivated over time. Having a competition in the sights allows you to find the time and the means to train well, to stay motivated in the face of the routine.

It's best to have a long-term goal, with milestones.

D-DAY: How to find the right rhythm?

Annette Sergent, double cross world champion (1987 and 1989) and ambassador of the FFA, gives the keys to not be mistaken in race pace. And even to catch up, in case of too fast departure.

1. THE PACE LEADERS

It's a real service to the runner. This allows you to stay regular and benefit from a real collective dynamic. Sometimes you have to make a choice between two "hares", if the time you are aiming for is between the two. It is advisable to follow the slower of the two, even if it means accelerating the pace from the thirteenth kilometer if you feel that you still have a margin.

2. THE STARTING PITCH

The first kilometer is often difficult when you start in the heart of the peloton. Between the busy peloton and the euphoria of the start, it is better to be patient, concentrate on your breath and gradually find the right rhythm. Sudden changes of pace are really to be avoided.

3. THE KEYS TO BE REGULAR

In order not to go too fast during the first part of the race, you have to put on guards. Regularly working on the good gaits in training is a good way to memorize them.

It is not normal to be out of breath already after a few kilometres. We should still be able to talk. Be careful, however, not to confuse breathing difficulties with bad feelings. It happened to me sometimes to be very bad at the start of the race, to finally achieve an honorable performance.

Beginner runners, always favor a "negative split" strategy, with a second part of the race faster than the first.

D-DAY: The 6 pre-race commandments

1. Stay well hydrated the previous days and during the race – Drink at each pit stop!!

2. Increase the ration of carbohydrates without exaggerating – Do not test new foods before or during the race

3. Rest and avoid trampling all day – A muscle awakening 24 hours before departure can be good

4. Locate the places so as not to stress on D-Day – Departure area, instructions, transport time…

5. Prepare your things the day before and eat 3 hours before departure – Check the weather forecast and use equipment tested in training

6. Start at the target pace even if you feel in good shape – Warning: do not be carried away by the pace of other runners

Ask for advice to FFA coaches on jaimecourir.fr and enjoy the fun of running!

The human body is made up of approximately 60% water. Water requirements for a sedentary adult person are 1,5 to 2 liters per day. They are of course increased for the sportsman, according to his activity. Dehydration greatly affects your performance, not only physical, but also intellectual.

We know in particular that a 2% weight loss due to dehydration lowers physical abilities by 20%!

And if the loss of water increases further, unpleasant pains can then appear: digestive disorders, vision, reaction and concentration skills, etc.

Consulting : drink before you are thirsty! The body has indeed started to dehydrate long before the thirst signal. It is better to drink throughout the day, in small quantities, than only during meals. During any physical activity, it is essential to drink a lot, also in small quantities throughout the effort.

But drinking is not enough. During a sports effort, the body loses a lot of minerals, through sweating. It is therefore important to compensate for this loss.
This is where mineral-rich waters come in, which effectively hydrate the body.

BUT ALL WATERS ARE NOT EQUAL.

Sparkling natural mineral water, ST YORRE is particularly recommended for sports. Mineralized (4774 mg/l): it allows good hydration,
a good recovery and contributes to reduce the acidosis of the body subjected to the sporting effort, acidosis which can be at the origin of the occurrence of cramps.
Conclusion: without water no performance possible!

Dehydration is the number one factor, along with hypoglycaemia, in the failures observed on all sports grounds, especially in hot weather.

The recommended food is a living, quality and organic food respecting the physiology of our digestive system. The advantage of this food hygiene is to be "hypotoxic", that is to say that it does not clog the body.

It is therefore:

• detoxifying
• antioxidant
• Deacidifying and digestible
• Revitalizing and energizing

• Muscle and tendon disorders: cramps, aches, inflammations
• Joint disorders: pain, fatigue, wear, trauma
• Circulatory disorders: feeling of heavy legs, tingling
• Digestive disorders: nausea, acidity, hypoglycemia related to effort
• Fatigue, exhaustion, poor recovery
• Oxidative stress, cellular aging
• Side effects related to taking industrial supplements (protein drinks, energy drinks that are too sweet) which end up unbalancing the body.

According to specialists, the specific diet of man is composed as follows:

80% raw vegetables:
Fresh and juicy fruits (apples, cherries, plums, melons, figs, oranges), dried fruits (dates, figs, apricots, prunes), fatty fruits (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts), oilseeds (sunflower, pumpkin seeds , sesame or flax), sprouted seeds, green vegetables (cabbage, zucchini, green bean, cucumber, fennel), root vegetables (carrot, celery, beetroot), herbs (onions, garlic, thyme, rosemary), herbs ( parsley, chives, basil), leaves (salad), sprouts (spinach, purslane, watercress), seaweed, etc.

20% animal by-products:
Naturally fermented cheeses, curds, shellfish, eggs.

Of course, this diet depends on the physiology of our digestive system and must be adapted according to the vitality, lifestyle and state of health of each person. Thus, to this base we can add cooked foods, starchy foods and meat. On the other hand, we will put aside all devitalizing products: tea, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, sugars and industrial foods, microwave cooking and frying.

We can also recommend super foods to supplement the athlete's intake and fill in deficiencies: spirulina, quinton, turmeric, acai, barley grass.

good sugars useful for the effort will be found in fruits and dried fruits: bananas, dates, figs, without forgetting the fruits rich in good fatty acids: avocados, almonds, coconut.

Proteins will be provided by animal by-products as well as by spirulina, almonds, green leafy vegetables, avocados, hemp seeds.

Thanks to this type of food, digestions are easy and fast. Runners do not need to have a meal 4 hours before the competition to have good digestion. Meals taken before exercise ideally consist of dates, fresh fruit and bananas.

Before exercise and for refueling, these foods can be consumed in various forms:

Mixed to obtain vegetable milks:
Cashew + banana + date
Almond + agave

In bars or balls:
Prunes + sprouted wheat + agave + almond + sunflower seeds
Goji berries + cashew nuts + honey + coconut

In energy drinks:
Maca + guarana + carrot juice
Orange juice + spirulina

In a smoothie:
Pineapple + banana + barley grass
Green leaves + bananas + dates

The main meals will consist of salads of colored raw vegetables, cheeses, eggs or yoghurts. We can add cooked vegetables, a few potatoes or gluten-free rusks, buckwheat crepe, and steamed fish. For dessert, some prunes or cooked apples.

To set up this type of food, we can gradually reduce starchy foods and increase the proportions of fresh foods in the form of raw vegetables, and replace the usual snacks with fresh fruit, fatty fruit and dried fruit.

The ideal is of course to seek advice from a specialist who will individualize your diet. Note that a detox cure, allowing you to get rid of harmful habits and start afresh is strongly recommended before setting up a new food hygiene.