3 tips for choosing races this spring

With warmer weather comes plenty of race choices each weekend for runners across Canada this spring. If you’ve got several races you’d like to run, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when deciding which ones to choose and how to plan racing around training. Here are three tips for striking the right balance.

Define your goals

Some races are great for your specific time goals this season (a flat course is perfect for a PB attempt), while other races may better serve as bucket-list events.

Define what you’re looking to accomplish in your running this season. Is your focus on a particular distance, or are you looking to try something new?

Limit yourself to one or two goals per season that will leave you feeling fulfilled and accomplished by summer. Spacing these goals out to one per month is one way to give yourself enough time in between to build, execute and recover.

Balance goal execution with fun

Another strategy is using a fun race as a training day. Say you’re looking to PB in your half-marathon, but you also want to try a trail race this spring. Try finding a suitable trail race to run as a tune-up or long run ahead of your “A race” (the half-marathon). This is a great way to spice up your weekend running, get that fun event under your belt and still work toward your main goal.

Think “big picture”

Maybe you’ve spent the winter training hard and want to race this year, but you aren’t focused on PBs this spring. This is a great time to spend a season prioritizing fun and adventure. Choose a couple of races that will challenge you in new ways or take you to new places. This is a great way to break from the mental demands of time-specific running goals and simply enjoy all your local race scene has to offer.