What we learnt from our experience at Run Norwich

When Alan, our accountant, Julia and Lewis from our sales team, and Lauren from our service department all signed up to the Run Norwich 10k run, they perhaps didn’t think they’d be running in nearly 30 degrees of glorious British sunshine.

Our weather is unpredictable at the best of times and what didn’t help was the 6 weeks of intense heat we experienced on the run up to the run. It provided a few too many excuses for not getting out for those all-important practice sessions.

Having said that, due to their fitness levels all four achieved great running times, and all in all it really was a great experience for Team Jordan.

So how did they prepare for the 10k, what was the hardest part of the race and what would they do differently next time?

In their own words, here’s what they had to say:

What did you do to prepare for the race?

Alan– I did several 5k park runs and also runs at work.

Julia - We did a few runs as a team beforehand but not as many as we should have done. I do however teach fitness classes in the evening as well as weight training so this gave me a head start.

Lauren - Not an awful lot of preparation to be honest, a few short 5km runs and some cardio and weights classes.

Lewis - To put it bluntly, not enough! Took part in running sessions as a team at work but should have done these more regularly.

Hardest part of the race?

Alan - The final hill climb was brutal.

Julia - The hardest part of the race for me was definitely Rose Lane, my calves burnt as I tried to run uphill.

Lauren - Hardest part was when I hit the 9km mark and only had 1km left to go I was knackered and slowed down

Lewis - Running past the person in first place on 9km when we were on the other side of the road at 3km…

What would you do differently next time?

Alan - Train more!

Julia - Next year I will prepare with longer runs and also ensure I run more uphill so that Rose Walk isn’t a challenge next year.

Lauren - Next time I’d prepare more with longer runs, more sprints to increase stamina and run more hills to increase endurance.

Lewis - Run more regularly and train in our gym to build up my fitness levels.

What one word sums up how you felt afterwards?

Alan – Proud

Julia – Buzzing

Lauren – Relieved

Lewis - Proud

“This was the first 10k run I had taken part in without any obstacles and I thoroughly enjoyed the race. The atmosphere was brilliant and it was great to see Norwich come together to support each and every runner.” Julia

So here's our 5 top tips to prepare for your 10k race

Plan in a run schedule to prepare your body
The main thing is to plan in a number of runs, steadily increasing to at least 8k before the race. Your course may have hills which you might not be used to so worth checking the course route out and doing a few runs up hills/or on the incline on the treadmill to help train your thighs for that burn.

Eat plenty of carbs before the race
Carbs provide the necessary energy, specifically Glycogen, that your muscles need to perform on the day. For 2-3 days before the event it’s important to get you fair share so you don’t ‘hit the wall’ on race day.
On the day wear sun cream (if sunny of course)
In the excitement of the race you might not think of the UV factor and how strong it can be early in the morning – so best to make sure that’s part of your preparation routine to avoid sun burn. Especially the back of your neck.

After the race, Roll it out
The value of a foam roller cannot be underestimated. After the race, make sure you roll out your calf muscles, hamstrings and quads. The massage will help mend muscle fibres damaged from the race. If you can get one before the race even better, and better still a vibrating Pulseroll, as research shows how important it is to use a foam roller as part of warm ups also.

Don’t overthink it – Just enjoy!
It’s quite something having thousands of people run on a quiet morning in a city, so enjoy the process and the energy such a big race provides. Just remember, at the finish line you need to keep running so as not to block all the other runners from finishing. It’s good to mentally prepare for that one as you’ll have a few steps more before you get your water.

Run Norwich is organised by and raises money for the Community Sports Foundation. Find out more about their incredible work and how to enter into next year’s race: https://www.runnorwich.co.uk/