My First Trail Race: 10 Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To
This race was one of my best decisions - and it was nothing short of an amazing experience.
I just ran my very first 16K trail race—the Lewiston Ultra Moose Mountain Trail Race in the beautiful Bragg Creek, Alberta with my friend Alex Ziniewicz.
First of all, what an amazing event! I signed up on a whim a few months ago with 0 prior running experience and I don’t regret it at all. I’m totally hooked now. So while i’m giving you some tips on my “lessons learnt” as a total beginner – take it all with a grain of salt as it was one of the best decisions i’ve made and I loved every minute of it.
Anyways- like anything else we do in life- there are always a few things I wish I’d done differently, and hopefully, this helps you with your first run or trail race if you’re a beginner or new to running!
So here’s of a quick list of a few things I would have done a bit different, Enjoy!
1. Prioritizing a Nutritious Breakfast
I thought carb-loading the night before would be sufficient. However, I slept in a bit on race day and didn’t have enough time for a proper breakfast. I had a protein bar and a bowl of cereal, but it wasn’t enough. I wish I’d woken up several hours earlier to eat a nutritious breakfast and give myself time to digest to avoid cramping. This seems like a no brainer but when the nerves are flowing – it’s an easy thing to overlook and not give yourself enough time – or fail to plan ahead. In hindsight I would have bought groceries for a nutrient rich breakfast and consumed it several hours before the race.
2.Understanding Trail Running Specific Techniques
I wish I would have researched trail running techniques or hired a coach. I ended up running the race more like a road race. I had my pace all mapped out and used my Garmin Fenix to track every move. While my pace was consistent for most of the race, I learnt there was more efficient ways to complete the trail. I saw people walking up the hills (aka power hiking—which I didn’t know about until afterward) and thought, “Dang, did these people not train? We’re only 1KM in!” Turns out, power hiking is a normal part of the sport, especially for beginners! After the race I researched the power hike and learnt it’s definitely a good way to conserve energy and use different muscles.
3.Familiarizing Myself with the Terrain and Elevation
I didn’t research the trail and had no idea how much elevation was involved or how to navigate a narrow trail. This was a huge mistake since I was trained for the distance but not for the elevation or rough terrain. I really have no excuse, as I live really close to where the race was hosted (whoops!). Had I pre-trained on similar elevation and been conditioned to the terrain I would have found the race a bit easier.
4. Doing More Long Runs In The Weeks Leading Up
Maybe everyone feels this way but– I thought because I was able to run the total distance I was trained enough. However, I only had 30 total runs under my belt and only two of them were “long” runs. All of which were either on the road or treadmill. I definitely should have had more runs in and definitely more long ones. I simply didn’t prioritize running amongst my other activities. It was fine – and I was able to finish but it certainly made for a higher heart rate than I would have liked most of the race. I did have a friend tell me if you don’t have a few moments of doubt you may have been able to step it up a notch. So perhaps I was right on par after all!
5. Giving Myself Adequate Rest Prior to Race Day
I went on a bike trip the weekend before and did over 190km of downhill riding. I only had a few days to recover, and with such intense workouts beforehand, I should have planned better. I should have done only light workouts for about a two weeks leading up to the event.
6. Focus on Living In The Moment
Since it was my first race, I was so nervous and had no idea what to expect. I wish I’d taken more time to appreciate the process and have fun with it. I took it a bit too seriously with all my analytics and planning! Especially since I really didn’t know the trail at all – a lot of my pre-planning went out the window anyways. I should have given myself a bit more grace and told myself to go have fun and whatever happens, happens!
7. Pre-training In My Race Day Gear
I ran in shorts hadn’t actually ran in before – and shoes that weren’t broken in enough. Plus, I’d never run with my pack THAT full. The thigh chafing was REAL ya’ll – and so were the foot blisters! Definitely recommend getting shorts that don’t ride up and wearing your shoes enough times to toughen up any blister spots. Also, my pack felt really heavy, and I wasn’t used to it at all!
8. Utilizing the Aid Station
I came up to the aid station and there were a bunch of people there refueling and taking a breather. I thought since I had electrolytes and everything I needed that I shouldn’t stop as it will effect my arbitrary time. Huge mistake. That minute or two at the aid station really wouldn’t have impacted my time and considering I wasn’t racing anything but myself – it was silly not to refuel and take a breather!
9. Smiling for the Camera
LOL, my pictures are hilarious. They capture great memories, but it would have been nice to have a few where I look like I’m enjoying myself rather than battling nature. If you care about having some decent photos to share on social media, don’t forget to smile!
10. Choosing an Audio Play List in Advance
This seems like such a minor detail but for me, music can make or break the mood. Somehow I ended up with some bizarre country music playlist that was not pumping me up at all LOL. Pre-plan your pump up play list so you have the right songs for the right times in the run.
If you're on the fence about registering for a race - I recommend just doing it!
Now despite having a list of things to learn for my next race, I’m still really proud of myself and I am so happy that I did the race. It’s hard to know what to do right when it’s your first time trying something. So we will all have a different list of lessons learnt. I highly encourage anyone, regardless of experience or background to dive right in to try something new! I had a ton of fun despite my nerves I can’t wait for next year. Definitely a new annual tradition and I’m so glad I stepped outside my comfort zone and allowed myself to be part of the action!
If you’re on the fence about registering for any kind of race, whether it’s an ultra, trail race, marathon, 5K, 10K – whatever it is – I recommend doing it! It’s an investment into yourself which is never time or money wasted. You deserve it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jayde Syrnyk
Meet Jayde Syrnyk. Professional marketer by day – adventure enthusiast by night. After growing up in the flat lands of Saskatchewan in 2021 Jayde, her husband and two dogs decided to move near the mountains to a town they had never been to before. Since moving they have fallen in love with mountain sports and have grown a passion for sharing their passions online encouraging others to step outside their comfort zone and be part of the action.
