What Not To Do Before Race Day

They say you're not suppose to eat past 8 PM and there's reasons for that. A good night's sleep will not only refresh you in the morning, but it will give your body time to digest and recalibrate. The salty the foods, the more dehydrated you will become, not to mention sluggish. Fight the urge of late night snacks and meals, wake up to a well rounded breakfast instead! You will gain sustained energy that will help you throughout the day and push you through your 5K!

Unless you're looking for a welcoming charlie horse, it is very important to stretch lightly to lose up your muscles and unwind before putting your body through any type of stress. This is a fun event, but you will still be walking or running for a little over three miles. Take a few minutes before you go to bed and before you begin your journey through the Insane Inflatable obstacle course to limber up.

Stay CLEAR of any type of "All You Can Eat" restaurants. The idea of stuffing your face till you fall in your place is not the most ideal way to prep for a 5K. Eat a light dinner the night before and you'll feel less full and bloated on race day.

Theory says consuming a lot carbs the night before a big game or event is the way to go. Although this is somewhat true, it's not the best thing to do before a 5K. You won't be buying that much energy as you would for a 10K or any type of marathon where carb-overloading is trendy. you're better off with a small breakfast right before your run with a couple of pieces of wheat toast or a small plate of home fries (depending on how strict you are with your diet of course).

Ok, College-People.... Yeah, I'm talking to you. I can't even fathom running and jumping around with a stomach full of beer and carbonation. I can personally say that I have consumed perhaps a beer or two the night before a 12 miles run and it was one of the worst choices I have ever made. Plain and simple: Just Don't. You WILL regret this.

Save it for the celebration. We're here to have fun and a good time, but there's no need to stock up on hard liquor before a race. It's not only a danger to yourself, but could deem dangerous towards others depending on how many "pre-game" shots you're planning on consuming.

You're definitely going to want to know where you're going. I really don't recommend running a 5K after recovering from eye surgery. Also, think about all the money you just dropped for corrective vision. This is a no-brainer, just don't.

It's simply unnecessary. You'll be outside the entire time and chances are you'll be able to catch a few rays while running through the inflatables. For those with bad luck, you'll probably end up burning yourself in the tanning beds and sunburns and bouncy inflatables just don't mix. This could be painful for you in the end. Don't get me wrong, this is only a suggestion. Tan away by all means, just watch your behind in the beds before you bounce on inflatable balls.

One of the key parts to avoiding any sort of injury in any physical activity you might participate in is to stay focused. A casual or private meet up with your Boss could very well push a button or strike a nerve that could lead to unwanted stress. So do yourself a favor and avoid all confrontation from workplace scenarios and get your head in the game!

Alright ladies.... or men? If this is on your agenda of pre-work preparation, then you have absolutely boggled my mind. First of all, who polishes their high heels? Never mind wearing them on a race. As a matter of fact, high heels and inflatables don't really mix and are frowned upon in this event. So throw them in the closet and FORGET ABOUT IT!

Unless you are anticipating a slow walk while holding hands with your soulmate, feel free to pump up the jams if you're a music driven runner. Check out Fun 107's PLAYLIST that will guarantee to hype you up and make you jump around!

This goes without saying that a tattoo in any place on your body before running and jumping around on the inflatables is a very poor choice. You should just avoid this at all costs or at least wait until after the 5K.