Why have races

[Deleted User]

carrot wrote (see)

Hmmm, I have gotten into the habit of doing my long runs on Saturday mornings, then have Saturday afternoon to get stuff done, Saturday night to go out, and Sunday to recover from said night out!

yep, that's my routine exactly

suppose you're right re. races, it's not a massive sacrifice really - but it does seem to stop me entering more of them

I lead quite a stoical life during the week (most of the time...), lots of exercise, healthy food, no booze etc: so I really look forward to cutting loose at the weekends, well after Saturday morning anyway.

priorities I suppose innit

[Deleted User]

PS: stuart72 thank you

Doubly Bionic Ironwolf

late starts in the summer can also mean very hot temperatures for a race.

Carrot

priorities indeed, I got sick of having to drag my carcass out of bed on a Sunday morning for a long run, and feeling like I had to go home early after a night out. So the long run day changed  To be honest, if I really had my priorities sorted, I wouldn't be drinking at all. But it's fun. Train hard, play hard is my philosophy.

Sprint Akie

 Always like a Sunday race in earlyish morning. Leaves the day for other things with my non-running girlfriend. I tend to be busy on a Saturday as my Sundays are usually free so its easy to plan for Sunday races.

[Deleted User]

Having just started looking into trail races, which will be much more my bag than road anyway, it seems they are largely on Saturdays - happy days!

mad mark

Theres a nice little race for you tomorrow Adrian .....Rhayader round the Lake 20 miler and it starts at midday,just what you wanted

[Deleted User]

As Ultra-Ironwolf says late starts in Summer mean (hopefully!) heat.  Its always been one of the main criticisms of the New Forest 10 in July that it is so hot because it starts too late.  Also the roads are more crowded getting into the venue which wouldn't happen if the start was earlier. 

[Deleted User]

I really wanted to enter my first race - a Race for Life 5K event - but all the ones near me are Sunday morning at 10am. My husband is a church minister - do you see my problem?  I wouldn't really want to miss church for a race - and I'd want hubby and the kids there to cheer me on anyway so I'd like to see a bit more variety in race days/times.

[Deleted User]

SUSAN WOOD 4 wrote (see)

I really wanted to enter my first race - a Race for Life 5K event - but all the ones near me are Sunday morning at 10am. My husband is a church minister - do you see my problem?  I wouldn't really want to miss church for a race - and I'd want hubby and the kids there to cheer me on anyway so I'd like to see a bit more variety in race days/times.

Susan,

It only matters because it matters!

I have a similar problems with Sundays - although I'm the wrong gender to do RFL!  I find if I'm not at church on a Sunday I've missed out on quite a lot of what's important and going on, and if my wife comes along to cheer me on it compounds the problem - and it makes me feel more guilty, too!

That said, I've got a bit stubborn about it over the past year or so - if my freinds (and pastor) at church aren't sure enough of what I believe and what matters to me, I think that's their problem.  After all, I know Who does know!  And if I look at the "big" events that I like to do, there are only so many in a year I will do - I guess 3 Sunday's off a year is pretty good. 

But I guess having a minister as a husband he doesn't get that many Sunday's off . . . . and its hard for you to be torn like that.

Summer evening runs are good . . .there are a few. 

Womble

Cross country tends to be on Saturdays. The Park Runs are on Saturdays. Poole 10k is always on a Sunday at the beginning of June starting at 2pm. Can you imagine how hot that can get most years? In the summer there are often races mid-week in the evenings - Nonsuch Relays, Yately 10ks.

Seela

If you aren't going to run on a holy day then Fridays are out (Islam), Saturdays (Jewish) and Sundays(Christian). Other faiths can have rest-days that fall every 7 or 8 days (pagan, Buddist).

So if you are religious you will have to balance your faith against your desire/need to run.

And the reason why most races are on Sundays are that most helpers are available on that day.

40 minutes

Mak's F
Quite so, you only have to organise a race once to realise that the deciding factor is getting enough bodies out there on the course to ensure a safe & successful event.  That means Sunday morning or a summer evening - despite the advance of the 24/7 society, many still work a fairly standard 5-day week.