This weekend, I’m approaching a race that’s completely new to me and I’m so excited! But sometimes there is great comfort in running the same races year after year. Which do you prefer?
It’s Tuesdays on the Run with Erika, Patty, and Marcia! I’m really excited about this week’s topic – we’re talking about whether you like to run the same race year after year or if you prefer to be one-and-done. Check out what all the other bloggers will be posting on this and other running-related topics!
I’m also sharing with Jill Conyers for Living a Life of Health and Happiness!
[bctt tweet=”Do you repeat races or are you one-and-done? Pick your team! #runchat #totr” username=”Janelle_RWNR”]
Repeating Races – Where Do You Stand?
The great thing about running is that we have SO many options for races these days and there’s something for everyone:
- Big city races with huge crowds and lots of support
- Smaller local races with a real community feel
- Trail runs where you can get lost
- Overnight relays and ultras where you can run all the miles
- Foam, color, and mud runs for the unconventional
Because of the variety we have available to us, it almost seems silly to do the same event more than once. And if you have the luxury to travel to races, the options seem limitless! There are so many cities I would love to visit and run a race (hello Chicago and San Francisco!)
But at the same time, there’s nothing like rolling out of bed and knowing exactly what you need to do for a race that you’ve run year after year. You’re extremely comfortable and most likely have fewer pre-race jitters. You know where the bottlenecks are. Your friends and family are always there to run with you or cheer you on.
So which do you prefer: running certain races every single year, or mixing it up as much as possible? There are definite pros and cons for both sides of the coin. I have to say that when it comes to personal preference, “it depends”!
Team “One and Done” Racing
Over the years, there are so many races that I have only run once. In 2015, I was determined to run as much of a variety of races as possible which really kept things exciting. For example, I ran my first virtual race and the Tough Mudder!
Here are some of the perks of the one-and-done approach to racing:
- You’re not as focused on expectations. If you run a certain race every year, you can’t help but say things like “but last year, we had…” The great thing about running new races on a regular basis is that you don’t have those biases. You can take things as they are and embrace the novelty.
- You won’t get bored. I loved running the Rock N Roll DC half marathon this year because it was exciting for me to run in “new” neighborhoods in DC, as the course really takes you all over the city! I was able to be in the moment because I didn’t know what to expect at each turn.
- You learn your strengths and weaknesses on different types of courses. The greater variety of races you run, the more you develop your preferences. I’ve learned that I like races that have less than 10,000 runners and that I’m not a big fan of out and back courses.
- You’re opening yourself to new favorites. I’m so glad that I signed up for the Cherry Blossom Run last year to try something new. Ironically, now I think it may become an annual tradition for my boyfriend and me! If you’re always running the same race on the same weekend each year, you could really be missing out on another race that is even better!
Team “Annual Tradition” Racing
At the same time, there are a few races that I have run multiple times. I’ve run the Broad Street Run 3 times now, I’ve done the Fight for Air Stair Climb 6 times, and I’ve participated in the Run for Clean Air every year since 2012. In 2013, I had to walk instead of run because I was wearing a boot!
There are so many benefits to running the same race year after year:
- You know the race logistics. As long as the event is consistent each year, logistics are a piece of cake. You know where to park, where to pick up your bib, and how to track your race. And most of all, you know the course! Talk about peace of mind!
- You can focus on running your best race. Repeat races are the perfect events to choose to shoot for a PR. You’ve already performed in the race so you know your strengths and weaknesses. And instead of admiring the scenery, you can really keep your head in the game. That’s definitely something that I did with this year’s Run for Clean Air when I was able to get my first 5K PR in almost 4 years!
- You get to see the same people. If you run a certain event as a team, it’s so much fun to come back together and participate in a race. It’s a great bonding experience. It’s also fun when you see the familiar faces of strangers and can give each other a thumbs up.
- You can see your progress year after year. Running the Broad Street Run for the first time in 4 years was really interesting. It was amazing to PR but even better, I felt like such a smarter and stronger runner than I was when I first started out. Yay for growth! On the other hand, if you find you’re doing worse at a race each year, you can try to figure out why.
What do you prefer – running the same race year after year or switching it up? Or do you like to do both?
i don’t think this should really be a debate per se. Some of it comes down to cost, travel or interest. If I do a race once and it was badly managed or course is terrible, then it’s a one and done. I like to run and travel so many of those are one time only. We have a lot of local races in DC which I enjoy so those tend to be repeats and my hometown race in Pittsburgh is an annual tradition. So really, it just depends. I like to mix things up but also support local races and/or charities more often.
It definitely depends for me too, Mar! I like having a few local repeats, especially if they are just so well-run and support a good cause. I would love to travel to more states to race!
I like a mix of both. There are some local races that I’ve run multiple times and will continue to. If a race has great logistics and is in my city, I will sign up. I also love travelling to races so a lot of those are one and dones.
I love the idea of traveling for races, I just need to do a better job of planning racecations!
If you are looking for a Chicago race I would suggest the Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago races 🙂
I think I fall on both parts of the spectrum – While I enjoy running the same local races each year (because they are small and convenient to get to) but I do like ‘runcations’ because it enables me to travel to see new places. This year I’m traveling to San Diego for the Rock ‘n’ Roll races and it’s my first visit to California!
That sounds awesome! I’d love to go to San Diego! I would have loved to do CHicago this year but I have a family reunion that same weekend.
Generally I’m more of a “new race; new experience” kind of girl – I love discovering new races and places! But, I must also say that there’s one local race that I love doing every year: It’s completely different than all the other local races and just appeals to me in every way. I guess I’m a bit of both then? 🙂
Yeah, with so many races out there I can’t see how you wouldn’t want to at least try to spread your wings once in a while! I do think that many of us have that “one race” that really means a lot to us!
Considering that I have only run one race, (which was a 5 mile Turkey Trot) there are lots of races I would like to run. Among them are the Broad Street Run, the Hot Chocolate, the Philly 10k and the Perfect Ten. I think if I get these under my belt I may try to make them my staple runs. So I guess if I had to pick a side I would be a repeater.
Stephanie, that sounds great – those are all great choices for races! I still need to do the Hot Chocolate and I just signed up for the Perfect 10!
I am such a creature of habit! You raise good points about trying new races though … hmm.
I just always feel like I’m missing out on something, especially when you have certain races that always fall on the same weekend.
You make a lot of great points!
I think the best part of destination races is getting to see new scenery. I get to see a lot more than my husband does!
Thanks, Judy, I can definitely see both sides! Totally agree about destination races. I can’t wait for ZOOMA Cape Cod with my sister!
I’m considering the 10k if we can find somewhere cheaper to stay. Still not sure. We’ve got to decide on the next half first!
For me, it really depends on the race. I love being able to run new routes, and see new things, but there’s also something nice about knowing what’s coming up on the course.
Totally! I really think if there’s a course you know all the ins and outs, it’s great to really push yourself and see how well you can do.
You make great points on both sides. Honestly I fall somewhere in the middle – there are so many races I still have on my bucket list and since many of them overlap, I have to be one and done or I’ll never get to them all. On the other hand I have a couple of faves that I go back to over and over again.
Yes, I can definitely relate to that!
It is always fun to run different races because you do not know what is expected on the course. That being said. It is also nice to run local races bc of the logistics.
Exactly! Sometimes it’s fun to be surprised along the way while other times it’s nice knowing what you’ve got yourself in to!
I think I’m both a race repeater and a new racer as well. It’s a good balance for me. I like running races I’ve done before that I really enjoy. And I like trying new races too. Lots of options, like you say!
Exactly!!
I think it depends for me too…it can definitely be nice to know exactly what you are getting into when doing a race, but its also nice to try different ones!
I definitely lean more towards one-and-done but sometimes I think a race is worth repeating again if I didn’t do as well as I liked or if it was just an overall awesome race!
I’m a repeater because I like knowing what I’m getting myself into route wise.
Yeah, even when you have a map of the course for a new race, there can still be so many unknowns!
I like repeating races tied to certain holidays/traditions (ie, the same Turkey Trot, the same 4th of July race, etc.), but otherwise I like to check out new races. Now that I’m more permanently settled, maybe I will start to consider repeats, but Cleveland has so many different races, I feel like I’ll never run out of new ones to try!
That’s the best part about living in a large city where there are plenty of options within the city limits! I have been wanting to do a turkey trot for years but it always seems to fall through. I would definitely want to make that a tradition!
I’m also mixed on this – there are some races that I LOVE and can’t wait to do a second time (like the Hershey 10k and some races here in Anchorage) but I also want to run as many different races in different places as possible. I don’t have as many options in Anchorage, so I find myself doing races more than once because it’s the best option if I want to race locally.
That’s a really good point. Sometimes it’s just much more feasible logistically to stay local. Now if we could find companies that want to sponsor us to travel and run races, we’d be set! 😉
I like to do a mix of both. Running new races is great because there are no expectations. Sometimes I like not knowing the course before hand and if it is a totally new distance then there are no finish time expecatations either which is great!
That’s just how I feel about new races…the pressure is off. I can be more in the moment and enjoy it all.
I don’t like doing the same thing twice… ever. I’ve only ever run the same race year after year and that’s a Thanksgiving Day race near me. It’s pretty much the only thing to do around here on the holiday, and that’s why I do it! But I find myself getting more and more frustrated with it instead of more and more at ease with it. It gets more popular every year and each year the bottleneck gets worse and worse because people don’t line up with their proper start. It’s mostly walkers lining up with the 8 minute milers! Yuck!
I wish I could say smaller local races are fun for me because of friends and family for support, but I don’t have that where I live. I usually just run a race once and mark it off my list.
Wow that’s really interesting. I guess I am spoiled here living in Philly…so many races, year-round!
I honestly don’t believe there are negatives to re-running races. Maybe I just don’t care much for the new and unexpected, but I love the tradition of running the same races yearly, and adding a few new things in, too!
I love the tradition aspect but sometimes I get bored with a race and decide to move on! I guess that’s the main negative for me.
Hi Janelle. I mostly run different races but there are a few that my husband and I run every year. It’s tradition.
Thanks for sharing with the Fitness Health & Happiness community! Have a great weekend.
Totally agreed! Thanks a lot, Jill, I hope you have a great weekend too!