The One Mistake to Avoid Before Running Your First Race, According to a Doctor

First, you gave the treadmill a whirl. Then, you ventured outside to a track, eventually working your way up to hit the trails near your house. Now, you finally feel confident enough to run a race. (Go, girl.) The last thing you want is for your big athlete moment to be tainted by torn-up feet.

Before you shimmy into your sports bra and pin on your race bib, consider this tip from Dr. Casey Ann Pidich, an NYC-based podiatrist. 

Listen up: Don't—whatever you do—wear new sneakers for a race. 

Sure, you want to show off your fresh new kicks for that 10k, but Dr. Pidich says race day is never the time for a maiden voyage. “Sneakers are made of materials that will slightly compress and mold to your specific pressure points on your feet as you run,” she says. “This process takes some time and gradual wearing in.”

OK, noted. So how should you approach outfitting your feet for a race? “It's best to alternate between a worn pair and a slightly newer pair from the same brand while training, and use your regular broken-in sneakers for your race.”

So no, your race photos won't feature sparkling new sneaks, but on the plus side, you will get two pairs of kicks out of it. Fine...we'll allow it.