Running a race is a great way to test yourself against both your competition as well as yourself, in both the current race and every past or future race that you will ever run.
One of the best ways to find a baseline for yourself is to run in an inaugural race, where there is no history to compare against until you go out there and create one.
What is an inaugural race? Inaugural races refer to the first time that a race is run.
That could mean the first race in a series, but it usually refers to a race that has just been organized for the first time.
Brand new races can sometimes be hard to find, but it can be worth it when you find a good one.
Why would you want to run an inaugural race? The best reason to run a local inaugural race is so that you can become a streaker.
If the race lasts, and many races don't, then you can become one of the few people who have run in every single one year after year.
After a decade or so, the race organizers will usually start recognizing the folks that have supported them year in and year out.
Another reason to run in an inaugural race is that it may not yet be very popular so it can give you a good opportunity to compete in a good race in a small crowd.
That might mean that you can score an easy age group award or even set a course record, which is always worth bragging rights.
If you are ever interested in becoming a race director, it can help if you have run in some new events before so that you can see some of the more obvious challenges that a new race has and that you might run into.
Better yet, you can offer to volunteer before and after the race to get an even better idea of those challenges, and new races will rarely turn away a willing volunteer.
Why might you want to avoid running an inaugural race? One thing to be aware of, though, is that races don't always get things right in the first year.
If the organizers are experienced then you won't have anything to worry about, but you may want to arrive early and with plenty of your own amenities just in case it takes a long time to register or there isn't adequate water or post-race refreshments.
If the race isn't well publicized, then you may discover that not very many people show up, which may mean that you are running alone for a good portion of the race.
Then again, you may find that you like the small atmosphere of a new race.