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Even though there are tons of reasons to run a 5K (y'know, exercise, endorphins, the T-shirts that come with the entry price...), doing it for charity just might be the best reason of all. Girls actor Zosia Mamet knows what's up—she's lacing up this weekend to run the last race of the United Relay of America on behalf of War Child (a charity that helps provide education, protection, and overall support to children in countries affected by war). Sure, running can be amazing on its own, but running for a purpose? Even better.
"I’ve never run a race, but I do like to run on treadmills because I find I can kind of space out," Mamet tells SELF. "I actually truly enjoy running. I’ve run five kilometers before, but I’ve never 'done' a 5K." Why trade the tread for the road now? Not only is War Child a cause she feels passionate about, but the United Relay is a pretty amazing event, too—it started with races on the West Coast back in April, and after a series of runs moving across the country, it all finishes up in Brooklyn on Saturday, June 4.
"Everybody’s running for different causes but we’re all running together, and it feels so cool to be a part of that, especially doing the last leg of it in New York," says Mamet. Plus, Alicia Keys will be greeting runners at the finish line (United Relay partnered up with her charity, the We Are Here Movement), so that's pretty awesome, too.
“Even though I’m only running just over three miles, I’ll be like, ‘I did the United Relay!’ and people will think I did the whole thing,” Mamet jokes.And even though she hasn’t been following a training plan for the race, she’s got some go-to running habits she’ll be relying on to cross the finish line (and raise some money for War Child while she’s at it). Here are four things to keep in mind to run your next 5K like Mamet:
1. Fuel up with a rice cake and peanut butter.
"My favorite snack in the whole world is rice cakes and peanut butter—I could eat that all day, every day," says Mamet. "So that's also my favorite pre-workout snack. It’s light enough, you get some carbs, and it sustains you for a while, so that's my go-to." The nut butter has a little protein in it, too. And registered dietitians recommend carbs + protein = the perfect pre-workout nosh, so Mamet's onto something with that combo.
2. Opt for running tights over shorts.
Her race-day outfit? "Probably yoga pants, a sports bra, and my Zabar’s hat," she says. "Because I do a lot of hot yoga, I need stuff that’s really good for when you sweat a lot—I really love the Kate Spade gear and Outdoor Voices is my other favorite." One thing you won't catch her running in, though? Shorts. "I’m just not a fan of running in shorts for some reason," she says. "I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I get sunburned really easily." Not to mention, the chafing struggle is real.
3. Wear headphones that actually stay put.
Mamet does not have time to mess with those pesky earbuds that come with iPhones. "I really came to terms with the fact that [those white iPhone] headphones just don’t fit in my ears," she says. "I used to try and run with them and they would just fall out every 90 seconds, and that was a real hurdle to get over. But I see people at the gym running with them, and I don’t understand! So I stopped wearing iPhone headphones and started wearing big, silly headphones, the ones that sort of make you look like an Ewok." No judgment.
4. Use an email template to fundraise if you're running for charity.
If you're running a race for charity, fundraising can be a great way to raise dollars and awareness for the cause—but it can feel a little weird at first. "[Actually raising money] sort of made me feel a little bit like I was back in middle school, selling raffle tickets," says Mamet. "This was the first time in a very long time I had to ask people to donate money, like, since I was a kid going around on Halloween raising money for UNICEF with my little box for coins."
Her approach was to go digital and send an email to friends and family about what she was doing. "My friend Emma, who runs War Child [in the U.S.], wrote me some copy for an email that included all of the information and a link to the page. I feel like that gave people the opportunity to either read the email and go about their day, or click on the link, and that allowed for some nice separation."
Want to get involved?
Image: Lauren Sowa
Mamet with Dr. Samantha Nutt, founder and president of War Child
You can help out War Child and support Mamet's run by making a donation, or find your own cause to run for—and pick up her tips while you're at it.
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