Whether you’re new to racing or a regular on the circuit taking the time to prepare properly for your event can make all the difference on race day.
Taper
Many people think tapering is just for the marathon, but if your aim is to run your best race over any distance you still need to taper down to ensure you’re fresh and ready to race.
Listen to your body and respect the race, I’d always recommend running in the final days before your race to stop you from feeling lethargic. If you’re used to running daily then keep running daily but shorten the runs in the final week.
If for any reason you’ve had disruption to your build up the final week isn’t the time to panic and start adding extra sessions as this will only be departmental to your performance on event day.
The training is the bank and you should take confidence from this as you enter your taper. The only way to reap all the benefits of your programme is to recover and allow for adaption.
Sleep
Don’t panic about not sleeping the night before a race. I’ve had some of my best races off poor sleep the evening before. Take New York Half Marathon earlier this year, I didn’t get to sleep until past 1am and was up at 4:30am for breakfast! Once adrenaline and the caffeine kicks in you’ll be away! If you’ve slept well in the days leading up to the race then don’t worry.
Be organised and get your kit ready the day before and work out your timings for the morning of the race. I write notes on my phone of when I need to wake, what time I need to eat, warm up and run strides etc based on the start up time for the race. By working out your routine in advance it takes away any worry on the day and gives you one less thing to worry about. Having additional stresses is unnecessary, can take away from the enjoyment of the day and also wastes energy.
Breakfast
Everyone is different but make sure you have a tried and tested pre-race snack. If you’re running your first event practice in training or eat what you know you’ve had before training previously with no issues. There are so many foods to recommend but its about finding what works for you. A good balance of carbohydrates and protein normally works for most.
I suffer with hyperglycemia so have to stick to what I know works for me, which means taking a porridge pot to races along with a trusted Clif Bar!
Some runners like to have a pre-race snack but I tend to find I am best eating three hours out to give it time to digest and also prevent me from ‘crashing’.
Hydration
If you’re adequately hydrated you shouldn’t need to drink too much in the final hour before the race start instead just take small sips. Some runners like to take a gel on before a race also, but again make sure you practice in training before hand. I tend not to be a big fan of energy drinks before I race instead I drink electrolytes.
Warm Up
I find it amazing the amount of runners I start working with who don’t warm up properly before they race. Always run for 10-15mins (a nice easy jog) followed by a few gentle stretches or dynamic walking drills before competition to ensure you’re ready to go. You can find more information about drills and warm up routines in the video section of this site.
Start Line
Soak up the atmosphere and think back to all the hard work you’ve done to be here. I always run through the same line in my head before every race, and have done for as long as I can remember – but this should be personal to you, it can motivate you, help compose your thoughts or simply be a reminder to focus on the race ahead.
During the Race
The most important piece of advice anyone will give you during the race is to go off sensibly! Think about your pace as it is really important and can be the difference between finishing strongly and enjoying your day or shuffling home in the final stages – trust me I’ve been there many times! (And I’m sure I’ll be there again!) Hopefully from the training you’ve done you should be able to work out a suitable pace that you can run during the race and if you’re on a personal plan I’m sure we’ll discuss it nearer to race day as well as being in your TrainingPeaks schedules.
During the race if it starts getting tough just remember that every step is getting you one step closer to your end goal. Try and push through the discomfort as many runners go through bad batches during a race. Remember to embrace the atmosphere and the crowds. Use this to help push through the difficult miles. Everyone around you is working towards the same goals.
Finish
Try and get a hydration drink down you straight away and then a quick snack. If you can go for a nice easy jog for 10-15mins to help return your heart rate to its resting state and cool your muscles down. If you can, try and get a decent meal down you inside the first 90mins to help speed up the recovery process and replenish your glycogen stores.
