Race-Day Ready
There are many reasons to run, one of which is that our runs (or walks or hikes) often prove that we can do more than we thought we could.
There is nothing more revealing than setting ourselves up for a specific challenge with a date circled on the calendar. Signing up for a race is the perfect way to step up your workouts. Men and women race for a variety of reasons: Events help us break through goals, explore new terrain and allow us to support causes that mean everything to us.
Regardless of why you have decided to push yourself, when race day comes, you need to be ready to run. Our race-day strategies have you covered.
Mindset
Trust the process. You have put the miles in … literally! And you are ready. The days leading up to race day are the perfect time to reflect on your progress and training journal or tracking data and to be proud of the hard work completed and victories already achieved. Your training has prepared you for the race, and you’re ready to run the distance.
Know the course and the terrain. Research the course and the race-day experience online, or better yet, run (or walk) sections of it before race day. The more comfortable and familiar you are with any terrain changes, the more mentally prepared you can be.
Expect the unexpected. It will happen: Something will likely occur that was not part of your training plan. It’s OK. You can handle it, whatever it may be. Simply manage your attention and focus on what is within your control, breathe through it and take one step forward at a time. The only way to race and manage the miles ahead is step by step and breath by breath.
Nourishment
Pre-race meals (the night before and the morning of the race) only serve to top off your energy stores. Your race-ready nutrition hopefully was created over the course of the last few months and not just a week. If you’re running a longer race, most experts advise that you plan for carb loading (as it’s traditionally called), with small and gradual increases in carb intake beginning three or four days before the race.
If your race is a longer distance, then you will need to refuel or rehydrate—especially whenever you’re running longer than an hour. Schedule your first replenishment at the 45-minute mark and continue every 20 to 30 minutes thereafter.
Movement
Stick with your plan. Race day isn’t the ideal time or setting to try a new running technique or shoes or anything, really, that you don’t already know feels good on you. Maintain the familiar and trust the strategies and techniques you practiced in your training runs, including fuel, fluids, clothing and gear.
Pace yourself, or as runners say, don’t fly and die! You’ll be excited, but be really deliberate in resisting the temptation to start the race too fast. Instead, mentally break the race down in thirds.
- Your first one-third is intended to get you into a rhythm. Focus on your heart rate, your breath and the sound of your feet hitting the pavement.
- The second one-third is your mind game, when you need to pull your mind into focus and think through technique and focus on the sensations of running. This is a great time to integrate any mental mantras or coaching tips you have practiced in training.
- In your last one-third, run with your heart—the emotional aspect of your heart. Remember your big reason for running and that running is your birthright—truly, you can do anything in your life, if you commit to it and do the work.
It bears repeating: If you are new to racing, don’t start too fast and don’t try anything new that you have yet to test in training. Take the first mile out of the gate slowly, and integrate walk breaks as needed. Your big goal is to finish the race and enjoy the run. Your training will come to life on the course, and there will be many more races to follow.
Regeneration
Hydrate early and often. Your body can give you mixed signals, and the thirst mechanism tends to lag behind your actual hydration status. If you are thirsty, then it is likely that dehydration has already occurred.
Be aware of hydration opportunities ahead. In most courses, water stations are strategically placed at approximately 1-mile increments, depending on the race. Make it a ritual to hit each water station even if only for a refreshing sip—it gives you a quick pick-me-up.
Take it all in. Of course, your focus is on the finish line, but notice the journey, the people next to you, the nature surrounding you. And most important, don’t forget to smile and celebrate fully and tell the world about your news once you’ve crossed the finish line and achieved your goal. It’s a human race, after all.
Photo credit: leekris, Adobe Stock