Race Day Preparation: Strategies for a Successful & Enjoyable Race Experience

In this episode, I'll provide you with five valuable tips that can enhance your race day preparation. I'll cover everything from familiarising yourself with the course to establishing a pre-race routine that puts you in the right mindset.

I'll discuss the significance of rest and hydration, the importance of organising your gear, and the art of pacing yourself to maintain endurance throughout the race.

So, whether you're a seasoned runner looking to refine your race day approach or a beginner gearing up for your first big event, this episode is packed with insights to help you create a solid race day plan.

By implementing these strategies, you'll increase your chances of a successful and enjoyable race experience.

Let’s get started…

WELCOME

Welcome to the Run Better with Ash podcast, the podcast for runners seeking valuable insights and inspiration to enhance your running journey.

I'm Ash, your Personal Podcasting Running Coach and in today's episode, we're diving into a topic that every runner preparing for a race can benefit from: Race Day Preparation.

Specifically, we'll explore strategies that can help you have a successful and enjoyable race experience.

Now, why is having a race day strategy so important? Well, as runners, we invest considerable time and effort into training for our races. Our training plan usually lasts weeks with one focus, the end goal of getting to the race day in the best running shape we can be.

We set goals, we push our limits, and we visualise crossing that finish line with that huge sense of accomplishment that comes with completing the challenge.

However, without proper race day preparation, our efforts could be overshadowed by unnecessary stress, anxiety, or even unexpected challenges.

Imagine this: It's race day morning, and you're feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. You step out the door, unsure if you have everything you need. Doubts creep in: Did I pack my running shoes? What if I forget my race bib or my energy gels? What if you don’t leave enough time to get to the registration or start line and you end up rushing and getting massively stressed?

Such worries can distract you from focusing on your race goals and diminish the overall experience.

One of the things I encourage all of my clients is to create a race day strategy that is as ‘normal’ to them as possible. So you have as many regular, home comforts that make you feel at ease on the day.

The famous strategy of marginal gains from the British Team Sky cycling team illustrates how important it is to ensure you are prepped and refreshed with few worries on the day.

Team Sky would take each riders mattresses and pillows to every hotel so the rider would sleep on the same bed each night limiting the impact of multiple hotel beds and pillows that can affect sleep quality. Team Sky would make sure they had every bit of food they loved to eat as comfort. Little strategies like that can make you feel comfortable and reduce your anxiety levels.

The hotel story may seem excessive and I totally understand its probably out of the equation to take your mattress with you to a hotel you might be staying at. But as an example, one of my clients that recently run the Copenhagen marathon picked his hotel in an area that has a lot of students and bars. He was woken several times throughout the early hours by partying people outside his hotel room.

This obviously isn’t great race day prep and he didn’t perform as he hoped. The broken sleep contributed to his performance being off.

Thinking about things like that and doing your research will help maximise your rest and race prep.

That's why a well-thought-out race day strategy is crucial. By taking the time to prepare in advance, you can alleviate stress, minimise potential pitfalls, and ensure you're fully prepped for anything that may come your way.

A solid race day plan will empower you to focus on what truly matters: giving your best performance and enjoying the journey to the fullest.

Are you ready to elevate your race day preparation? Let's dive into our first tip: planning and familiarising yourself with the course."

FIVE TIPS FOR RACE DAY

Here are five valuable tips that can help runners with their race day preparation for a successful and enjoyable race experience:

Before we get into the first tip I would recommend that you have a book that you write a checklist in and tick things off. A to-do list. I’m old school so I use a book and pencil, maybe use an app if you’re more of a tech person. This gives you a clear focus checklist to work from and check in with.

1. Plan and Familiarise Yourself with the Course: Take the time to thoroughly study the race course beforehand. Understand the elevation profile, water stations, and any potential challenging sections. If possible, do a practice run or drive along the course to familiarise yourself with the route. This preparation will boost your confidence and help you develop a race strategy.
   
   Having a good understanding of the route can also help us runners to stay focused and motivated during the event. Whether it's identifying key landmarks or knowing precisely how far you have to go until the finish line, understanding the course can help runners to pace themselves and push through challenging patches.
   

2. Establish a Pre-Race Routine: Create a pre-race routine that works for you and helps you get in the right mindset. This routine might include waking up at a specific time, having a balanced breakfast, engaging in light stretching or mobility exercises, and mentally preparing yourself through positive visualisation or meditation.
   
   It can help you to mentally prepare for the race. Pre-race routines can help to reduce pre-race jitters, anxiety, and nervousness, which are common among many athletes. Establishing a routine can help the runner to feel more relaxed, focused, and mentally prepared to take on the challenge.
   
   Stick to this routine on race day to feel calm and focused.
   
   I have my clients practice the exact pre-race routine on their longer runs leading up to the end of their training so they can refine the routine.
   

3. Get Ample Rest and Hydration: Prioritise sleep in the nights leading up to the race. Aim for seven to eight hours of quality sleep to ensure your body is well-rested. Hydration is also crucial, so drink plenty of water in the days leading up to the race, but avoid excessive fluid intake right before the start to prevent discomfort or needing multiple bathroom breaks during the race.

   Adequate hydration is critical for maintaining optimal performance during the event. Dehydration can lead to a decreased ability to regulate body temperature and reduces the body's ability to dissipate heat, which can result in heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

   Getting enough rest and sleep helps the body to recover, rejuvenate, and prepare for the physical demands of running a marathon, half marathon, ultra or 10km. Proper rest can help us to reduce the risk of injuries, improve muscle strength, and endurance, and improve overall performance on race day.

   Getting ample rest and hydration before an event helps to ensure that the athlete is mentally prepared for the race. Adequate hydration and rest can help the runner's mood by keeping them alert and sharp because hydration improves brain function, which is essential to complete the race successfully.

   Finally, dehydration and inadequate rest can lead to fatigue, which can adversely affect a runner's judgment and decision-making ability during the event. Adequate rest and hydration can help to improve cognitive functions, such as attention, perception, and memory recall, which are essential during race day.

   So, getting ample rest and hydration before a running event like a marathon, half marathon, or ultra marathon or any other event is essential for optimal performance, injury prevention, and mental toughness. Athletes should prioritise hydration and rest in their pre-race preparation and take advantage of the benefits that these provide.
   
   

4. Pack and Organise Your Gear in Advance: Prepare all the essentials the night before the race to minimise stress on the big day. Lay out your race outfit, including comfortable shoes, moisture-wicking clothing, and any necessary accessories (such as a hat or sunglasses). Pack your race bib, timing chip, sunscreen, extra layers for different weather conditions, and any personal fuel or hydration supplies you may need. Double-check your checklist to ensure you have everything ready.
   
   This reduces your stress and anxiety levels and means you don’t need to be rushing around the house or hotel room on the morning trying to get everything together. This causes undue stress and anxiety and race day and can be easily avoided with a bit of prep work the night before.
   

5. Start Slow and Pace Yourself: One common mistake is starting too fast due to race day excitement. It's important to begin at a comfortable pace and gradually build your speed if desired. Stick to your race plan and listen to your body.
   
   Running at a sustainable pace early on will help you conserve energy for the later stages of the race, allowing you to finish strong and enjoy the experience.
   
   Do you have a race plan? If not why haven’t you checked the course profile out like mentioned in tip number 1?
   
   Once you know the course you can make a plan and always start a little slower and settle yourself into a rhythm then you can start to push through the gears so to speak, if you need to. It’s much better to be able to sprint finish because you’ve left enough in the tank rather than absolutely flat lining at half distance because you’ve overcooked yourself in the first half of the race because you got swept away in the excitement of the event.
   
   Run your race, not anybody elses!

Remember, race day preparation is about finding what works best for you. Experiment with these tips during your training and adjust them based on your preferences and experience. By planning ahead, focusing on rest and hydration, organising your gear, and starting at a comfortable pace, you'll set yourself up for a successful and enjoyable race day experience.

Thank you for listening to today's episode of Run Better with Ash podcast. Be sure to subscribe to my podcast for more running tips and advice. SHARE this epsiode with a friend And remember, to Run Better! I shall speak to you in the next episode my fellow runners!