preparing for race day
You've put in months of hard work for your goal race and the big day is almost here. While the training is a huge part of preparation, there are other items to think about as you approach race day, listed below. The more you can plan and think ahead, the more relaxed you will be on race weekend. There will always be factors outside of your control on race day - particularly the weather, but if you can plan and control the controllables, you'll be that much more prepared to crush your goals!
1) Figure out your fueling strategy
Hopefully this is something you've been practicing throughout your training! But if not, now is the time to figure it out in your last couple of long runs before the race. Carbs [gels, chomps, whatever you use] should be taken in every 30-40 minutes, consuming at least 30 grams of carbs/hour [most gels have 20-24g of carbs, so you'll need more than one/hour] You also want to take in electrolytes [sodium, potassium] to keep a healthy fluid balance in your cells, along with water.
If you are planning to use what's offered on the race course, make sure you've practiced with it in your long runs to ensure it sits well in your stomach. Look at where the aid stations will be on the course to figure out when you will take your fuel, especially if you're not carrying your own fluids. Figure out what you are using to carry your fuel...and if you're buying something new, test it out on a run or two before the race.
What you eat the night before and the morning of the race is also something to consider. Again, if you aren't sure and you have a sensitive stomach, use your remaining long runs to figure it out! Consider doing a 1 day carb load before your longest long run, as well. Nothing new on race day.
2) Determine what you're going to wear
I recommend having a few different race outfits in mind, so you have a plan for different types of weather. What will you wear if it's cold? If it's hot? If it's raining? Ideally the outfits are ones you've worn for a long run so there aren't any surprises on race day. Think about your gear and shoes, as well. If your shoes are getting toward the end of their life [200+ miles on them], you may want to consider replacing them now so your race shoes have more life in them. Nothing wrong with racing in older shoes, but the cushion will be bouncier with newer shoes, which adds up over 13.1 or 26.2 miles. Get in a few runs with them before race day, though. If you are going to race in carbon-plated shoes, make sure you've gone for a few runs in those too [ideally a long run with some pace work as one of them]. Again, nothing new on race day.
3) Look at the race logistics
When and where do you need to pick up your race bib/packet? What time and where does the race start and finish? Are there special considerations for transportation? Where should your friends and family stand to cheer for you? You should be able to find this information on the race website. If you're traveling somewhere, you'll want to look at these details before booking your flight to ensure you can get your race packet :)
4) Think about your goals
I always recommend setting 3 goals for a goal race. If your only goal is to finish, well, 1 goal is okay. But if you have any time goals, setting a few goals can be helpful for your mindset during the race. One goal is a reach goal - it's possible given your training but you'll need to dig deep, weather needs to be comfortable, and you'll really need to fight. Another goal is one that should be achievable given your training but it will still be challenging. The last goal is one that you'll still be happy with even if a lot of things go wrong. Anything can happen during a race and if you go in with multiple goals that you will be happy with, it helps you to adjust in the moment during the race and still be proud of the outcome.
5) Visualize and prepare mentally
Racing is mostly mental. You can have a great training cycle physically but if your head isn't in a good place on race day, it will be tough to hit your goal. Look back on tough workouts to remember that you can do hard things, reflect on runs that didn't go well and the lessons you learned from them. Visualize yourself crushing that reach goal and how you'll feel. Visualize what may go wrong in the race and how you'll handle it. Think through everything ahead of time so you're prepared and also hype yourself up from all of the work you've done to train for the race. You are capable of crushing that reach goal and a little visualization can help you get in a good mental space to do so.
*Want more support to prepare for race day? Book a Talk with Coach Tammy to put together a personalized race plan to help you run your best!