Race day guide
You've done the training, set your goal, and are counting down to race day. But what to expect?
We've pulled together our best tried and tested tips on how to make sure you set yourself up for success on the final day of your plan, and cross that finish line with a smile. .
01. Don't wear new kit
One of the most common errors we see is runners buying a new running outfit to debut on race day. Whilst this may sound appealing (hands up who last minute realised their whole wardrobe is black and that's not the easiest thing for spectators to spot...), the last thing you want is to discover those shorts are a bit too tight, or your new top is itchy. Buy that new outfit in advance and wear it on a few training runs beforehand to ensure maximum comfort on the day.
02. Food is fuel
Everyone is different when it comes to food. By race day, you should have used your training runs to trial what a good pre-run breakfast looks like for you. This breakfast should be enough to fuel your longer and harder runs. No one option is the best for all runners, but our go-to race day breakfasts include porridge, a bagel and a banana, and a less traditional option of chocolate flapjacks. The choice is yours!
In the week leading up to the race, your food is equally important. If you're running a longer distance (typically classed as a half marathon or above), it's often recommended to 'carb load'. When exercising, carbohydrates are the first food type we burn, so this is simply advice to increase your stores of carbohydrates over other food types such as protein, fats and dairy, so your body has more carbohydrates to burn. You don't need to eat lots more food over the week than you normally would, just try to have a bigger share of carbs in your usual meal to make sure your muscles are fuelled for the day.
The same 'carb-loading' advice applies to your meal the night before. You don't need to eat a massively bigger portion of food than you normally would, but try to make it high on carbohydrates. Our go-to pre-race evening meals are pizzas and pasta.
03. Line up in the right starting pen
We've all been there. The adranelin is pumping, the atmosphere is electric and you're bursting to get started - so why not just start a bit more forward than your predicted time pen? Fast forward to one mile in and the faster crowd has carried you towards your one mile PB before realising you still have a long way to go...
Pacing at the start of the race is important, and starting too far forward (or too far back) could throw off your whole race day plan. Use our running race calculator to see what's a realistic goal time based on your training, and then line up in the matching start zone so you'll be around people with a similar target to you. Not only will this help you start off at the right pace, you'll have people around you that you can try to stick with when it starts to get tough, and could even have the added bonus of an official race pacer for your time being nearby too.
04. Pack a snack for the finish
Once you've finished, you're going to need to re-fuel. Whilst some race goodie bags come with food, we always pack our favourite post race foods in our finish line bags so we have something to hand.
Generally, we suggest packing whatever your go-to post run treat is. But if you're looking for some guidance, we would recommend packing something savoury. You will likely already have good sugar levels in you if you've been taking on sugary energy drinks and gels in the race, but will also have likely lost a lot of salt through sweat that salted savoury foods can help get back into your system.
Looking for ideas? Our go-to foods to pack include ready salted crisps, salted peanuts, sandwiches and cheese rolls.
05. Don't drink too much water
We are often repeatedly told the importance of hydration on race day- and for good reason. Too little water can lead to dehydration and the host of issues associated with this. But over-drinking actually carries many risks too. Too much water and you can dilute your blood to remove all the good stuff from it (the fancier term being 'hyponaetramia').
Sounds complicated? Don't worry - you've practiced this plenty of times without realising in your training runs. Drink when you're thirsty, or with small but regular sips. Generally, as long as you're not drinking a bottle of water every mile or no water at all for a half marathon or more, you should be fine.
06. Trim your toenails!
This might sound silly, but no matter how much confidence you have in your trainers, when you get up to those double digit miles especially, there's nothing worse than your toe nails pushing up against the end of your shoe. Toenail pain alone has pushed us to a walk in a race before, so make sure they're trimmed a good few days before race day to tick one excuse off the list.
07. Check the weather forecast
The weather is (sadly) a completely uncontrollable factor of your race day. But you can control how you prepare for this.
If it's raining, pack something waterproof to wear as you warm up and get to the start to avoid being too wet before you even start running. One of our coaches swears by always packing a bin bag, with a hole cut out for their head, as a cheap and easy way to keep dry and warm without having to pack any extra layers!
If it's sunny, don't be the person who forgets to wear plenty of suncream! Not only could you get sunstroke (especially with dehydration potentially playing a factor), you don't want to be dealing with sunburn after your run.
A cool spring or autumn morning? Many big races offer a clothes collection at the start line. We recommend bringing an old top or jumper that you're happy to donate to charity. You can wear this to keep you warm until you start and then put it in the donation bags when you're ready. A win for everyone!
08. Plan your route to the start
You want to limit any stress on the race-day morning as much as possible. Planning out your route to the start line will help you be confident in how long it will take so you can work out what time you need to leave (and wake up!). Get to the start line early to give you plenty of time for any nervous wees, stretching or pre-running rituals you have. This will also be a great way to give you plenty of time to soak up the race day atmosphere, and get you ready and raring to start your race.
09. Relax the day before
You'll have likely tapered in the week (or more) before your race, and this definitely does not exclude the day before. You may be in a new city you've not seen before, but don't be tempted to do too much exploring. Try to relax and do minimal steps to save all your energy for the big day - save the sightseeing for after the race!
If you are getting out and about the day before, then try to keep everything else as controlled as possible. Wear comfortable trainers to avoid any last-minute blisters, eat foods your used to and keep a water bottle on you so you can stay as hydrated as possible.
The pre-race day is not the time for stress so soak up the excitement and use it as an excuse to put your feet up and relax for a day before the hard work tomorrow.
10. Enjoy it!
After all the hard work you've put into training, don't forget to have fun and enjoy the race itself! Race day is your celebratory run of all your training leading up to it. Soak up the atmosphere, laugh at those signs and embrace the offers of high-fives from the crowd. You've got this!
Set yourself up for success with the right training and the right race day goal.
