Race Prep

Last few weeks to race day

I was asked, as Race Director, to list my best 10 tips for runners in the lead up to this years Basingstoke Half Marathon. The tips are universal for all longer races, so I have reproduced them here so a wider audience can take them onboard.

1.       Determine a realistic target time for your race about 4 weeks out from race day – for experienced runners, this is relatively easy based on experience, but for newer runners, not so easy. Try to estimate from your recent training runs what a realistic pace would be. This is important, as starting too fast, will result in early fatigue in the race (see point 10) and significant slowing down at the end.

2.       In the weeks prior to the race, run several times at your predicted race pace, so that your muscles learn what that feels like (muscle memory), it will make it easier to slot into that pace in the race, and avoid starting too fast. You don’t have to run far, you could do a warm up jog, then run for 10mins at race pace, or towards the end of some of your runs, push the pace up to your race goal speed for a short time, so that you finish the run with the muscles locking into the memory of the last thing you did – i.e. running at race pace.

3.       Practice drinking water on your runs, and if you intend to use gels for an energy boost on race day, practice using them in training first.

4.       Buy any new kit or shoes, that you intend to use in the race, 2 weeks out from the race, so you can try them, and they become comfortable on. Don’t wear brand new kit on race day.

5.       In the week before the race, start to taper down your training so that you are rested before the race. You won’t lose any fitness, and it gives your body time to repair any little niggles that may have developed during training.

6.       But do some running in race week. Active rest keeps blood moving through the muscles, so you don’t become sluggish.

7.       Top up your glycogen stores (glucose in the muscles) the day before by eating a carbohydrate rich meal. It doesn’t have to be pasta; I personally think basmati rice or baked potatoes are a better source of carbs). Top this up again on race morning with a carbo rich breakfast. Porridge, toast and jam, bananas, all work well. This is best eaten 2 to 3hrs before the race so it digests and triggers the desire to go to the loo!

8.       Get to the start area in good time. You must park, walk to the race village, go to the toilet, drop your kit. The less rushed you can do those things the calmer you will start the race.

9.       Weather you warm-up for the race or not depends a bit on what you are aiming at in the race. If you are looking to clock a specific time, then with 20 to 30mins to go, go for a short jog to warm the body up, then some active stretches – there will be an active warm up from the stage at the start just before the race if you want to join in, and then a couple of ‘strides’ at your intended race pace. This will enable you to get straight into your race pace from the start. If you are just aiming to get around, particularly if you will be over 2hrs in the half marathon, then you may want to ‘warm-up’ during the first part of the race. This will help you preserve your glycogen for use in the run. But still do the group warm up exercises, taking place from the stage, 10mins before the start, so you have some mobility in the limbs for when you start.

Don’t start too fast. The faster you run at the start the more your body has to use glycogen to fuel the muscles, and the more lactic acid will be produced (lactic acid is a by-product of burning carbohydrate in the muscles – at a certain point the body is unable to deal with the build-up of lactic acid, which is a toxin, and will cause you to slow down). After about 90 mins to 2hrs of running glycogen levels will drop, and the body then relies on converting fat stored in the liver for energy. Your body burns glycogen and fat together at lower pace thresholds, so your glycogen stores are protected for a longer duration than if you start fast. Thus, by going too fast you will start to deplete glycogen more quickly, and as the conversion of fat to energy is a slower process, you are likely to slow down. By pacing yourself, you will