Countdown to race day
The week before
If your race is longer than 90 minutes, for example, a marathon or half-marathon, a period of carbohydrate-loading (carb-loading) in the three days before the race may improve your performance by postponing fatigue. Carb-loading involves increasing your dietary intake of carbohydrates (starchy foods) in the last few days before your race when typically you are reducing your training.
Carbohydrate-loading appears to work best in trained athletes and the specific type of carbohydrate may also be important. So, if you’re a first time competitor, you may simply prefer to eat a normal meal on the evening before the run.
More information about nutrition
Continue to drink enough fluids in the week before the event so that you’re properly hydrated and have adequate fluids to compensate for sweat losses during training.
More information about hydration
Work out your travel arrangements in advance and, for bigger races, aim to be there an hour early as it can take a while to check in your bag and queue for the toilets. If you drive, work out where to park in advance and estimate how long it will take to get to the event.
Make sure you look after yourself by eating healthily and getting enough sleep. Try to get a good night’s sleep two days before race day as the night before you may be away from home or too nervous to sleep well.
The day before
Go for a short, slow jog the day before the event to relieve tension and get rid of any pre-race anxieties. This will also help you to sleep.
Pack your bag so you’re not rushing around at the last minute. Pack clothes for different weather conditions and take all of your running essentials – race number, petroleum jelly, energy bars or gels, drinks, sun cream, change of clothes, tissues, safety pins, plasters and timing chip. Pack something warm for standing around in before the race starts. Lots of runners use old T-shirts, or make holes in dustbin liners as they are easy to tear off and discard just before the race is under way. If you use a GPS watch or run with music, make sure your devices are charged and packed in with your kit.
Make sure you have arranged where to meet up with friends and family afterwards.
The night before, eat a meal that is high in carbohydrate with a little bit of lean protein, such as pasta with salmon. This is important for maximising glycogen in the muscles. Glycogen is the body’s main source of stored energy and is converted into sugar (glucose) for energy during exercise.
More information about nutrition
Drink enough fluids the day before the event so that you’re properly hydrated.
More information about hydration
It’s not unusual to be nervous the night before a race. Do something you enjoy that relaxes you (such as watching a film or listening to music) to distract you from any pre-race nerves. Then harness your adrenalin and let it power you through on the day.
On the day
Make sure you eat something – even if it’s too early for you to feel hungry. Eat a light meal consisting of foods that you have tried out before a training run. Drink some water or a sports drink, whichever you usually use. Stick with what you’ve tried before. Eating within an hour before the start of a race can affect the blood sugar levels of some people, so it may be wise not to eat during this period.
Apply petroleum jelly to any areas where you might get chafing – under your arms, bra band, toes, groin etc. Be careful not to apply too much to your toes as this can make them slippery, which could cause blisters. If you suffer from jogger’s nipple, use plasters or surgical tape to prevent soreness and bleeding.
Run in something comfortable that you have worn during training. New kit may cause chafing, blisters or general discomfort.
The first few miles can be very crowded. Many people tire themselves out by dodging in and out of other runners because they’re behind on race plans. Try to maintain an even pace and enjoy the event.
Use mile markers as a reminder to review how you’re feeling, your posture, breathing and pace.
Drink enough fluid and eat something as soon as you can after crossing the finish line. Choose something easy to digest, such as a banana. The sooner you eat, the quicker you will start to recover, but unless you’re planning another event, the timing of your energy replacement isn’t too important. What matters is that over the next 24 hours you eat enough to allow your body to refuel and this should consist of fluid, electrolytes (normal body salts), carbohydrate and protein.
More information about hydration and nutrition
Sources
- MacAuley D. Oxford handbook of sports and exercise medicine. 1st ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011:728
- Chen Y, Wong SH, Xu X, et al. Effect of CHO loading patterns on running performance. Int J Sports Med 2008; 29(7):598–606. doi:10.1055/s-2007-989265
- Bruckner P, Khan K, editors. Clinical sports medicine. 3rd ed. Sydney: McGraw Hill, 2007: 681–707
- Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER,et al. Exercise and fluid replacement. American College of Sports Medicine position stand, Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007; 39(2):377–90. doi:10.1249/mss.0b013e31802ca597
- Pre-event meals. American College of Sports Medicine. www.acsm.org, accessed 12 January 2012
- Hargreaves M, Hawley JA, Jeukendrup A. Pre-exercise carbohydrate and fat ingestion: effects on metabolism and performance. J Sports Sci 2004; 22(1):31–8
- American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, American College of Sports Medicine, et al. Position Stand: nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009; 41:709–31. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31890eb86
