PRE-RACE DAY
Here are some dos and don’ts to keep in mind:
Fueling and Hydration:
- Eat a light dinner: [example: khichadi-yoghurt or dal-rice with salads]
- Hydrate with water and electrolytes to top your sodium and potassium stores
- Do not eat gassy foods or extra spicy items, as they may make your gut delicate
- Refrain from consuming alcohol and high-caffeine items, as they may disturb your sleep
- Load up carbs (sweet potato/rice/banana/oats/whole grains) [Note – carb loading can even be started 2 days prior to race specially for HM/FM/Ultra]
Plan your travel to the race exhibition (expo) and venue:
The venues for the race expo and the race are likely to be different. Make sure you identify these locations and decide on your mode of travel to these venues. If the race is in a different city and you are not familiar with the area, then do a recce of these places to know the exact location.
Getting ready for the race:
On the night before the race day, assemble your gear, which includes the GPS watch, timing chip, smartphone, shorts, t-shirt, undergarments (sports bra in case of women), shoes, socks, race bib, body lotion, deodorant, sunglasses, cap, sunscreen, hydration sipper, and a belt bag with your favorite foods, gels, and bars.
Sleep:
Avoid traveling during the race week. Ensure that you follow a disciplined schedule that permits you to get a good night’s sleep. Sleeping well allows your body to rest and ensures good recovery by restoring the muscles. Sleep is when the body rebuilds and restores muscles. Possibly, you may feel anxious and have a disturbed sleep on the night before the race. However, do not worry, as this nervousness is normal. Focus on sleeping soundly and wake up with a fresh mind.
ON RACE DAY
- Morning Routine
Do not overeat in the morning before the race begins. However, avoid participating on an empty stomach. ONE Banana Or few dates/almonds – should be good intake before 1.5 hrs at least. - Reach before the scheduled reporting time.
As you have extra time, use the washroom and do your warm-ups. - Include a variety of exercises in your warm-ups
The objective of a warm-up is to gradually raise your heart rate. Ensure that your muscles are supplied with enough oxygen and raise the body temperature to simulate the actual activity. The shorter the race distance is, the longer the warm-up needs to be. Your warm-up can comprise a mix of jogging, dynamic stretches, few 100m strides with easy run and running drills. - Hydrate smartly
Each individual is different & needs to fuel up based on your sweat loss rate. It is necessary to stay hydrated. However, avoid drinking anything 30 minutes before the race starts so that you may visit the washroom one last time if needed. If your race is in the morning, top off your fluids as required once you wake up. During the race, take few sips at every hydration station and after 5k/10k – alternate with electrolytes/energy & water on the route. Intake of dates or Fast&Up Gel as per your plan to maintain the energy level during the run. - Start cautiously
You may be excited to start a race and run at a fast pace. However, this can increase your risk of injuries or DNF. Don’t START TOO FAST in FIRST KM. Keep just 20-30 seconds faster than your GOAL PACE. Self-talk, visualize, believe in yourself & stay strong over the course. - Enjoying the race
Training may be a science, but racing is an art. If you have trained diligently and followed the aforementioned pointers on planning your race well, most likely, you will emerge successful. Make sure to follow the fuel loading strategy as per the weather conditions on that day. - Back-up plan for the race
All races do not go as planned. So, you need to know what to do in case things go wrong. It could be that the race day temperature or humidity is higher than expected. So, if your body responds adversely to these conditions, alter your race plan by adding 10 to 15 seconds per km for the overall distance. This means that your finish time will be slower than what you had planned. However, it is better than sticking to the race plan, walking the later half of the race, or getting a Did Not Finish (DNF). If you misjudge your pace and begin feeling extreme fatigue, slow down and walk for a while. Ensure you consume electrolytes so that dehydration does not add to your woes. Keep the mind and body relaxed with positive thoughts and focus on finishing the race. - Post-race recommendations
As soon as you cross the finish line, stay on your feet and resist the urge to sit down. Walk up to the aid station inside the finish enclosure and hydrate well with water or electrolytes until you feel the urge to pass urine. Your body is craving sugar, and it is wise to eat a snack consisting of carbohydrates and protein as soon as possible. You may eat a full meal after two-three hours. - Post-RUN Stretching
Focus on stretching muscles of the lower extremities, such as glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, quads, calves, and Achilles tendon. Perform three sets of 15-20-second stretches for each group of muscles. Static stretching will allow the excess tension to drain out from the muscles, tendons, joint capsules, and ligaments. This will result in complete recovery and reduction in any aches from training load done in the weeks leading to the race week.
RACE DAY CHECKLIST
- Shoes/socks
- Jacket
- Vaseline
- Bib clips / pins
- Shorts
- T-shirt
- Sun glasses / Cap
- Charger
- Power bank
- Energy Gel / Electrolytes/ Dates
- Waist Pouch/Mobile holder
- Water Bottle
- Snacks/Chikki
- Protein Supplement / Bar
- ZzzQuiill Tab for better sleep (optional)
Following up After RACE DAY
Rest completely/easy walk for at least two days after your race and Use Foam Roller & apply ice packs to quads, hamstrings, calves & sole area. Easy walk /ride the next day after the race to relieve aches. You may begin easy pace runs of 40 to 60 minutes later in the week. AVOID High intensity/intervals in post race week to avoid injuries. Start your next phase of training about 10 days to two weeks after the race to ensure total recovery of muscles and tissues. Race day can be a little intimidating, especially if it is your first time. Although enjoying and performing well in a race is not mutually exclusive, being mentally and physically prepared helps you stay calm, healthy, and ready to run at your best potential.
Hope this helps. Wish you all the BEST. Enjoy the RUN!!!