Preparing for the Big Race: Preparation Tips from Robin Kaye

Cicada Crunch 5K Race Preparation Tips

by Robin Kaye

 For the past 9 weeks I've been helping with the Cheverly Couch to 5K program, supporting the training runs and providing advice and encouragement to the participants who are boldly training to run the Cheverly Day Cicada Crunch 5K on May 12. As we entered this 10th and final week of training before the race, I sent out my last running-tips e-mail to the group. These tips are mostly geared towards the newbees who are running their first race, but because the advice still holds true for all runners I thought it might be valuable to share them on the Cheverly Day blog:

 

• It's important to give your body a break leading up to the big event by reducing your runs and taking them easy. Tapering can seem counter-intuitive, because you've spent all this time increasing your distance, your endurance, your speed, only to drop it down in the final week. (For longer distance races, the tapering time can actually be 2 or 3 weeks). One can easily fall into the trap of continuing to train hard or cram more mileage in before a race for fear of being unprepared, but this is actually detrimental. By doing easier, shorter runs this week you're allowing your muscles to heal and strengthen so you'll be in peak condition on race day. There's nothing more you can do in the final week to physically prepare for the 5K, so there's no need to push yourself. You've done all the work you can do, and now you need to take it easy.

• On the day before the race it's essential that you hydrate. Drink plenty of water and try to limit your caffeine intake. Alcohol should be avoided as well. Even if you're attending ChvProm this Friday night, steer clear of the booze. Running hungover is no fun at all (speaking from personal experience) and can also be dangerous.

• While we're on the topic of ChvProm... ladies, at some point during the night you should kick off those heels. Dance barefoot, bring flip-flops, do whatever it takes to save your feet from pain.

• What you eat the day before a race is important in providing the fuel you need for the following morning. You've probably already experienced which meals have sat better with your stomach before your training runs, so stick with what you know. Every runner has a different "last meal" that works best for them -- pasta is popular choice -- but it's important that you eat simple foods and don't eat too late at night to give your food plenty of time to digest. Generally, you want to eat your last full meal at least 12 hours before race start. Again, for those of you attending ChvProm, try your best not to overindulge on all the goodies. Stick to a moderate amount of food, nothing too spicy or potentially risky (like shrimp), and cut yourself off at 9 pm.

• On race morning, you should eat and drink something an hour or so before the run. By now you've probably established a pre-run snack that works best for you, so eat whatever it is that you normally do. Like all aspects of running, everyone has their personal preferences. A common choice is a piece of toast with a little jelly on it and an 8 oz glass of water. Or for those who have found that solid foods don't sit well before a run, a sports drink is a good substitute.

• Make sure you arrive at the race in plenty of time to check-in, use the restroom, or do any other pre-race preparation like warming up and stretching. The Cicada Crunch 5K race is a small affair, so arrival time is probably not critical in this case. However, if you run races in the future where there are thousands of participants, arriving at least an hour before race start is important if you care to do your business in a portopotty instead of in the woods by the side of the road.

• Once the race gets started, remember to pace yourself! The excitement of starting a race is great for your energy and mental state, but it can also cause you to burst out of gate too fast and eventually undermine your ability to endure the entire race. It's a horrible feeling to run out of gas before the race is done. Don't get swept up in the rush, don't pay attention to what anyone else is doing, just run your own pace and conserve your energy.

• This tip may sound silly, but it's something that I wish someone had told me before I ran my first race: how to drink from the water stations. There will be 2 water stations in the race, and I highly recommend you drink water at both of them. This isn't something you practice during training, but it actually is an acquired skill to be able to grab a cup of water out of a volunteer's hand without slowing and without spilling it everywhere and then drinking it without dumping it all over your chin and neck and without choking on it. As for a good hand-off, I think this just takes practice, so just do your best to create a smooth transition without jerking the cup and letting the water splash out. To drink while continuing to run, pinch the sides of the cup rim together and drink from the pointy bit formed at either end -- this will channel the water directly into your mouth. Don't try to swallow all the water at once... just do one gulp at a time. As a courtesy to other runners, flatten the cup when you're done and toss it towards the side of the road without flinging it into anyone else.

• If you need to walk to catch your breath, by all means do so. However, remember that this is not your training run and you are not alone out there. There are other runners around you and stopping abruptly could cause someone else to run into you. Gradually slow your pace and move your way over to the side of the course.

• When the race is over, make sure to grab a bottle of water and a snack (there will probably be bananas), walk around to cool down, and then stretch.  No sitting!

• Lastly, have fun!!!

Do you have any other race day preparation tips for our runners?  Please share them in the comments! 

Good luck to all the runners participating in this year's Cicada Crunch 5K! Have a great race!