How NOT to Train for Race Day

I woke on a dreary Saturday morning with the sudden realization that my half marathon was just two weeks away.  And that’s when the panic set in.

Sure, I’d been preparing for it for months.  Though I’m not exactly a stickler for the finer details of the training program like my training buddy, Kristin, is, I’d still kept up with my training.  Mostly.   I’d walked almost daily.  I’d gone on long walks almost weekly.  I’d cross-trained and weight-trained and done most of the things I was supposed to be doing. 

Did I know that I could do it?  Sure.  I’d done it before.  And I’d put in the work. 

But did I panic anyway?  Absolutely.  

Though Kristin is great at keeping me on track, the last couple of months had gone a little…haywire.  We’d both been out of town at different times, our kids had started school, and my life was consumed by my daughter’s volleyball schedule—so we hadn’t gotten in those long walks that we’d planned.  Suddenly I was second-guessing myself, worrying about squeezing all of those missed training walks into two weeks.

So, in a panic, I did what panicked people do: I did a bunch of stupid stuff that I really shouldn’t have done.  And later that day, after a nice, big burrito dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant (with extra chips and queso, of course), while my husband and daughter went to a hockey game, I threw on some workout clothes, laced up my old treadmill shoes, and set out to do allllll the training.  And by the time they got home, I’d watched two movies from the treadmill.  I was worn out from lack of proper nutrition.  I was aching and sore from 13 miles in old shoes.  My legs were chafed and bleeding from the constant rubbing of my everyday workout shorts.  And I was kicking myself for being an idiot.

The race training process—especially for longer races—is a long game.  It’s not something you can pull off in one day.  It takes some planning and preparing.  So here are a few lessons to learn from my own mistakes (and the mistakes of others like me).

Do NOT Forget to Train

Yeah, yeah…I know that running marathons without training has been a trend with social media influencers lately.  But people on the internet have also been known to eat Tide Pods.  That doesn’t make it a good idea.

People also tend to think that, if you’re just walking, it’s not such a big deal.  But walking non-stop for over three hours is definitely a big deal.  Could you do it without training?  Possibly.  But there would most likely be a lot of pain and suffering involved. 

There’s a pretty good chance that your local running store offers a free training program for marathons and half-marathons.  If not, you can find plenty of different training programs online.  They’re all a little different, but they’ll all help you prepare for your big race day with a mix of everyday workouts longer weekend walks that gradually bring you up to (or near) your race distance.  And whether you print out a copy and follow each day’s recommended activities or make it a little more…fluid, like I do…as long as you keep up your training, you’ll be ready for your race.

Do NOT Change It Up at the Last Minute

The training period is a time for working your way up to your target distance and pace, but it’s also a time for trying things out.  Everyone will tell you that race day is not the time to try new gear or break in new shoes.  It’s also not the time to mess with things like hydration and nutrition.  If you want to try a new electrolyte drink, try it out during your training period.  If you want to try some different snacks to help keep you energized, do that during the training period.  Don’t just show up on race day with a whole bunch of gear and fancy snacks that you’ve read are supposed to be good for you.  Try them ahead of time, so you’ll know what to expect on race day.

Do NOT Panic

I’m sure that most of us feel a moment or two of panic at some point along the way—just maybe not Eliud Kipchoge.  For most of us, a big race is a big deal.  It takes months of work.  But as long as you’ve done the work, you’ve got this. 

Of course, if you haven’t done the work, and you’re really concerned that you’re not ready, don’t push it.  You know your body, and you need to listen to it.  If now isn’t the time, you can always look into options for transferring your bib—or switching to a shorter event.  I know.  I’ve done it before.

But panicking can make us do stupid things (like trying to squeeze in 13 miles on a treadmill, in shoes that are past their prime, after a heavy meal).  So if (when) you start to panic, take a step back.  Take a deep breath.  Think through all of the training you’ve done.  Think about how hard you’ve worked.  And just stick with your plan. 

Do NOT Wing It

I’ve heard that there are some people out there who don’t stress out about stuff—who figure that everything will just fall into place, so they don’t worry about planning ahead.  I am not one of those people.  At all.  If you are, though, you might need to step a little outside your comfort zone here.  Participating in a big race takes planning—and not just months of training.  Before the big day, do your research.  Figure out where you have to be during race week—both for packet pickup and for the race itself.  Figure out how long it’ll take to get there (and, as race organizers often advise, double it—since traffic on race day is often a mess).  Figure out what you’re going to wear—and set it out ahead of time.  Plan any hydration and nutrition needs and pack your pockets/pack/vest accordingly. 

Race day is always full of unknowns and chaos (and nerves)—but the more you plan ahead of time, the less you’ll have to worry about that morning.

Do NOT Forget to Have Fun!

Sometimes we can get so caught up in the process and the details and the general anxiety of the thing that we forget that it’s supposed to be fun.  Don’t let that happen to you!

Race day is a big deal.  You’ve worked hard to be here.  You’ve trained while other people were kicking back.  You’re ready to go—so take it all in!  When you go to pick up your packet, spend some time at the expo.  Visit the booths.  Take pictures.  Buy yourself something nice.  And on race day, enjoy every minute.  Take more pictures.  SMILE!  Celebrate each and every mile that got you to this point.  Make friends.  High-five some random people.  And when it’s over, enjoy that post-race party.  Grab all of the freebies that you can handle.  Take even more pictures.  Buy yourself a shirt.  Put a special sticker on your car.  And celebrate yourself for the next week (at least).  Because you’ve earned it!

Have you finished a race?  What are your best tips for training, race day, and beyond?

Kristin

Kristin has been hitting the trail (or the treadmill) for a walk almost every day for the past several years, and she recently completed her first half marathon. She loves sunny fall days, cushy walking shoes, and coconut caramel iced coffee from Dunkin.

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