Race Preparation

TWO DAYS BEFORE A RACE

Get plenty of rest (sleep eight hours)

Eat well-balanced meals and maintain hydration

THE DAY BEFORE A RACE

Workout! Missing a workout the day before a race can lead to staleness.

If possible avoid swimming, hot tubs and walking long distances.

Avoid activities that can lead to tightness or soreness.

Stay hydrated.

Get a goods night sleep, but don’t over sleep.

For a 5K race, the foods you don’t eat are more important than the foods you do eat.

Foods to avoid or minimize in the last 24 hours leading up to a race…

Complex Proteins

Meats, especially steaks and roast

Beans & Lentils

Cheese

Other

Peppers

Onions

Garlic

Hot Spices

Great Foods; Foods That We Encouraged

Carbohydrates

Pastas

Potatoes

Rice

Grains & Cereals

Pancakes & Waffles

Breads

Cakes

Vegetables

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Spinach

Broccoli

Celery

Other

Non-Citrus Fruits

THE DAY OF THE RACE

Wake up several to a minimum of a couple of hours before the race

Try to eat just simple carbohydrates foods or other foods that will easily digest.

Try to make your last meal four to seven hours before your competition

Foods to avoid or minimize:

Meats

Spice Foods, Onions & Peppers

Beans

Milk

Fruits and Fruit Juices with High Acidity

Beans

High Concentrations of Sugar

Avoid eating much (or anything) within the last 21/2 to 3 hours prior to the race.

If you must eat something (morning races) then try to eat foods that are easily digestible, i.e. some of the following…

Cereals

Pancakes & Waffles

Crackers

Pasta

Toast

Vanilla Wafers, etc.

The less food in the digestive tract, the better. Why… blood supply, upset stomach, etc.

WARM-UP and LAST MINUTE RACE PREPARATION

Start out with a short jog... then,

Stretch, but don’t over-stretch.

Stay out of the sun as much as possible.

If it’s warm, keep the warm-up shorter than normal but somewhat intense.

If it cold, warm up a little longer.

A typical warm up (not including stretching) should start about 30 - 40 minutes before your race

Take a hard jog or slow run about mile to 1 ½ miles (15 - 20 minutes)

About 15 minutes before your race, run something a little more intense than a jog. For example, run a 250 – 300 at about 85% effort. Or, run three hard 150 meter sprints. This is really key !!!

About 10 minutes before the race make your clothing and shoe adjustments.

Note: Knot your laces and then knot the bows of your laces. Shoes should be tight but not uncomfortable.

Five minutes before your race… run 3 – 4 70 yard sprints (about 90% effort).

If it’s hot, splash some water on your forehead and/or back and torso.

Once you’ve warmed up and have the blood circulating avoid sitting or lying down. Keep moving and keep loose.

Very important... Don’t warm-up for too long and don’t stretch your warm-up over too long of a period. A 50 minute warm-up on a hot day is the kiss of death. When it's hot, keep your warm-up short but intense.

Always better to have intensity in your warm-up than to over due the time and/or distance.

Give your sweats and training flats to a teammate who you can trust will have them at the finish line.

YOUR READY…KICK BUTT

Make sure to warm down after the race. The warm down should be at least a ½ mile but can be as long as several miles.