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Race Preparation
TWO DAYS BEFORE A RACE
Get plenty of rest (sleep eight hours)
Eat well-balanced meals and keep hydrated
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
Foods that I encouraged
Carbohydrates
Pastas
Potatoes
Rice
Grains & Cereals
Pancakes & Waffles
Breads
Cookies
Cakes
Vegetables
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Spinach
Broccoli
Celery
Other
Fruits
THE DAY OF THE RACE
Wake up a couple of hours before the race
Try to eat just simple carbohydrates or
foods that will easily digest.
Foods to avoid or minimize:
Meats
Spice Foods, Onions & Peppers
Beans
Milk
Fruits and Fruit Juices with High Acidity
Beans
High Concentrations of Sugar
Try to avoid eating much (or anything) within the last 21/2 to 3
hours before the race.
If you need to 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
Stretch, but don’t over-stretch.
Stay out of the sun as much as possible.
If it’s warm, keep the warm-up shorter but
somewhat intense.
If it cold, warm up a little longer.
A typical warm up (not including
stretching) should start about 30 - 35 minutes before your race
Jog about mile to 1 ½ miles (15 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
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.
Don’t warm-up for too long and don’t
stretch your warm-up over too long of a period.
Better to have some intensity in your
warm-up than to over due the time and/or distance.
Give your sweats to a teammate who you can
trust will have them at the finish line for you.
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.
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