Race Week: What to do Day by Day

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How exciting! It is race week! Where should your focus be this week? Mainly nutrition and hydration.  The goal of race-week workouts is to find a good balance between resting and keeping the ball rolling (if you’re not used to taking days off in training, now is not the time to start doing it!). The ultimate objective is to arrive at the starting line feeling calm and confident that you’re ready to run your best on race day.

Saturday: Easy Run. No more than half the distance of race!

You have made it! You are ONE WEEK out from race day! You have suffered through all the training and now you are ready to mentally prep for race day! Start thinking about your race-day routine. What will you do when you first wake up? What will you eat? What time will you be running? What time will you be crossing the finish line? Try waking up one day this week and have that same plan in mind.

For your run today...just take it easy. If possible, try to start your run around the same time you will run on race day! Also today make sure that you are drinking regularly throughout the day, and the rest of the week, in order to maintain the needed hydration for race day!

Sunday: Rest or cross-train.

Start off the week with a non-running recovery day and be sure to stick with what has worked for you until this point. Take today as a total rest day, or do a low-impact cross-training workout to recover from the weekend and work out any kinks in the body.

If you are not used to taking rest days or even a low-impact, low-effort day, you may be feeling antsy. Welcome to the taper and perhaps let the taper tantrums begin!! This week remember that it is also just as important to rest your mind as well as your body. Try watching a movie, doing housework, reading a good book! Your last "race-like" workout will be tomorrow so at night try to eat a dinner similar to the dinner you plan to have the night before the race to ensure that your body reacts well to it. This week is a good time to work out any last-minute kinks in your nutrition plan before race day. Go to bed at the hour you plan to the night before the race in preparation for tomorrow morning’s workout.

Also, pay attention everyday to how you feel in the morning! If you wake up feeling hungry, you know that you didn't eat enough the day before. You want to wake up feeling ready to roll on race day!

Monday: Dress Rehearsal.

This is your last race-like workout session. If your schedule allows, get up at the time you plan to on race day and go through your whole race morning routine, including breakfast. If possible, wear the clothes (or similar clothes) and shoes that you will wear for your race. Put yourself into race mode during the run and try to focus on staying relaxed while running race pace.

Even though this week you are not training at full speed, you may still have the appetite of someone who is. Keep an eye on what you’re eating this week and be smart with your choices. Don't overdo it because many runners have a tendency to overindulge during race week! You don't need as many calories as you were consuming 2 weeks ago, just make sure the calories you do consume are the right kinds...carbs!

Tuesday: Go for an easy run.

Just like Saturday, use this short run to shake your legs loose and focus on just moving...regardless of the pace. Keep the effort easy and DO NOT give in to the temptation to go fast just because your legs are feeling fresh...you will regret it!

If massage has been a regular part of your routine throughout the training cycle, this is a good day to get a light one. It will relax your muscles and increase blood flow, helping your legs feel fresh over the next few days. Spend time today reviewing your training log. Look back to see how far you’ve come over the past months and like my coach always used to tell me...TRUST YOUR TRAINING!!! Have confidence in all the work you have done and the miles you have run! These final days of nutrition, pay special attention to your salt intake. Once again, don't overdo it.

Wednesday: REST DAY!!

Once again, today focus on nutrition and enjoy things around you! You have been putting in a lot of time training...take it easy. Kick back and hang out! Take a nap if you want! You have earned this day!

If you’re traveling tomorrow, get all your bags packed tonight. Go through your racing checklist and it may be wise to put your most important items in your carry-on bag, including race-day clothes, running shoes, nutrition, etc. Pack snacks for your trip too.

Thursday: Short Run with Quick Bursts.

It’s easy to feel sluggish or some "heavy legs" when you are tapering. This being the case, it is important to keep small moments of intensity in the training schedule. Go out for a 2-3 mile run and insert about 5-6 short 30-45 second  pickups to get your heart rate up. You will want to try and do these pick-ups at either your 10K or Half Marathon race pace.  Don't worry that this will wear you out before your race...this workout will be over before it gets challenging.

Try to get to bed at a decent hour and get a solid nights sleep. They actually say, 2 nights before race morning is the most important time to get a good nights sleep so focus on that!

Friday: Rest or cross-train.

Nutrition and hydration will be so important today! Focus on that and enjoy the journey! Take along a bottle of water or a sports drink wherever you go and sip from it regularly. Pack plenty of snacks, especially if you’re going to the race expo and out and about today.

Excitement levels the day before the race can be off the charts, so try to temper your enthusiasm as much as possible. Try to stay off your feet as much as possible, relaxing both body and mind the rest of the day.

Make breakfast and lunch your most significant meals today, eating enough to satisfy your appetite without feeling too full. At dinner you want to try and eat foods that digest easily. Have a good carbohydrates and a small amount of protein. Stay away from foods that are high in fat and fiber and remember this is not the time to try something new. Drink water at dinner, aiming for about 16 ounces with your meal. You want to make sure that you are well hydrated before you go to bed.

After dinner it may be a good idea to go for a short, relaxing walk and then spend time ensuring that you’ve got everything laid out for tomorrow morning. Pin your race bib to your shorts or shirt and attach your timing chip to your shoe, if needed. Once all the race day prep is done, get off your feet and watch a movie, read a book or visit with friends. Tonight, don't stress if you have trouble falling asleep or sleeping in general...this happens to everyone! Experience has taught us that it is a good idea to set 2 alarms for the morning. Get into bed at a decent hour and just try to relax!

Then it is 8 hours until game time!! You are there! Now just get up and go do what we love...RACE!!!

We hope this helps to clear up confusion about what you do race week! If you have specific questions, leave a comment or email us! We are here to help! Good luck to all those racing this next week...especially on Marathon Monday!!!