Right now nerves and emotions are clouding your vision, set to totally derail your race if you let them.
Seriously, don’t sabotage your race.
Here is what you need to do to make sure you do not RUIN your big race day…
Do not change up your routine. This includes any/all of the following:
- Your meal the night before: Do not slam 5000 calories worth of carbs…just eat a normal, well balanced meal
- Your pre-race meal: use what worked before your “race simulation” training days. Not sure what those are? If you’re running a marathon, what did you eat before your longest run (assuming it worked out for you). This includes caffeine…don’t consume more than large amounts more than you’re used to.
- Your pre-race warm-up
- Your equipment
- Your race nutrition: “But so-and-so who’s really fast only eats cotton-candy flavored gel’s and look how fast they are.” That’s great for so-and-so, but unless you’ve tried it in training and it WORKED, do not switch to it on race day. Seriously…
- Amount of race nutrition: Do not go from eating 250 cals per hour to not eating. Likewise, do not go from eating 250 cals per hour during training to trying to put down 500. Both can ruin you.
Do not drastically over-estimate your ability: (you will not turn into Super(wo)man and miraculously improve by 25, 40, or 70%)
- Look at your splits/speeds/power/heart rate/any other metrics from your training that most simulates your event
- Set a realistic race pace/effort based off these metrics
- Keep the first 25% (possibly more) of your event easier/lighter than your realistic value from above
- Gradually ramp up as the race progresses
Change of “routine” and “poor pacing” are the two biggest killers of performance that we see from athletes. Don’t fall into the trap. Don’t do something just because your friend is doing it.
Stay the course and Trust Your Training.