Your ultimate race-ready guide

In-person races are finally starting to happen across the country, and many runners are eagerly signing up to don a race bib once again. For most of us, it’s been well over a year since we’ve toed an actual startline, so we’re due for a refresher on how to prepare for a real-live race. Check out our guide below so you show up to your next start line ready to smash your PB.

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Race week

If you really want to race well, it’s important to start getting into the right race mindset in the days leading up to go-time, especially if you’re preparing for a longer race, like a half-marathon or marathon. Most importantly, you want to make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep in the week leading up to the race so you’re feeling fresh and ready to go. This is also the time when you’re going to be cutting back on mileage and the intensity of your runs to give your body a chance to rest. As they say, at this point, “the hay is in the barn” and no extra runs or workouts you do now are going to have any bearing on your performance, so relax and trust in your training.

Throughout this entire week, you should also make sure you’re staying hydrated and eating well so your body is fuelled properly on race-day morning.

The day before

The day and night before your race are important, because small things can have a big impact on the next day’s race. First, the food: now is not the time to be eating anything new, greasy, heavy or super high in fibre. It is also not the time to stuff yourself full or drink a lot of alcohol. Instead, eat whatever you would normally eat the night before a long run, and opt for easily-digested carbohydrate-rich foods that won’t sit heavily in your stomach. Eat just enough to be satisfied and drink enough water so you’re properly hydrated. (But don’t go too crazy… pay attention to the colour of your pee! It should be pale yellow.)

The night before is also your opportunity to prepare for the next morning. Race starts are often early, and the last thing you want is to be frantically searching for your lucky socks right before you’re trying to head out the door. Take a few minutes to set out everything you’ll need. A typical race-day checklist includes:

• shoes and socks
• sports bra (for the ladies), bandaids or lube (for the guys)
• singlet
• shorts
• water and or/sports drink
• energy gels, chews, etc. (if applicable)
• your race bib, timing chip and pins (if you got them in advance)
• watch
• sunglasses
• hat
• hair elastic
• chapstick and sunscreen
• clothes to wear before and after the race
• anti-chafing lubricant and/or bandaids (if required)
• gloves or mittens, arm warmers (for colder weather)
• water-proof jacket (for rainy weather)
• mask for startlines and finish lines (if required)

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Many races will offer their own race-day checklists for participants on their websites that are specific to their event, so be sure to check that out and make sure you have all the necessary items before you head to the start line.

The morning of

The morning of a race can be nerve-wracking. To help you stay calm, get up early enough that you won’t be in a rush, which could stress you out further. Eat whatever you would normally eat in the mornings before a long run or workout that you’ve (hopefully) already practiced several times, and continue to stay hydrated. If you really struggle with nerves, try putting on your favourite song or doing some deep breathing to focus that energy in a positive way. Ideally, you want to plan to arrive at the race about one hour before the race is supposed to start, which should give you a bit of leeway in case you run into traffic. For larger events like marathons, you may be required to arrive even earlier, so check the information you receive in your race kit carefully to make sure you arrive at the right spot at the right time.

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Finally, don’t forget to have fun! Race day is when you finally get the chance to test yourself after all the hard work you’ve put in over the last several weeks or months, and it’s a chance to share your love of running with a large group of other runners. It’s great if you have performance goals, but don’t let that take away from the enjoyment of the day. Happy racing!