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5 ways to derail race day

Canadian Running did a social media call out asking: how have you accidentally sabotaged your own race day?

OFSAA Cross-Country
First Half
Start line for the First Half in 2015. Photo: David Parker (race director).

Canadian Running did a social media callout, asking: how have you accidentally sabotaged your own race day? Our readers had answers ranging from alcohol to logistical issues. While some of these problems may seem avoidable, everyone has been guilty of at least one race day mistake in their running career. And if you’re just beginning your running career, these race day pitfalls serve as a warning. 

RELATED: 10 ways being a runner helps you in your everyday life

Race day issues, especially when they’re out of your control, can be disheartening. You’ve worked long and hard to see set a new personal best or accomplish a goal. But when your race day mishap is entirely your own fault, in retrospect, that’s just funny. 

 

Alcohol. This was the most common answer. Actually, tequila specifically was the most common answer. Race day after an evening of tequila-drinking sounds like an obvious kiss-of-death. However, big kudos for showing up to the start line. 

There was one outlier in the alcohol-ruining-your-race camp: beers before the beer mile. Alcohol before an alcohol-oriented event isn’t usually a misstep, but when running is involved, it’s brutal.

Cramming mileage in at the last minute. Races can sneak up on a runner. Like any date that you put in the calendar weeks in advance, it’s easy to forget about it. Last minute, you remember that you forgot to train. It’s important to remember that the day before a race is certainly too late to start training. 

New gear on race day. The age-old rule is: nothing new on race day. Everyone knows the rule, but it can be easily forgotten. Avoid trying anything new the day of a race, because it might be fine, but what if it isn’t?

Stomach issues. Even when you’ve planned your race day perfectly, stomach issues can crop up. But stomach issues can also crop up from last night’s dinner, and that’s not to be overlooked. 

Pace problems. Don’t be a first-100-metre-hero. Have a general pace plan heading into the race so you don’t derail all of your hard work in the first kilometre. 

 

 

 

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