Pre-Event Day and Event Day Tips with Aaron Williams – Rehabilitation Specialist & Wellbeing Personal Trainer at The Devonshire Fitness and Wellbeing Centre

My top tips are; 

Day before the race; 

- Ensure to eat a good breakfast, lunch and dinner - rich in easily digestible complex carbohydrates such as porridge for breakfast, white pasta/jacket potatoes/sweet potatoes/pizza for lunch or dinner.   

- Consuming foods that are rich in sodium and potassium are also helpful pre-race and during the race to help muscle contractions.   

- Keep well hydrated throughout the day, on a normal day we need 1.5-2 litres of water or a hot day or a day where we are exercising more we may need as much as 3-5 litres of water. 

- Aim to wind down early and get a good night’s sleep so you can get up early ready to head to race.

- It might sound like common sense but avoid eating any foods that you know might irritate your Bowel e.g. spicy foods are a big no for me! 

- Check out where to park and how much it is to park at the race event, this will save you time on race day worrying about whether you will make it on time for the start! 

- Prepare overnight oats for the morning to save your time having to make breakfast in the morning. 

- Pack your bag the day before and lay out your race clothes ready for the morning with your Bib already pinned to your top, your race shorts and trainers.  Pack a banana and gels that you might consume before and during the race. Only wear trainers that are tried and tested, do not wear brand new trainers.   In your bag pack a towel, change of clothes and change of shoes. Particularly if it’s your first race your feet might be sore at the end and a change of shoes is good for those achy feet. You may also want to pack additional water for after the race and some snacks.   

Race Day; 

- Aim to get up with plenty of time to eat breakfast so that you have plenty of time for digestion and to be able to go to the toilet. It is very common for race day nerves to kick in and you may need to go to the loo more than once. 

- Getting up early and arriving early at the race venue gives you more time to easily drop your bag, go to the loo again if needed and to sufficiently warm up. 

- Most race events will have their own warm up team so do try to take part in this as its fun and help to you to relax our nerves, however I would advise spending a good 15-20 minutes doing a proper warm up consisting of dynamic warm up exercises such as jogging with high knees, jogging with hamstrings sweeps, lateral shuffles, squats, frontal lunges, reverse lunges with upper body rotations/leg swings and lateral leg swings holding onto a lamp post/friend or a wall.  This will ensure your legs are primed and ready to go and reduce the risk of injury. 

- 15 minutes before the race consume a banana/energy gel, throughout the race consume a gel half way and with 3 miles to go/if you have no gels or fuel ensure you make use of the fuel stations around the route and remain hydrated throughout the race. 

- Stick to your race plan and goal time, it is easily to get carried away at the start and run off too quickly getting carried away with the adrenaline and euphoria of race day. Remember your aim is to get to the finish line so it is not a sprint! 

- Throughout the race you are likely to have some ups and downs, dig deep, enjoy yourself and push yourself to the line! Run if you can and walk if you have to, there is no better feeling in the world than when you cross the line!