Race Day Tips for a 5K

Much of this is down to routine, and what works for you. It also starts the day before, in terms of resting more and not being on your feet quite as much…an earlier night and no alcohol!

Take on board water the day before, similarly before the race…sip of water…not gulps…unless it’s a very hot day, you won’t overly dehydrate!

Carbo-loading is not as important for this distance. Stored fuel, and from a healthy pre-race meal is all that you need. Experiment with what works best for you, in terms of how long before the race.

Warm up before the race…Ironically, the shorter the distance, the longer the warmup is relative the race…Certainly seven/eight minutes of light jogging, and as the race approaches, some stride outs, to elevate your heart rate! While 90% of a 5k is run aerobically (with oxygen), 10% is aerobic (without oxygen). We need to be revved up! Similarly, sometimes, adrenalin kicks in as we start, the HR rises, hence the need for the stride outs!

Get your pace wrong in the first 1k, and you will pay later. With regular training, you will get a feel for the pace that you expect to run…while its important to have a plan, don’t be a slave to your watch…what would you do, if you were feeling great and slightly ahead of plan!!

5K is a distance that requires hard effort from the off…expect to feel a degree of discomfort in the final stages…Short term pain, soon passes!