RACE WEEK!! Cap City’s 15th anniversary party is right around the corner!

This Saturday is RACE DAY! Anyone else excited (but anxious) for the Cap City Half Marathon? We have a fun week filled with a short group run, a 15th anniversary VIP reception, a visit to the expotique at The Vue Columbus, the race (duh) and of course, the after-party in the Cbus Commons! Many local companies will be present or represented this year, my favorites including Homage, Land Grant Brewery & Cameron Mitchell.

We have had a loooooong winter with too many cold runs. We have fought through wind, rain, snow and sub-zero temps. Some of us have dealt with injury. First timers and those trying to PR may be trying to control anxiety. Many ran & trained on vacations and business trips across the United States (and maybe beyond!) As you reflect back on your training and look forward to Saturday morning, remind yourself of all the hard work you’ve done and be proud of yourself, no matter what happens.

Many of you are tried & true veterans, but a lot of you are first timers! Here are some tips that have helped us prep for “race week” and the big day you’ve been working so hard towards… {revamped a little from our previous 2014 Cap City blog post}

Five Things To Keep In Mind During Race Week
1. Stay hydrated and eat healthy.

Hydrate all week! I’ve learned to hydrate Mon-Fri, but then cut back a bit at Friday’s bedtime and into race morning. I prefer not to have to stop for a pee break along the course!
The few days leading up to the race, try to consume only “normal” foods that your body is used to. This is not the time to try something new that may give you stomach issues. Eat clean so you feel great!
Pre-race dinner // Something you’ve tried before and know it works. Think lean protein, small serving of carbs and lots of vegetables. Nothing too heavy or spicy. One glass of wine may help you sleep, but a bottle will dehydrate you… so find some balance. 🙂
Race morning breakfast // your standard, pre-long-run breakfast ~ don’t try anything new! For shorter races I just have a banana with peanut butter, but for longer races (halfs and fulls) I’ll throw in a piece of bread or half a bagel. Eat early enough that you can hopefully make a potty stop before the gun shot start. I’m usually a ball of nerves and not at all hungry, so I have to force this. Heck, I’m nervous just writing this post and *thinking* about race morning!
Race day fuel // again, use only what you’ve tried previously. Some are okay on just water and/or a Gatorade type beverage along the course. I usually do some light fueling (a few HoneyStinger gummies) somewhere along the half way mark and a swig of water towards the end. This year, Cap City is offering a Carb Boom! Energy Gel station around the 6.5 mile marker.

2. Try your best to get some quality sleep. They say that its the “night before the night before” race day that you have a chance of getting some rest… and I’d agree. So for a Saturday race, you may not sleep well Friday night (pre-race jitters, early morning rise & run), but try to get a good night’s sleep on Thursday night. Some bed-time yoga may help you fall asleep!

3. Make arrangements to get your packet at the expo. Don’t forget this important detail! This can be a challenge if you’re doing an out of town race and the expo ends at say, 7PM the night before, so plan accordingly. Many races will allow a friend to pick up your packet for you, but know the requirements.

4. Plan out race morning & all the details.

Have your clothes, socks, shoes, race bib, safety pins, Garmin/iWatch, race fuel, music playlist, poncho, throw aways ~ anything you need ~ ready the night before. It’s also best if you’ve done a (long) run in your race day attire.
Figure out where you will park, what time you need to leave and where you will meet up with loved ones or spectators. We like to be down in the area around an hour before the gun start. You may also want to hit up the good ol’ porta pot!
Run through your finish line goals! I always recommend having more than one… that way you don’t feel defeated. I’m not going for a PR this race and ideally I’ll be able to hang with the two hour pace group… but any finish is an accomplishment, so that is always the main goal!

5. RELAX!!!!!! You have done the hard work! You have likely logged a training run somewhere close to your race distance [we got in a 12 miler]. Some like to do a yoga session or short, easy walk/run the day before to relieve some jitters. Some will do a SHORT “shake out” jog the morning of. Get some rest, show up on time, start your power play list (I usually save mine for mile 10 and try for a strong 5K finish) and be ready to take some fabulous pictures at the finish line! YOU GOT THIS!