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Tips for Developing a Race Strategy
Photo by Heather Lee-Callaghan.
Have you ever stood on the starting line and had a competitor ask you about your race plan, only to realize that you had not given it a thought? Developing a race strategy not only provides peace of mind and confidence on race day, but can help you achieve your goals when executed properly. Below are tips for helping you develop the best plan for your needs.
Training Mentality
Would you ever go into a training run “hoping,” or “wishing,” to hit a certain pace? If you are like most runners, you approach training knowing what times you are capable of running, without giving them a second thought. You should approach race day in the same manner. Instead of saying, “I hope I can run 7:00 pace for the first 10 miles,” say, “I will run 7:00 pace for the first 10 miles.” The first step of developing a good race strategy is believing in your abilities.
Know the Course
When developing a race plan, it is important to understand the course. If the race is a marathon and there are hills in the final 6 miles, you will want to conserve energy during the middle portion of the race. If the first mile of a 5k is downhill, you will want to make sure not to run too fast when the gun goes off. If the course is flat, aiming for even or negative splits is recommended. You should also know as much about the course as possible so that you don’t have any surprises on race day.
Power of Negative Splits
When aiming for a goal time, many runners mistakenly believe that “banking” time by running the first half much faster than goal pace will ultimately help them reach their goals. Instead, running even or negative splits (meaning the second half is run at the same pace or faster than the first half) is recommended. Develop a plan where you approach the first half of the race conservatively and slightly slower than goal pace. Not confident in this approach? Try this method during a training or long run to test how it feels.
Fueling
If your race lasts more than 75 minutes, fueling should be part of your race plan. Before the gun goes off, be sure to have a detailed plan for when and where you take in carbohydrates and how much you need to drink at each aid station.
The Art of Carbohydrate Loading
To many people, running is synonymous with pastas, breads, and other carbohydrate laden foods. After all, runners must carbohydrate load all the time, right? While carbohydrate loading is extremely important, especially for high-mileage runners or those planning to run a marathon, there are many myths regarding the carb-loading period. Listed below are important tips on the process.
Carbohydrate loading should begin 72 hours before race day. Contrary to popular belief, carb-loading does not need to occur during the entire taper period. The body can only store approximately 2,000 calories of carbohydrates, which makes three days an optimal amount of time.
Athletes should aim to take in 8–10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. This means that a 150 lb runner should eat 545–680 grams of carbohydrates per day.
Meals should be limited to 800 calories. The body can only efficiently store a limited amount of glycogen at a time, so eating meals beyond 800 calories will lead to wasted carbohydrates in your system.
Fat intake should be decreased during carbohydrate loading. Fat inhibits the conversion of glycogen into glucose, so in the final days of carbohydrate loading (especially the night before competition), fat consumption should be reduced to 0–5% of your caloric intake.
Wholesome carbohydrates are important. Avoid refined carbohydrates such as white rice, cookies, cakes, and other simple carbohydrate sources on days 1 and 2 of your carbohydrate loading.
Keep it simple the night before the race. However, complex carbohydrates contain more fiber than refined versions, so the night before your race you should stick to white bread, white rice, white pasta, or even sugary hard candy.
Do not fret about weight gain. For every gram of carbohydrate that you consume, your body will store 3–4 grams of water. Do not worry if you gain 1–2 lbs during your carbohydrate loading period, as this additional water weight will actually provide beneficial hydration during the race.
Continue with carbohydrates on race day and throughout the race. The breakfast you consume on race day and the nutrition you take during the race are perhaps the most important components of carbohydrate loading. Aim to eat a carbohydrate-heavy breakfast, such as a bagel with fruit or oatmeal with honey, 3–4 hours before the race. During the competition, take in 20–60 grams of carbohydrates per hour of running.