Running
11 mistakes for runners to avoid on race day
Don’t eat your bodyweight in breakfast, test a new pair of trainers or sprint off like Bolt – plus other things to avoid when the big day comes around.
The 11th edition of the Wings for Life World Run will take place on Sunday, May 5, 2024. For registration updates, complete global results and unforgettable highlights: visit www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com and download the new Wings for Life World Run App for iOS or Android.
You’ve followed a training schedule down to a tee and you’re feeling fitter than ever, but the best-laid plans can go to waste if the stresses of race day get the better of you. Fortunately, race-day mistakes are often the result of nothing more than poor planning and you can maximise your chances of that PB by making pre-race prep your priority.
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1. Leaving everything for the morning of the race
Prepare to fail if you fail to prepare
© Getty Images
Whether an event is five minutes away or a two-hour train journey, you want to ensure the morning of the race is as relaxed and stress-free as possible. That means sorting absolutely everything out ahead of time: get your transport sorted, pack your bag, pin your race number onto your top, lay your kit out, undo your shoe laces, know what you’re having for breakfast and, most importantly, set several alarms.
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2. Wearing new trainers
Deciding to test out a shiny new pair of trainers on race day is an indefensible crime punishable by either very sore feet or a more serious injury. Just like the fresh pair of Clark’s your mum used to buy you, a running shoe needs to be worn in before you test its limits.
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3. Eating a huge breakfast
Keeping carb-loading to the day before
© Arek Adeoye/Unsplash
Runners can generally afford to eat big, but the morning of your race isn’t the time to do so. Carb-loading – consuming a high-carb meal to top up your body’s energy-giving glycogen – can be an effective pre-race strategy, but to avoid feeling heavy and sluggish, it’s best to have your biggest meal at lunchtime the day before.
On the morning of the race, nutritionist Evelyn Toner advises “a small, high-carb meal, keeping the fibre content low if you’re prone to gastrointestinal upset.” She cites “porridge, with a fruit topping” and “Corn Flakes with milk and a glass of fruit juice” as two sensible options. As with new trainers, though, test your pre-race brekkie well in advance.
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4. Arriving at the race too early
It’s preferable to getting there too late, admittedly, but being overly cautious and getting to the start with hours to spare is far from ideal. Not only will you be bored out of your mind, you’re also likely to overthink the race ahead, and all that standing around outside is going to leave you more susceptible to cold muscle-related injuries.
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5. Drinking too much water
Avoid over hydrating to prevent mid-race pit stops
© Chris Ralston/Unsplash
Being well hydrated is essential, especially if you’re racing further than 10K, but, as with eating, you should focus on getting water on board the day before rather than the morning of. Taking on too much fluid just before you run is only going to leave you bloated and in need of some unplanned pit-stops.
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6. Not warming up
Warming up your muscles removes tension and reduces your risk of injury. Equally, a short run raises your heart rate and prepares your body for what’s to come, easing you into the intensity of all-out racing.
ASICS Pro Team physio Sarah Connors says the length and extent of your warm-up “depends on the race, and how far and fast you are going. The longer the race, the less need for a long warm-up, because you’re not going so fast. At the London Marathon, for example, the congestion for the first mile or so naturally eases you into your race pace.” For shorter, quicker distances, Connors recommends a “good jog, followed by some strides, running drills and a dynamic exercise routine to get all the limbs and muscles warm and moving.”
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7. Sprinting off at the start
Remember the tale of the hare and the tortoise...
© Matthias Heschl for Wings for LIfe World Run
This is by far the hardest mistake to avoid for beginners and pros alike. When all around you are haring off at breakneck speeds, it requires monk-like discipline to stick to your game plan and set off at a sustainable place. It will all be worth it, though, when you’re breezing past a hoard of broken runners a couple of miles in.
“Never try to ‘bank time’ at the start,” says running coach Karen Weir. “Run at the pace you’ve trained for, and aim for a negative split (finishing the second half of the race quicker than the first).”
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8. Taking an unfamiliar gel
Energy gels rescue a race that’s slipping away, but their high-sugar and occasionally high-caffeine content means they should be handled with care. Practise taking different types of gels several months in advance to find the product that works for you, and stick with that brand on race day. To save the extra weight of carrying them, find out in advance the gels that will be handed out at the mid-race checkpoints, and use those in training.
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9. Running someone else’s race
Following someone else's pace could derail your PB attempt
© Robert Snow for Wings for Life World Run
Just like haring off at the start, it can be all-too-easy to get sucked into someone else’s pace once the race is underway. But resist the urge to keep up with others – even if you’re horrified at the thought of losing to the runner in front – and run your own race, otherwise you risk either burning out or finishing slower than expected.
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10. Failing to notice where the cameras are
An important point if you’re planning on publicising your hoped-for PB, because race photos are never kind to the unsuspecting runner. Keep your eyes peeled and fix your form whenever a camera looms into view.
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11. Not cooling down post-race
Cooling down should be at the top of your post-race itinerary
© Matthew LeJune / Unsplash
At the end of a tough race, especially one that went according to plan, your sofa and a mountain of food will be calling. If you can delay complete inactivity for a little while longer, however, your body will thank you for it the next day.
“It’s good to carry on moving slowly for a while to allow your heart rate to come down gently,” advises Connors. “I would also suggest doing some static stretches if you feel particularly tight in a certain area. A foam roll and a stretch is great post-race recovery” – especially when done in front of the TV.