I often think putting together a great race is both a science and an art. Actually, I think Steve Prefontaine may have said it best, ‘A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways as they’re capable of understanding. Some people create with words, or with music, or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run.’

A race can be a beauty if you cross your Ts and dot your Is. But, a race can also be a BEAST if you don’t prepare and execute properly. Below are a few tips for getting the stars to align on race day.

Scout the course!

Fortunately, we’ve covered most if not all of the 5K/10K course(s) these past couple weeks. So, you should have some vague notion of what you’re tackling. If not, take a look at the course maps.

Take a look at the elevation chart. Identify the challenging stretches. Make a mental note of spots where you may need to decrease or increase your pace. Scouting the course helps you strategize!

Define realistic pacing & realistic goals derived from your training.

What kind of pace can you currently (comfortably) manage for a 5K or a 10K? This is a great starting point if you don’t have a ‘current’ 5K/10K race time you can reference.

I (loosely) characterize 5K race pace as about 80-85% of your ‘sprint speed’. You’re running hard, but it is not an all out sprint.

Let’s assume your comfortable/conversational pace is 9:00/mile. Your 5K race pace would be (roughly) 7:05/mile. Your 10K race pace would be about 7:20/mile.

Below are some sample goals for a 5K assuming your comfortable/conversational pace is 9:00/mile.

• Goal A-You need all the stars to align (and some luck) to pull this off. This could be 7:00/mile.
• Goal B-You need ‘most’ of the stars align, you’ve got a shot at pulling this off. This could be 7:05-7:10/mile.
• Goal C-Even if ‘most’ of the stars don’t align, you can still pull this off.This could be 7:10-7:15/mile.
• Goal D-This is the disaster plan. Just finish! This could be 7:15-7:20/mile.

I always try to run a tad slower than whatever ‘target pace’ I have in mind for the first mile of a 5K (or two miles of a 10K). EG-7:05-7:10/mile versus 7:00/mile.

Doing this enables me to ‘feel things out’. I can usually tell within the first mile if the pace I’m running is manageable or if it feels too aggressive.

Assuming I feel good after the first mile, I’ll segue into my ‘target pace’ (7:00/mile) for the second mile (or miles 3-4 of a 10K).

When I get to the final mile (or final two miles of a 10K), that’s usually when I will try to muster whatever I have left. If I’ve paced properly in the preceding miles, I can usually finish fast!

Get your head in the right space.

Here are a few things I suggest in getting your head right leading up to a race:

• Avoid stress. Personal and professional stressors can impact your ability to perform. Do what you can to reduce/dial back stress leading up to your race.
• Reflect on your training. Focus on what you HAVE done and not on the runs/workouts that have NOT happened. Spend some time reflecting on recent runs you’ve completed to get some sense of what you ‘can’ manage given your current level of running fitness.
• Visualize. Close your eyes and spend a few minutes visualizing yourself on race day. Visualize running the course confidently, executing your plan, and pacing properly. Visualize yourself adjusting your pace/strategy during challenging segments. Prime your neural pathways for what lies ahead!
• Check your head. Watch the movies that inspire you. Read the books that light your fire. Listen to your ‘power’ songs!

Run YOUR race when the time comes.

It’s easy to get swept away by race day energy and run faster than you normally would. Try to resist this urge and focus on YOUR plan, YOUR pacing, and YOUR race.