Bob Wells Fitness

Four Ways to Make Your Race Day Awesome
  by Bob Wells, PES

Like many of the hundreds of thousands of people running road races this year, your nerves may be getting the best of you. Whether you are looking to win the race or simply trying to gauge your ability, there are a few things that you can do to ensure optimal performance.

1. Stay the course. As race day approaches, tinkering with your diet, shoes, or routine is the last thing that you want do do. Last minute changes can be stressful and can often lead to poor performances. Maintain the routine that you are accustomed to. It got you this far.

2. Review the course. (For the Komen NYC Race for the Cure Map, click here.) Even if you don't expect to be among the leaders, having a clear mental picture of the course can help you break it down into smaller and less intimidating stages. That includes knowing where the mile markers or the midway point.

Courtesy: Dartmouth Athletics

3. Run your race. Don't fall prey to the speedsters who go out in a blaze of glory. If you go out too fast, you might find yourself struggling to finish. Joe Vigil said that sometimes he would have his teams push an incredibly fast pace to start a race. This would put pressure on their opponents to run a faster pace than they wanted at the beginning and take away their finishing power. Conserve your energy and finish strong.

Courtesy: CBS / Los Angeles

4. Have fun and enjoy the race. Your training is complete, and the race is the celebration of that training. Take the time to meet other participants and have fun.

For those running in Sunday's Komen NYC Race for the Cure, good luck! If you would like to make a donation, you can do so by clicking here.