Posted on February 24 2023
Spring events are right around the corner, with running, triathlons and open water events filling up fast, there is nothing more motivating than a date to work to. Whether you are wanting to push yourself physically, explore a different form of exercise, improve your health and wellbeing or simply like a challenge to train for, here’s how to ensure a happy race day.
Plan your weeks to accommodate enough training
This may be a few hours of your life booked on a far-away date, but the real work is in the hours put into building the endurance, skills and dedicated self-care required to step up to the challenge come race day. The day itself may seem far off when you book it, but use it as a spring block into beginning or rediscovering your fitness journey.
Alice Liveing, PT, Women’s Health cover star and founder of fitness app Give Me Strength, spoke about training on her podcast of the same name a while back, and it’s a saying that has stuck with us: “random training equals random results’.
A lot of race-day worries can be channelled into planning and mapping out training sessions that will all stand you in good stead to feel more confident on the day.
Mix it up
With different forms of cardio, strength training and mobility work, by moving the body in different ways, you can keep the excitement for each form of movement fresh and motivating. Throw in a recovery swim, take the time to mobilise your joints with yoga and pilates, and ensure a thorough warm-up and cool-down to help in keeping you injury free.
Don’t dread race day
Sure, it’s nerve-wracking. It’s out of your comfort zone and it is going to require effort, but it’s also good to frame it as an opportunity to celebrate your training, the strength you have on the day and the improvement to your well-being that training for this event has already had.
Remember: your race, your pace.
Enjoy the challenge, embrace the endorphins and bask in the togetherness that is never lacking at organised events. Be motivated by fellow athletes (that includes you!) and if you’re racing alone, enjoy the shared experience whether you’ve got podcasts planned, or a killer playlist to get you to the finish line.
Goals are great to have, enjoy the process of getting to complete them!
