Race season is upon us and while a substantial number of spring events have already happened, the calendar ahead is stacked. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of race day, so one of the biggest things trail and ultrarunners can do is prepare themselves in advance for their race day needs, and shift their focus to resting, polishing mental strategies and getting to the line feeling organized, well-rested and confident in their planning and preparation.
I recommend creating a list of items and tasks sub-divided into categories. While the following sub-categories may be a little different for each runner and can change based on the distance of an event, oversight of any of these groups could have major consequences. Here’s how to make sure planning for race day goes smoothly.
Gear
One of the most important steps in knowing what gear to pack is to familiarize yourself with the course as much as possible, understand the climate and weather on race day, and be sure to have all of the required items. Consider extra layers for staying warm or arm sleeves and an ice bandana as a means of staying cool. Additional gear items may include one or more extra pairs of shoes, socks and laces, lighting systems and backup batteries, trekking poles, drop bags (visibly labeled with name and bib number). If you don’t know your bib number until you arrive, pack a permanent marker and marking tape. It’s also wise to have a small blister kit in each drop bag if there won’t be medical professionals at aid stations.
Always be sure to check the weather forecast within 24 hours before leaving home in case there are changes, as it could indicate the need to swap or add a few items. Better to have it and not need it.
Nutrition
Nutrition can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be if you’ve properly practiced in the months leading up to race day. By estimating the time between aid stations and knowing which ones will have drop bag and/or crew access, if any, runners can plan their hydration and calorie needs. One advantage of a race is having supplies along the course so you don’t need to carry as many calories and hydration. It’s also helpful to place extra bottles in each drop bag or have an extra vest with the crew in case your original hydration system fails unexpectedly. Ideally, GI distress won’t be an issue, though it’s cited as the number one reason runners drop from races and can be prepared for in advance by packing natural remedies like ginger and peppermint, along with any supplements used during training.
Navigation
Navigational tools and skill essentials vary widely from one race to another. Barkley Marathons participants need experience in orienteering, while other events allow runners to successfully stay on course without a map or navigational knowledge. Runners may not know precisely how well a course will be marked or if there will be route-finding challenges, but preparation for the most difficult directional scenario should be done ahead of time. This includes uploading the GPX file (or other format) to your watch and phone. Having a printed map and a compass for analog orienteering is wise. Batteries can run out and GPS failures have been known to occur. Beyond this, understand the course marking system. It’s common for several distances within an event to overlap the same trails. Runners must know what markers to look for along the route and then cross-reference real-time course markings with a device(s) to ensure they remain on course. If a runner goes off course, they should backtrack immediately. While reconnecting to the designated course by moving forward may be possible, runners risk being disqualified for taking a shortcut by failing to backtrack. In short, runners should practice with all of the tools in advance, anticipate that route-finding will be more challenging than expected and dedicate the necessary attention and tools needed to stay on course.
Communication
Runners with a crew and/or pacers should communicate their needs, goals and expectations in advance, ideally both verbally and on paper. Usually, the longer a race is, the more things may go wrong. A crew should know how to address these situations and how to best support their runner, as well as understand (and adhere to) the event rules. A plan should be established for where the runner will meet their crew, who will pace them, the roles of each pacer (these can differ from one section of an event to another), which indicators should be assessed for the runner’s well-being and what to do when their runner asks to drop from the race. Usually, it’s best to keep plans as simple as possible and communicate only what is necessary when the runner is on the course. Be supportive and helpful and don’t overwhelm them with unnecessary questions or information that may be difficult to process when fatigue is high. Runners should reserve mental energy for things that are of primary importance.
While this checklist is not comprehensive because each event and runner has individual requirements, skills and needs, it serves as an overview of the basic considerations. Be as organized as possible, as far in advance leading up to the race. By planning well, runners will have a higher probability of a successful outcome on race day.