What to do before a 5K race

Tomorrow is my 5K. It will be my first race of the year, and, sad to say, my first race since I ran the Portland Marathon near the end of 2007! It will give me a good starting time to build off of the rest of the year, for 5Ks and longer races. I want to come in in 27 minutes or less, which is a pace of 8:41 minutes per mile. I'm going to go out at that pace (with my Garmin 405 :) and see how I feel after the first mile. If I feel good, I'll pick it up just a little... to like 8:35. After mile 3, as long as I keep that up, I'll make it. If I feel really good, I might try to run the last mile pretty fast.

Here are some tips I've found online for what to do before a 5K race.

* Stick to your routine! Don't make any last-minute changes in what you eat, drink, wear, etc. It could throw you an unexpected curve ball! Wear the running shoes you've been training in.

* Secure your most comfortable race clothing the day before. Hopefully you know what is most comfortable to run in from training. If not, get a shirt or tank top made of wicking fabric that will pull the sweat away from your body. Wear running tights under your shorts or pants so you don't chap.

* Stay well hydrated the day before!

* Rest up the day before as much as possible. This is no time for last-second training sessions. You are not going to get any better in one day, and you may risk making yourself tired or your muscles sore for the race.

* Pack a sports bag the night before with essentials (safety pins for race bib, energy bar/ gel, gatorade, water, camera if you want to take pictures!, layered clothes/ jacket, sunglasses, cap, sunscreen, lotion or vaseline for anti-chapping, chapstick, MP3 player and headphones if you use them). Don't forget post-race essentials like change of clothes, towel, dry socks, sandals or comfy shoes, deodorant... especially if some poor person is going to be driving you home!

* A 5K is really not long enough of a distance to "carb-load" the night before, but, in addition to staying well hydrated!, make sure you eat healthy and enough the day before. Don't stuff yourself but don't go hungry. Eat plenty of protein and carbs. A sensible meal plan is oatmeal or high-protein cereal for breakfast, with whey protein if you're into that, or an egg and cheese sandwich; a turkey sandwich on wheat bread with cheese, and a side of fruit for lunch; a chicken wrap with veggiess for dinner. In between meals, you can snack on granola, nuts, yogurt, fruit, veggies, or protein/ energy bars.

* This may seem obvious, but get a good night's sleep! Don't party or stay up late the night before. Have a relaxed routine planned where you can take a bath, read a book, drink some tea, meditate, or otherwise calm yourself down and get to bed at a decent hour so that you have at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep before the race.

* Four to two hours before your race if possible, have a "last meal" that is light and easily digested, such as cereal (but don't have this if milk gives your stomach a reaction, especially when nervous), a banana, or two pieces of toast with peanut butter. If you're used to coffee and tea, it won't be a problem to drink. But again if this makes ever your stomach feel weird when you're nervous, skip it until after the race. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a 400 to 500 calorie meal about 3 hours pre-exercise.

* Make sure to drink enough water before the race, but don't overload yourself. 16 ounces should be plenty. You can also drink a sports drink, tomato juice, or fruit juice, but you may want to dilute these to one-third their strength so they don't weigh your stomach down or interfere with your body's natural process during the race.

* Find the race site and a parking spot early to avoid unnecessary stress, especially if you're registering on race day!

* Drive around the race course if you want, to get a good idea of the course and where any hills, tight spots, curves, loop-arounds, etc. are.

* Once you're all ready for the race (early!), just relax and tell yourself you are ready. Think of how far you've come in your training! Be proud of yourself for training, registering, and showing up for a race!

* You can do some easy running 30 minutes before the race to warm up your legs. Also some light stretching 15 minutes beforehand. But be sure to conserve your energy; don't do anything strenuous.

* If it's at cold out, it's a good idea to keep on at least a lightweight layer until right before the race.

That's it. You'll be all ready to race your 5K. And so will I, hopefully! Wish me luck. :)