Racing Tips

Before the Race

• Sleep!  You need rest two nights before the race.

• Eating:  The night before the race eat carbohydrates.

          Suggested foods to eat before a race:

                   Dinner-       Pasta, vegetables, potatoes, fruit, juice.  (Milk can give you cotton mouth.)

                   Lunch-        Salads, broth-based soup, muffins, yogurt.

                   Breakfast-  Toast, bagels, muffins, pancakes, juice, fruit, cereal (watch the milk)

Don't eat a lot of sugar.

Do not eat a big meal several hours before a race.

Don't skip eating.

Don't eat something weird or new before a race.

• Pack your bag the night before so you are not rushed and stressed the morning of the race.

Things to bring:

Uniform, warm-ups, extra socks, running shoes, extra shoes, spikes, toilet paper (you never know!),                                               extra shoelaces, running bra, hat and gloves if it is cold.  Homework!  Food!  Drinks!

• Be early to the bus.

• Set your alarm and don't snooze.

• GO TO THE BATHROOM BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR HOUSE!!!

The Start

• Warm up properly before the race by jogging and stretching.

• Do several stride-outs with the team.  Keep warming up until the last possible moment to keep your heart rate up.

• Don't start too fast and go into oxygen debt.

• Stay loose and relaxed.

• Concentrate on your style and form.  Run tall.  Breathe deep, relaxed and slowly.  Don't let fatigue ruin your form.

• Push off your back foot.

• Keep your knees up.

• USE YOUR ARMS AT THE END OF THE RACE!  Rest them during the race by staying relaxed.

• Stay relaxed.

• Push your pace in the middle.

The Finish!!

• Maintain your form.

• Keep your mind alert.  DON'T TELL YOURSELF TO QUIT, tell yourself to keep going.

• Concentrate on your breathing.

• Switch gears and go into your finishing kick.  You will be using some different muscles that you didn't use during the rest of the race.       USE THEM NOW!

• Increase your arm drive.

• Lift your knees.

• Move to the ball of your feet when you land.

• Pop off the ground.

• Stay relaxed and rhythmic.

• Pass people, don't be passed.

• Finish through the finish line, not up to it.

• Keep your form through the finish.  No one is impressed by someone who comes flailing across the line and falls all over everyone.

• KEEP YOUR MIND POSITIVE.  Once you start thinking negatively and telling yourself you're going to die, you might as well stop and go home then.

RUNNING COMPETITIVELY

• Concentrate on the positive.  Think about how well you are going to do, NOT how bad.  Think about your running form.                                 If you start to hurt get your mind off it.

• Keep your eyes UP, not on the ground. 

• Keep your eyes on the person in front of you and keep working for them.  Pick off one person at a time.

• If no one is near you find something on the course ahead of you to work for.  Find a tree in the distance and work hard to get to it, then pick another object.

• When you pass someone you have to mean it.  Pass them and GO (kill them psychologically).

• Remember your correct form and breathing.  Relax and save your arms for the finish.  Don't labor your breathing, take it in and breathe it out steadily.

• Use any hills to YOUR advantage.  Pass people on hills (they hate that).  Knees up, pump the arms, pull yourself up.

• Let loose on the downhill but stay in control.  Let the hill do the work.  When you get to the bottom let the momentum carry you a little further, then find your pace again.

• Pick up your pace in the middle of the race, you don't want to save too much for the finish.  Keep going strong the last mile.

• Try picking up the pace for short distances (200 yards, to the next tree, until you pass that next girl).

• Find someone to run with and stick with them.  If their pace is too slow, pass them and find someone else.

• If someone passes you try to go with them (they hate that).

• Positive, Positive, Positive!!!  Do not allow any negative thoughts to take over.  Shove them out with the positive, concentrate on your breathing or your arm swing, etc.   SHAZAM!!!

• DON'T EVER GIVE UP!  The rest of the team is depending on you.

• If you run a bad race, pick yourself up, figure out what went wrong and decide what you can do about it for the next race.  Never ever ever beat yourself up mentally for a bad race.  Kick yourself in the butt not the head.