Its’ racing season (sort of).
This is the time of year where most of my clients, friends and colleagues have been gearing up for. Races in the fall are typically found on every calendar and every weekend day. However, in 2020 this is mostly not the case. I have been made aware of a few events still taking place but the choices are sparse.
With that being said, virtual races are the new “norm” and they are popping up all over the world. From the 5k variety to even the marathon. So….let’s discuss the benefit of getting in a pre-race before the big event. Let’s “pretend” we are working towards the big day. Let’s keep the same mindset. I have clients that are loving the virtual options. It’s keeping them in the game…. so to speak. For example, One client is running a virtual 5k the first weekend of each month.
The benefits of a pre-race before the big day are numerous. Here are a few.
---You get to work on pre-race jitters. And we all know what that feels like. The week of. The eve of. The day of. All of it. No matter what the circumstances, it’s there. Here’s a secret….EMBRACE THEM. You know it’s a natural occurrence. Having pre-race jitters means you care. It’s all good. With that, working on the practice of handling yours will go a long way towards your success. The key is to recognize that everyone treats this in their own way. It’s a personal thing and it takes practice to figure out what works best for you.
--You can evaluate current fitness levels. This is a biggie. Getting in a pre-race or workout like, will give you a great reading on where you are and if your overall goal is achievable at that moment. What needs to be tweaked and how to do it are priceless information points. Whatever the outcome, EMBRACE the results. It’s very important to look at your data with a half glass full mentally.
---You can test out clothing and nutrition. These two items are critical to have down prior to race day. Getting to practice on them before your scheduled event will give you peace of mind. Not knowing what you will be wearing or how you will be handling your food intake prior to your goal day is a recipe for disaster. Don’t wait till the last minute. Practice this by getting a pre-race or similar workout too.
These three points are just a few of the benefits of getting in a pre-race before your scheduled goal race.
Practice. Practice. Practice.
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