You’ve done the hard work, you’ve put the miles in through the wind, rain and even snow over the last few months. It’s time to put the final preparations in place for Race Week and Race Day. Check out our top tips here to ensure you are Race ready:
- Mentally prepare
Don’t stress, a lot of runners get nervous on race day. Stick to what you’ve been doing in training and you’ll get to the finish line.
Route Recce, whether your running in a new city or one you’ve lived in for years and know well it’s always beneficial to walk or drive the race route. Familiarise yourself with every turn, uphill and downhill – this will help you mentally prepare for them when you tackle them on race day.
- Don’t try anything new
Stick to your diet, continue to eat & drink the same as you have been throughout your training. It may seem a good idea to try something recommended by a friend or the internet, but you don’t know how your body is going to react to something new – don’t take a chance!
Hold fire on those new trainers, your current pair may have seen better days and are due to be changed but don’t do it until after the race. You will need time to bed in a new pair to reduce the risk of discomfort & blisters, race day isn’t the time to test this out.
- Prepare your body
Stay off your feet, this can be hard with work/family commitments but try your best to rest up and have an easy week where possible. If your race is local, try and book a few days off work before race day and if you’re visiting a new city leave the sight-seeing until after the race.
Eat well through the week, the last thing you want to be doing is eating your body weight in pasta the night before. This comes under the don’t try something new rule, you need to eat additional carbs but this needs to be done in small increases in the days leading up to the race.
Hydration, similar to your carb build up through the week you will need to keep well hydrated each day in the week leading up to the race. This will put you on the start line well hydrated and ready to go! Drinking two litres the morning of the race to catch up will quickly have you looking for the first toilet stop and all that fluid will be lost.
- The Night Before
Get a good night’s sleep.
PIN YOUR RACE BIB TO YOUR VEST/TEE SHIRT, MAKE SURE YOU FILL IN YOUR DETAILS ON THE BACK OF YOUR BIB. This is highly important in case you require medical attention, or we need to contact someone on your behalf.
Prepare your race gear the night before. Make sure you prepare for all weather, the last thing you want to do race morning is panic because you can’t find your favourite running shorts!
5. Race Day
Arrive early, you should aim to arrive at least an hour before the start of the race. This will give you enough time to pick up your number (if you don’t already 
have it), put your bag in the bag drop area, use any other facilities you may need to before the start and you can soak up the atmosphere and relax instead of rushing to the start line.
Keep warm & dry, the Llanelli coast is exposed at this time of year with the potential for wind and rain. Once you leave your bag at the bag drop you are exposed to the elements. Bring a poncho/black bag to keep yourself dry whilst on the start line, it is also a good idea to bring old t-shirts/jumpers your happy to throw away on the start line. All clothing left at the start line will be donated to local charities.
Line up on the start line early (start funnels open at 0830), you don’t want to have to rush to the start line – as soon as it’s announced that the start area is open make your way there.
Post-Race – have a change of clothes and a towel ready for when you finished, your body will cool quickly after you have finished. Gower College Swansea will be in attendance on the first concourse providing POST RACE MASSAGES for runners.
Remember, trust in your training and enjoy yourself as you #RunCymru. For further Race Day information, check out our Race Day Guide here. http://www.greatwelshmarathon.co.uk/download-copy-great-welsh-full-half-marathon-race-day-guide/