Run First Thing in the Morning Before a Race
Most people will warm up an hour to 30 minutes before they race. They may walk the course, or go out for a jig jog to get loosened up and warm enough to stretch. This is normally a good idea and I do not want to in any way discourage this practice. In fact, that is how I normally prepare for a race.
Another strategy, though, is to not wait until right before the race to do your warm up. Instead, you should go out for a mile or three when you first wake up and before you head to the race to begin with.
How much you run first thing in the morning depends upon your level of fitness and the race you are preparing for. If you are racing in the evening, then this advice can still apply, but it will not be exactly the same thing unless you run just a few hours before the race.
Running first thing in the morning will wake your muscles up and prime them. You’re blood will be flowing a little easier and a little earlier, and you will feel peppier after you get to the race. The car ride and standing in line to register will not bother you quite as much. Your digestion will get moving a little earlier as well, especially if you do the run before breakfast.
I used to wake up early to get a short run in before a race on a regular basis in college before cross country meets, especially if we stayed in a hotel the night before the race. This practice was also encouraged by the coach of my first team that I joined after college. I always raced well and enjoyed the experience when I did it, but I will admit that for the past few years getting up that extra half hour to an hour early just never seemed to happen. Which is actually quite funny coming from somebody who has no trouble getting up at 4:30 am when he has to.
If you do decide to give a first thing in the morning run a try before your race, then be sure that you still do your normal warm up before the race itself. This is not a replacement for your normal warm up, it is a supplement to it that helps get you ready for the run earlier in the day.
Blaine Moore is a running coach in Southern Maine with 20 years of training and racing experience, which he shares on his blog at http://news.RunToWin.com. – If you would like to watch one of Blaine’s coaching session DVDs online for free, head over to: http://www.RunToWin.com/freesessions/