Race week: the delicate art of doing (almost) nothing before the race

In short Cut volume but keep some pace, bank sleep through the week, top up carbs without overdoing it, try nothing new on race day, prepare everything the night before and start at your own pace.

The hard part is done (really)

Weeks of runs, intervals in the rain, Sunday-morning long runs: the fitness is there. The last week won't really add to it. It can, however, still take it away. So the goal of the next seven days is simple: reach the start line fresh, rested, well fed and without surprises.

The taper: less, but not nothing

Tapering means cutting your training volume sharply so your body can absorb the whole build-up. Depending on the distance, it starts one to three weeks before the race. In the final week, you run less often and for less time.

But you don't stop dead. Keep one or two short sessions with a few brief pickups at race pace, so your legs remember what's expected of them. The rest is easy running.

Many runners feel odd during the taper: heavy legs, or the opposite, wanting to smash everything. Resist the "reassurance" session. A last-minute long run only drains the reserve you're trying to fill.

Sleep: the week matters more than the night before

Pre-race nerves love to sneak under the duvet on the last night. Don't worry: the night before is often said to matter less than the ones leading up to it, and a restless night before a race is common, not a disaster. What counts is arriving with a good sleep bank. Go to bed a little earlier in the days before, avoid late nights, and if the last night is short, don't panic: you surely won't be the only one in the corral.

Your plate: carbs, not a pasta contest

For a half and especially a marathon, the two or three days before the race are for topping up your carbohydrate stores. In practice, you increase the share of starches in your meals (pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, couscous) and reduce the rest a little. You don't double your portions: you're running less this week, so your body needs less fuel. The aim is to fill the tank, not make it overflow. For a 5K or 10K, your usual diet is perfectly fine.

The night before, play it safe: a simple meal you know, not too late. Avoid new foods, very fatty or spicy dishes, and large amounts of high-fibre foods (pulses, raw vegetables, wholegrains). Your gut doesn't need adventure the night before a race. Save that restaurant you've been dying to try for the celebration.

Nothing new on race day

It's the most famous rule in running, and one of the most often forgotten. On race day you test nothing: no new shoes, no never-worn shorts (seams sometimes have ideas of their own), no gel in an unknown flavour, no new breakfast. Everything you use that day should have been tried in training, ideally on a long run.

Breakfast, precisely: something digestible, already tested before a session, eaten early enough to digest (two to three hours before the start is often quoted).

And if you visit the race expo, with its stands and new gear, treat it like a museum: look, buy if you like, but debut nothing the next day.

The day before: bib and checklist

Collect your bib as early as you can. Depending on the race, pickup is a few days before, the day before or sometimes that morning. Check the hours and what the organisers require in advance (ID, entry confirmation, health paperwork depending on the rules).

Then, the night before, lay everything out in one place:

• bib and pins (or a race belt);
• timing chip, if it isn't built into the bib;
• the kit chosen for the forecast, already tested in training;
• an extra layer for waiting at the start;
• anti-chafing (petroleum jelly or a dedicated cream) for sensitive areas: feet, inner thighs, armpits, nipples;
• your gels or drink if you use them, and a charged watch;
• something to change into and drink after the finish.

In the morning, you'll just have to get dressed. Not crawl under the bed looking for a safety pin at 5:47 am.

Race morning: arrive early (and look after your calf)

Arrive early. Between the journey, the bag drop, the toilet queue (always longer than expected) and getting into the corral, time flies. Better to wait calmly than to run… in order to go running.

If you're wearing a Leg Up tattoo, this is the time to apply it: in the morning, on clean, dry skin, without cream. Keep the anti-chafing for other areas, and put it on after the tattoo. If your skin is sensitive, do a test with a tattoo on a small area a few days before. And at the finish, before diving into the food, take your photo: tattoo clearly visible, bib readable. That's your proof, the one that unlocks your payment, and you have up to 7 days after the race to send it.

The start: your pace, not everyone else's

The music, the countdown, hundreds or thousands of runners setting off at once: start-line excitement is real, and it has a well-known side effect. The first kilometre feels easy, you're ahead of your pace, you feel invincible. It's a trap. Energy spent too early is missing at the end, especially over long distances.

Line up in the corral for your target time, not your dream time. In the first kilometres, watch your watch and hold back, even if people pass you. If you follow a pacer, don't overtake them on a whim at kilometre 3. The race is won (against yourself) in the second half.

Aid stations: drink without drowning

Find the aid stations on the course map before the start. Don't wait until you're very thirsty to drink, but don't force yourself to empty every cup either: drinking too much is no better than too little. If drinking while running is hard, slow down or walk a few seconds. Tip: pinch the top of the cup to form a spout, more will go in your mouth than on your T-shirt. And glance behind you before veering towards the tables.

What's handed out obeys the same rule as everything else: nothing new. Check the runner's guide for what will be served and test it in training, or bring your own gels and drink.

After the line: walk, drink, eat

You've passed under the arch. Well done! Don't collapse on the spot though: keep walking for a few minutes to come down gently. Drink, eat something (that's what the finish area is for), cover up if you're cooling down and change as soon as you can.

In the following days, it's recovery time: walking, easy cycling or a very light jog when your legs allow, and no hard sessions while you're still sore. After a marathon, give yourself plenty of time before going back to intensity. If pain persists beyond the usual soreness, see a doctor or physio.

And above all, enjoy it. You've earned it.