AN ARTICLE THAT WILL HELP YOU SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT

Let me set the scene…

It’s 10 to 5 on a weekend morning and you are very, very solidly asleep for the first time in a restless night. You’re dreaming about Olympic glory in fluffy slippers, or abseiling in a clown outfit, or some other surreal visage when BAM!

That alarm goes off!

And the race starts now (figuratively speaking); bumping knees into bedposts and frantic searches for ‘lucky socks’ whilst trying to cram something nutritious (and stomach settling) into your mouth.

You push your towel and your shoes, a shirt for post-race into your race bag, grab your keys, then let yourself out while trying to zip up your jacket or slip on a hoodie.

Sometime later, after navigating your car as close to the start line, and searching frantically for a park you unload your race-bag to find you’ve forgotten to charge your GPS, you’ve left your left shoe at home and have 2 bent pins to fasten your race number on.

To make matter’s worse, this is only the beginning of the race season.

Sure the scene I’ve described above is a bit of an over-exaggeration, but the point remains; we’ve all faced the horrific realisation of one (or more) crucial elements forgotten on race day. It’s with this in mind that I’ve come up with the FULL PROOF plan to help you avoid race-day disasters so you can focus on getting those pb’s, posing for event photographers, and perfecting your ‘chariots of fire’ /Baywatch-esque finishing chute runs!

BE PREPARED….EARLY.

Below is a list of things you need to have organised PRIOR to going to bed the night before your race (or leaving home to travel to accommodation pre-race).  

1)     Make sure that you have a race bag. A simple back-pack (or green bag) to pack into is an obvious enough necessity and can help you avoid fumbling around awkwardly like a teenager on ‘date night’. It’s an easy one….but it’s definitely step one!

2)     Have a printout of your race number, entry. Race organisers are often dealing with a squillion different things on race morning, so if your entry 

is lost into the technological abyss, you can help him/her out by efficiently whipping out confirmation of your entry.

3)     Packing extra cash and photo ID. Some races require this to sign-in/get your race pack. The cash is handy for food, raffles or race merchandise (some of which goes to great charities, so spend, spend, spend!) 

4)     A printed map of how you will travel to the start line. GPS and Smartphone technology is flawed. Spending race morning screaming at your Galaxy or Iphone will simply make you look a tad looney, and may attract negative attention.

5)     Pack BOTH race shoes and a spare pair of socks into them. Tie the laces together if you need. It’s obvious, but running a marathon barefoot would suck, no matter how many Vibram-high-fives you would get.

6)     Pack a spare shirt. There’s a chance you may have yours torn off when people realise just how much of a sex symbol you are.

7)     Pins. Lots of pins. Some races are stingy with the race-bib pins, so avoid an early morning dash to a craft-store by bringing your own. If you have your race-bib in advance….it’d help to pack this too.

8)     Bring a water bottle/Sports drink. Yes this isn’t a third world country, and water isn’t normally that scarce….but also YOU ARE NOT RAMBO, post-race you will need to rehydrate. Deal with it, pack some.

9)     Medical supplies are awesome. Be sure to pre-pack Band-Aids, nail clippers, and/or anti-chafing supplies; because NOBODY wants to be a member of the race team called ‘Bloody 11’s. 

10)     Pack a phone, or in the very least, money to make a phone call.

11)  A camera is probably not entirely necessary, however if you do manage to bring one the one time Mo Farah decides to run in your local Rotary Club’s annual 5km fun-run  you’ll definitely be glad you did.

12)  Deodorant. So you are not remembered as ‘that runner’.

13)  Spare clothes and a towel. Sometimes it rains, which makes life difficult, more difficult if you don’t have a towel.

So if you can compile all of these things near enough to your bed, with your race-day outfit, keys and wallet, and charged electrical devices!

And you know what? Once you have all of these items ready you’ll sleep soundly with the only tasks you need to do being to eat some food, get in some clothes, get to the race, and claim your well earned GLORY (and complimentary gifts from associated sponsors and third party organisations)!

Good luck and sweet dreams darlings!

(oh yeah, and happy running!)

Clay