Race Day Preparations
It seemed as if Cross Country season would never arrive, but here it is. Early morning arrivals, loading the bus, riding with your teammates to the meet. Unloading the bus, setting up the tent, finding the restrooms and standing in line, feeling a little nervous. There are many things that are part of Meet Day, but what about the preparation for your race? Each runner has his or her unique ritual as the time approaches to take the "On your marks" position at the starting line. However, there are a few musts that all runners need to add to their pre-race preparation. First, get with your teammates and jog the course. It is during this part of your warm-up that you can devise team and race strategy. Where do you plan to be during the start? Who do you expect to be there with you? Is there a limited starting area? Is there a bottleneck that will cause a jam? (we experienced that at the GrapeDash race). Are there hills? Where are the turns? Is there a point you expect to make a move? Where will your teammates be? When will you start your drive for the finish? These questions and more should be discussed as you warm up with your team. This allows each runner to learn the course, devise a race plan, and visualize how the race will play out. Plus, physiologically, it's a darn good way to warm-up. Next, team stretching would be in order. This is best accomplished away from others. The focus should be on the race and performance--those things that you have control over. Avoid distractions. During this time hydrate yourself by sipping water. This should continue up to 15 minutes before racetime. As you complete your stretching routine, most runners change into their racing shoes (hopefully you remembered to bring them!) The team should head to the starting line at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start to secure a position. The final phase of race preparation is doing a few strides (up to 6) to "wake up" the legs. As the time nears for the start, get with your teammates one last time. Draw support from one another and make it known what you intend to do to help your team succeed. A team with a will to succeed overcomes talented runners who are concerned only with their performances. Notice where the starter is located and focus on his commands. Many times it is difficult to hear at the starting line, so visually focusing on the starter's pistol will eliminate any mistakes.