<span style="color: #993366;"><strong>As I have many troops running the Sydney Morning Herlad Half 21.1km Half Marathon, here's a few race day key points to consider.</strong></span>

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On the weekend I had the opportunity of oberving (and cheering) triathletes charging <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/IMG_68281.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2140 " src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/IMG_68281-168x300.jpg" alt="IMG_6828[1]" width="154" height="275" /></a>around the Kurnell Sprint race.  Not racing myself, clearer than ever was watching athletes drop their performance considerably over the the last 30% of the race.

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<blockquote><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Below are my top 10 race tips to avoid lagging over the the last 30% of the race.</strong></span></blockquote>
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Let’s assume you’ve followed the classic rules of physical development;
<blockquote><span style="color: #008080;"><strong>* Reached ‘Fat Adaptation’ – by consuming the correct balance of macronutrients</strong>.</span>
<span style="color: #008080;"> <strong>* Determined your most appropriate training intensity and developed your base aerobic capacity.</strong></span>
<span style="color: #008080;"> <strong>* Reached "your" optimum technical efficiency.</strong></span>
<span style="color: #008080;"> <strong>* Increased your sport specific strength – recruiting more muscle fibres.</strong></span>
<span style="color: #008080;"> <strong>* Thrown in some race specific intensity work (race speed tolerance), and have </strong></span>
<span style="color: #008080;"> <strong>* Freshened up a little closer to your event</strong></span></blockquote>
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All of these have been done - right? Fantastic, now you can move on to my Top 10 Racing Tips…
<h5><strong>1. PREPARATION</strong></h5>
It’s the night before – get all your gear out and be certain it all works. Check everything <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/run-5.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2142 " src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/run-5-150x101.jpg" alt="run 5" width="171" height="115" /></a>from new shoe laces, hats, vaso, your timing chip, your race number, throw away warm up clothes etc. When you wake it will most likely be dark - you don’t want to be bumbling around looking for your sunglasses. Create a list a few days out of things you’ll need – this is when you tick ‘em off.
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><strong>2. SLEEP</strong></span></h5>
Now, if you’ve followed my training principles (as above), there’s absolutely no reason for any apprehension, especially the night before. It’s just another training run, with lots of people and nice people giving you drinks along the way. You’ve assured yourself in training with smart calculated sets that you can most certainly perform at your desired best – “so just, relax already” - back yourself. However, a healthy brain will generally throw you a few jitterbugs – in anticipation for your big challenge ahead. Pre-race nerves may impact on a quality night of sleep. But remember this - if you don’t sleep, it ain’t going to make any difference to your race day performance whatsoever. Your race brain will easily counteract feelings of perceived tiredness.
<h5><strong> 3. BREAKFAST</strong></h5>
I believe it’s in your best interest to have something in your tummy. Keep it similar to what you normally do. If you eat a small bowl of oats, or eggs, then perhaps reduce the volume but keep it the same. I drink coffee, so on race morning I drink coffee. Just on that, there’s a stack of research complementing caffeine and endurance events. I don’t however recommend caffeine if you’re not used to it. Finish your breakfast with a small cup of water, but certainly don’t preload. Finally, in my opinion pre-race sports foods are junk – protein bars, gels, sports drinks - all unnecessary and can even be counter-productive.
<h5><strong>4. TIMING</strong></h5>
Timing is all about minimising unnecessary pre-race stress. Your brain has a huge job <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/run-2.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2141 size-full" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/run-2.jpg" alt="run 2" width="183" height="275" /></a>today, so don’t waste brain space. Get your sh&amp;t together – know your directions, parking details, how long it will take, have money for parking booths, consider bathroom stops etc.
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><strong>5. WARMING UP</strong></span></h5>
I am a massive believer in warming up pre-race – no matter how long the race. Now, I could throw at you all the proven physiological reasons – increasing muscle heat, increasing oxygenated blood flow, loosening joints, firing nerves, starting your cooling system etc, etc, but I truly believe the main reason is to remind your brain that in a short period of time you are going to ask it to perform something extra-ordinary. Thereby, minimising the opportunity to be spooked when the guns goes off. The way I see it, you need to completely relax your mind during the first half of your event – because you’ll every bit of brain power you’ve got during the backend.
Start your warm up @ 50% of maximal intensity and build slowly, finishing with a few over race pace spikes – now stay warm and get in line.
<h5><strong>6. OUT PACING</strong></h5>
In my view the #1 reason people stuff their race is by moving too fast too early. I can’t recall many successful endurance athletes who can take it out hard, hold, then finish strongly (legally that is) - perhaps Might &amp; Power is an exception. Concede the first 10-15% of your race to moving completely within yourself – really back it off – accept you <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/gold-coast.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-1519 size-medium" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/gold-coast-300x199.jpg" alt="gold coast" width="300" height="199" /></a>could certainly move faster, but this day is all about finishing solidly – backend strength and total personal belief. Limit brain stress early – save it – again, you’ll need it later. Build to your sustainable pace by the 15-20% mark of your race – now hold and focus on your form – including relaxing your, neck, shoulders &amp; breathing. Remember this - if you’ve been to the bathroom pre-race and at the 2km mark of a 21km run you feel like you need to go – YOU DON’T – just get on with it.

<em><span style="color: #008080;"><strong>Let me explain my point….</strong></span></em>
In my opinion, one of the greatest athletes in history is Ian Thorpe. Let me set the scene - Athens 2004 Olympic 4x200m Freestyle Relay, where Thorpe anchored Australia’s WR team. He had already become the Individual 200m Champion, 3 days earlier. He was the current World record holder and had been unbeaten in 3 years. Thorpe had also won the 400m freestyle event 5 days earlier proving his speed and endurance. Thorpe’s winning formula was to “set up” his race over the first 150m, then power over all the competitors to the wall in the final 50m, often gaining another WR time. In the 4x200m, American Klete Keller (who came 5th in the individual 200m behind Thorpe) had a 3m start on Thorpe, but Thorpe beat Keller over 200m by 6m only 3 days before…...
<blockquote><strong><span style="color: #008080;">Fast forward the tape to 5.28 – Surely my $100 on Thorpey is safe!</span></strong></blockquote>
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<div align="center"> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-1pODg-IHIA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> 

My point – I don’t think he stuck to his race plan and went out too hard!!!

<strong>FYI:</strong> Gadget Aids – I am becoming less and less reliant and convinced with technical aids – eg garmin GPS units, heart rate watches, stop watches, and smart phones when racing. For training they are essential. But on race day leave them at home and be dictated by your brain – which has been well trained and will have you finish at your goal.
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><strong>7. FUEL ON THE GO</strong></span></h5>
I’ve said it before – simply drink to thirst. Let your brain dictate what you consume while on the go. Surely you don’t work off a clock for daily bathroom visits – if you feel like going – you go! If you feel you need water – drink, if you don’t, run through the aid station – you don’t need it. If you feel like you need a little sugar hit, then go ahead – take a small hit – I repeat, small – simply throw a little carb on your tongue – this will let your brain know everything is just fine. Same with salt, if it’s crazy hot and you sweat for Australia, perhaps a little salt on your tongue MAY prevent cramps. What you don’t need is buckets of sports drinks, gels, salt capsules before you really need them. Let your brain dictate your race day nutrition.
I do recommend however, helping your body cool itself from the outside in – not inside out. Collect water and throw it on your face – and perhaps a little on your chest = instant cooling – you don’t have to wait for sweat to travel through your system, which will cost you vital energy.
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><strong>8. DEFEAT THE DEVIL</strong></span></h5>
There will be 3 dead certainties at your event:
1) Someone will always stop, bolt upright, straight in front of you during the first 400metres
2) You’ll see a minimum of 3 people that really shouldn’t be wearing spandex, and
3) Providing you’re giving your best effort - at the 65-90% mark relative to race distance, the annoying devil on your shoulder will scream with increasing volume that it’s OK to slow, stop or even give up. Your healthy brain will generate misleading negative emotions. The likes of; my legs are toast, I’m too hot, I think I’m cramping, I’m out of energy, my foot is sore, this is all too hard, I don’t really need this, he can win today, I’ll win next time etc etc.
Believe me, nearly all of these emotions are myths – you are OK and more than good enough to continue at pace. Your brain is simply guarding against potential stress. But here’s the good news – your brain has a reserve and a massive reserve. You can learn to dissociate from these emotions and override these sensations and continue on your merry way. I have a stack of techniques if you’re interested – starting with; you gotta back yourself – you must truly believe you can perform at your desired pace – no doubts – training or practicing smartly can achieve this.
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><strong>9. CATCH THEM</strong></span></h5>
It’s the back end of your race – everyone’s now challenged – not just you. There’s a guy 20 metres ahead and you must catch him – why? Because you’re good enough, that’s why! Hold your form, there’s still time, move closer and closer to him – now, take a big breath – relax your shoulders – AND TAKE HIM – don’t look back!
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><strong>10. HIT THE LINE</strong></span></h5>
So, how do I know that your so-called “physical breakdown” at the 70% mark wasn’t a physical breakdown? And it was just a brain generated emotional safety check? Because I’ve literally been to hundreds of races and most competitors tell me they were cactus at the 70% mark, yet I regularly see most people of all shapes and sizes, near sprinting the final kilometre. I suspect there’s no way they were hurting as much as they thought.

So.....if you haven’t trained smartly, haven’t fuelled smartly, you haven’t learnt to dissociate from negative emotions and you certainly don’t rate your chances........................well.................................................I guessed you’re f^&amp;ked!