What To Do on Your First Race Day

Okay so you've trained, you've prepared but what on Earth should you do the day before and the day of a race?

1. Get good sleep. You can't do you're best if you're falling asleep while running. General rule get good sleep for a few nights in a row before the race.
2. Pack it up. The night before lay out everything you need for the race and double check that everything you need is there so in the morning if you're nervous you don't forget your bib or socks. :)
3. 2. Lower your exercise! The whole week of the race keep your mileage down and make any exercise low impact t reduce risk of injury. This does not mean do not exercise at all because you want to be sharp but keep it low. Do not exercise two days before the race.
4. Fuel up! If you're running in the morning eat a good healthy breakfast 2 hours or so before your race. Make sure it is high energy and easy to digest so this is a good morning for oatmeal and fruit, or a peanut butter on a bagel. Be sure to hydrate yourself - water or coffee whichever is part of your normal morning routine.
5. Arrive to the race early - many races require it but if they don't be there at least an hour early to park, if you need to pick up your packet, use the restroom, warmup and in general get situated.
6. Warmup. Do a quick walk around to warm up your muscles 25 minutes before the start of the race.
7. Corral Placement. When getting in line for corral, if you're a beginner getting to the middle towards the back is a good place to move yourself. If you start at the front and you're a beginner you might be setting yourself up to fail by using all your energy at the start of the race and finishing weak. You will start with those around your pace and you can chase down the faster ones later. ;)
8. Start your race slow! For your first race you want to earn negative splits and get faster at the end. It might help to think about the race in sections and resetting yourself at the beginning of each mile. Whichever visualizations works best for you. It also means the finish line photo will look a lot sexier. Fell empowered by passing folks at the end that put in all their effort at the beginning. Go champ!
9. Keep Positive. Practice positive mantras so that when you're slowing down, it hurts, and you want to stop you can keep going with confidence.
10. Breathe. You will do fine, you did your training, take a few cleansing breaths and just remember you got this. Don't worry about the racers around you.
11. Water Stations. Use them, pay attention to see if they are calling sports drink or water and be sure to get what works for you and spare a second to thanks to the volunteer, after all they just helped you get hydrated to meet your goal.
12. Run The Straights. If the course is curved save deep running for straights and not in curves so you don't hurt yourself and get off track.
13. Bank on the Happy High. When you finish and you're celebrating plan out your next race and work towards that goal. 

Sources

• What To Do Before Your First 5K
• 9 Race Day Tips for Your First 5K