My pre-race checklist

I’ve done enough of these athletic events that I have a bit of a ritual around it… here’s my day-before and day-of agenda.

the day before

wake up at a reasonable hour, from a good night’s sleep, and do something athletic.  don’t blow it out, just sweat a little.

eat a great breakfast.

run last-minute errands and stay hydrated all day long.

take a nap.

get some dinner, usually a steak with some vegetables and a few more starches than i’d normally eat.  alcohol’s fine, just no more than 2 drinks.

put together race bag, assemble race belt, ensure that all of the following are in the race bag:

• gels: 1 for every 40 minutes. usually no caffeinated gels, depends on how i feel.
• 1 water bottle to run with that i’m ok with losing (for foot races).
• 1 water bottle to drink from with some sort of caffeine in it.
• 1 water bottle with recovery drink.
• post-race shirt and towel.
• race belt with number attached.
• bodyglide!

go to bed at a reasonable hour, have some nuun right before bed.

morning of

wake up 1 hour before i need to leave the house.  have some coffee and some breakfast, not too much food.  usually some eggs and fruit or some bread.

leave for the race, begin drinking first water bottle.

get to the race, get organized, hit the bathroom, and warm up.  use the standard crossfit warmup without the pushups and with extra running drills.

race!

drink recovery drink.

sleep!