As a runner, you always hope for the best on race day—the best weather, a personal best time, and the best post-race brunch you’ve ever had. But let’s face it: race day can be unpredictable, and sometimes things don’t go as planned. There are three instances when it might be wise to reconsider your race plans. Knowing these will help you feel more prepared and less anxious on race day and empower you to make the best decisions for your performance and health.
Feeling queasy and uneasy
Waking up sick on the day of a race is every runner’s nightmare. If you feel under the weather, the worst thing you can do is push your body and run. Nausea and runner’s diarrhea are common in endurance athletes; if you need to make a pit stop mid-race, it doesn’t mean the race is over, but you should revise your expectations and slow down if you’re having trouble maintaining your pace.
Having a mild cold or flu, on the other hand, might not stop you from running, but it can be risky. You might become dehydrated, feel dizzy, have trouble breathing or worsen your symptoms. But, the decision to run depends entirely on you and what your body is experiencing. Monitor your symptoms, and give yourself permission to drop out if you feel too ill to continue–there will be other races.
Pushing through the pain
You’re at the halfway point and suddenly you roll your ankle—every athlete’s biggest fear. Although it might be tempting to tough it out or try to figure out what’s wrong on your own, the best course of action is to listen to your body and, if necessary, seek first aid. This might mean stopping to get medical help, or even dropping out of the race.
Continuing to run despite the pain could make your injury worse and prolong your recovery time. Sometimes, adjusting your running technique can help reduce the pain temporarily, but if it persists or gets worse, it’s best to stop. (If the pain proves temporary and lessens significantly, you are probably OK to keep gunning for the finish.)
A restless wakeup
With pre-race jitters, getting a good night’s sleep can sometimes be hard before a race. But getting enough sleep before race day is not just important, it’s crucial for your performance. Poor sleep the night before may not have long-term effects on your health, but it could impact your performance on the day. For instance, it can slow your reaction time and give you false impressions of your speed.
Most adults need between 7.5 and 9 hours of sleep, especially if they are about to do strenuous activity. If anything, you should be looking to get more sleep than usual the night before. Doing so can lead to measurable gains in performance on race day. So, if you wake up groggy after only a few hours of sleep, alter your race expectations and adjust your pace according to how you feel.
