Hi everyone! It’s Friday again and time for the linkup with Eat Pray Run DC, You Signed Up For What?!, and Mar on the Run. This week we’re talking about race day rituals! I think that every runner has their own routine on race day and it’s always fun seeing how each person prepares for a race! My next half marathon is a little over 2 weeks away, and I can already tell what I’ll be doing on race day!
Racing towards the finish (in the blue shirt and shoes) during my one and only 8k race!
1. I don’t sleep very well the night before the race. No matter how prepared I am for the race, I still can’t help how nervous I get! I’m usually a mess the day before and find it hard to sleep through the night. It’s a combo of excitement and nerves, and I’ve never run a race without it!
2. I only eat oatmeal for breakfast. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it! Brown sugar cinnamon oatmeal is my only choice for race day breakfast (and for pre long run fuel too!)
3. I pay way too much attention to my Garmin. I start it super early so that I’m ready to cross the start line, I check my pace every mile and attempt to do math in my head, and I’m always turning it off right as I cross the finish. You know you’ve got those Garmin finish line pictures too!
4. Eating is an actual event. I always start off slow with a banana, chocolate milk, and a bagel until my stomach calms down. But my post-race lunch is always epic! My post-race meals have consisted of everything from pancakes (Disney Princess) to milkshakes (Hershey 10k) to amish-style chicken pot pie (Kris Kringle 5 miler). Back in Philly I almost always ate a breakfast sandwich from Wawa, but here in Anchorage I’ll have to come up with a new post-race food ritual!
5. I start planning my next race as soon as it’s over. No matter how hard a race was, I’m usually researching my next race less than 24 hours later. What can I say, I’m totally addicted to races!
And obviously I wear my race medals all day too!
What are your race day rituals? What is your most epic post-race meal?
Mom in the Mtns 
The sleep varies – especially in a hotel – so I try to get especially good sleep in the days prior. With you on the “start the Garmin early, obsessively check” – I had one race where my old one only got signal right before the start, very nervous-making. Happy Friday!
That has happened to me too and it’s the scariest moment ever! They need to make these Garmins find a signal faster!
I pay too much attention to my Garmin or HRM. Hmmm best post race meal.. I love eating… they blur so much!! I also research after a race 🙂
Hahaha yes, eating is the best part!
I don’t really have a post race meal! I’m usually SO exhausted after a race that I just want to rest and not think about eating…haha. I hope to do that Hershey 10K some time!
So I actually kind of understand this. I’m never particularly starving after a long race and would rather sleep, but my husband makes sure that I eat something before I sleep. And since I’ve burned so many calories, I always try to make it a really big yummy meal! But yeah, resting is all I really want to do!
I never sleep the night before a right either-so silly huh? happy #FridayFive
Yeah what is wrong with all of us! We all need to calm down more clearly 🙂
Pre-race oatmeal all the way!
Yes! It’s the best!
What are your race day rituals? What is your most epic post-race meal?
I always have either pb and toast or nothing depending on the length of race. I wear the same black racing skirt to every race. I don’t sleep well before my races either. I have fetteccini alfredo for lunch and sushi for dinner the night before and then I follow my race, when I can final eat, more sushi:)
Now that I think about it I totally wear the same black capris at every race. I guess if it’s comfy enough it becomes a ritual! I’ve still never tried sushi, maybe I’ll do that after my next race!
i’m superstitious so if I do well in a specific item I try to stick with it until I have a horrific race….
my body now craves sushi before and after race… I’m actually craving it now as I type this…
I always have oatmeal, too!
And every time I try to remind myself to hold off on turning the Garmin off, but I just can’t help it! Lots of turning-the-watch-off finish line photos!
Oatmeal is the best! And yeah, they’re all ruined by my Garmin. But I really want to know the exact time I stop running!
I check my Garmin pretty obsessively too. Then, I got a finish line picture of me looking at my watch and that was it. Now I mentally tell myself to stop looking at the damn watch lol!
Haha I wish I could stop! My only free finish line photo was ruined by my Garmin but I don’t know if I can resist turning it off right away next time!
oooo a milkshake. After my next race, I’m starting that ritual!
I figure that chocolate milk is a good recovery drink, so milkshakes should be too right? 🙂
#5 is so true – I’m always looking for another race as soon as I finish the previous one 🙂
Yep, I do it every time! My husband officially thinks I’m insane 🙂
Sounds very similar to my race day ritual! I like french toast or pancakes for breakfast and I never sleep well the night before either. I do the same thing with my watch and I track on my phone for extra confirmation. I’m all about any kind of post running meal but I usually go to epic portions post race.
Wait french toast before a race? That sounds awesome! I may need to try that before my next long run to see if it will work in a race! And yeah, all my post race eating is epic!
I never sleep well either and I’ve just accepted I’m not going to get a good night’s sleep before a race so I need to rest up a few days before. And the food is a big one
I’ve been doing that lately too! As long as I’m well rested 2 days before the race I should be good.
I never ever sleep well before I race either. My mind is just too excited for a pesky thing like sleep. 😉
I hate that! I’m always too nervous and I’m obsessing over forgetting something or oversleeping. I was almost late to a race once, I don’t ever want to do that again!
Fortunately, I do sleep well. Unfortunately, I do not have a Garmin, but WANT one!
I’m jealous that you sleep well! And if you get a Garmin, prepare to be messing with it before and after the race and have it ruin pictures for you. But yeah, I totally love mine!
yes to wearing the medal all day! 🙂
It’s the best!
I too am always thinking about the next race(s) that I want to sign up for. Even if I’m tired and it was a difficult race, I always want to know what to next train for. #runalltheraces
I think my husband thinks I’m crazy! But I really do have a race obsession 🙂
#1 and #5 for me absolutely. I did a 5K race a couple weeks ago adn I forgot to turn it off after 🙂
Haha I’ve done that before! It was like 5 minutes later and I realized it was still on. So frustrating!
Another post about oatmeal, which means I MUST try it before a run/race. I was avoiding it thinking it would sit like a rock in my stomach but if it works well for fueling I’m going to give it a shot!
Yes it’s the best! It keeps me full throughout my race (although obviously I have to fuel during the race too, but I’m never starving). Definitely try it before your next long run!
I find that I pay more attention to my garmin as I should as well!
Garmins are so silly, but I hate running without them! I stupidly need to see my mile splits 🙂