Methods to Train for Night Races So You Can Feel Fast, Comfortable—And Have Fun

You possibly can add to your every day total with meals or snacks like a salty soft pretzel, spaghetti with extra salt in tomato sauce, or a rice bowl with soy sauce. Then, once your race is over, try these suggestions for ensuring you rehydrate adequately too!

4. Test out all of this beforehand.

If you happen to’ve heard the phrase “nothing recent on race day” repeated ad nauseam, just know that there’s good reason for that: “You don’t wish to cram for this kind of test,” says Peralta-Mitchell.

That’s why she recommends practicing your race-day nutrition and hydration plan—along with your training runs—ahead of time. Taking the time to experiment and nail down your hydration intake, dinner the night before, plus race-day breakfast, lunch, and snack, will help get your body acclimated to the change—and offer you a greater idea of what you’ll be feeling like at each point.

5. Lean into mental tools to combat late-day fatigue.

Because you will have a full day before you toe the road, you’ll probably be more physically and mentally drained through the competition. But when you hone in in your motivation—again, something to practice during your nighttime training sessions—you may be prepared to push through once those feelings set in, Peralta-Mitchell says.

She taps into power words, sayings, and mantras to persevere when things get tough in a race. “Whenever you’re racing on the market, you will have those moments whenever you’re dialed in and focused, but you possibly can easily be overcome with pain or the challenge, like, I’m running at night, why did I enroll for this?” she says. “But you’d be surprised with how the voice we hear the loudest is our own. If you happen to practice [power words] weeks ahead of time, you’ll be surprised at how way more confident you’ll give you the option to point out up on race day.”

As an example, a phrase that Peralta-Mitchel finds especially effective in her racing is “I shine, you shine.” You possibly can test a few of these out and tweak and modify in a way that works for you.

6. Plan your logistics ahead of time.

It’s necessary to know where you are going to go, what you’re going to eat, and what you’re going to wear beforehand. Cutting out the unknowns—and a whole lot of the decision-making process basically—can calm nerves, Peralta-Mitchell says. Mapping out your transit situation, looking up restaurants ahead of time (or bringing your go-to food with you when you’re traveling), and planning your outfit can all make things go just a little smoother. (For evening races particularly, layering can are available clutch, says Christenson, since temps often dip within the later miles.)

Planning is vital earlier within the day as well to maintain race-day anxiety at bay: You’ll have hours to kill, so that you’ll wish to fill them with activities that keep your mind occupied without stressing your body. In case your goal is to run a private best, Peralta-Mitchell suggests staying off your feet as much as possible, avoiding strenuous movement, and sticking near your private home or your hotel. To maintain your mind occupied while waiting for the event to begin, you too can use this time to benefit from more sedentary activities—say, catching a daytime show or movie or taking in a bus tour when you’re racing in a brand new location.

7. Embrace the unique atmosphere.

Peralta-Mitchell likes to remind her runners to approach every race as a singular journey. You could find your body reacts in a different way to evening races than morning ones—and that’s completely okay.

In some cases, it’s possible you’ll feel a lift: Before she became the event’s race director, Christenson actually ran her half marathon personal best on the super flat, evening Las Vegas course. “Your mind is occupied by the whole lot you’re seeing,” she says.

What’s more, a fun, nighttime atmosphere can “offer you the chance to push yourself in ways you don’t normally push yourself,” says Peralta-Mitchell.

But in other cases, it’s possible you’ll find it more enjoyable to easily pull back your pace and luxuriate in the ride, taking the chance to soak in all of the things that make nighttime races feel so special. “The bottom isn’t going anywhere, but you living in that moment isn’t endlessly,” Peralta-Mitchell says. “So take all of it in!”

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