The work that builds your race fitness is largely complete before the final week. This is not the time to squeeze in missed training or prove that you are ready with one last exhausting run. Race week is about reducing unnecessary fatigue, organising the details and arriving at the start line with confidence.
Seven to four days before
Reduce your overall training load and keep most running comfortable. If your plan includes a small amount of quicker running, keep it controlled and familiar. Avoid new workouts, unusually long sessions or anything designed to “test” your fitness.
Confirm the official race information: start time, venue, route guidance, bib or race-pack collection requirements, transport arrangements and any instructions connected to your registration. If you are attending with friends, family or a run club, agree on where and when you will meet.
Three to two days before
Prepare the equipment you intend to use. Check your running shoes, socks, clothing, bib attachment and any permitted essentials. Race day is a poor time to experiment with brand-new shoes, unfamiliar clothing or a completely different breakfast.
Keep meals and hydration familiar. There is no need to chase extreme routines because race week has arrived. Aim for normal, balanced meals and drink according to your usual needs and conditions.
The day before
Lay out everything you need in one place. Charge your phone and watch if you use one. Save essential event information and decide how you are getting to the venue. Check your alarm and give yourself enough time in the morning that a small delay does not become a crisis.
Review your pacing plan. The excitement of a crowded start can make the first kilometre feel deceptively easy, so decide in advance what a sensible opening effort feels like.
Race morning
Eat the breakfast you have already practised, dress in your prepared kit and arrive with enough time to find your start area without rushing. Use the toilet if needed, complete a familiar warm-up and listen for official instructions.
Once the race begins, settle in before you start chasing people around you. You have done the preparation. The final job is to run with patience, stay aware of how you feel and enjoy the experience of moving through the city toward your finish line.