Ease Race-Day Anxiety

Daily Tip #17 - Tuesday, October 27

The best way to arrive at Fort Wadsworth on November 1 feeling calm and collected is to think ahead and prepare as much as possible. From the moment you wake up until the firing of the start cannon, everything should feel like a well-rehearsed routine. Follow these tips to stay in a zone of relaxation.

Plan time to unwind two hours before you go to bed. We know you love Halloween, but this is not the year to party late into the night in a Snoopy costume. You've put too much time and effort into your training. Head home or back to your hotel early, get off your feet, watch television or read a book, and hit the sack after setting your DVR to record the race-day coverage locally on WNBC 4 New York from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST and nationally on NBC Sports from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. EST.

Daylight savings ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1. Don't forget to set clocks back one hour at bedtime on Saturday.

Have your bag packed and your gear ready when you wake up. Know what you're going to eat and how you're going to get to your wave start. Make a checklist or a race-day timeline.

Fueling for your run begins 24 to 48 hours before the race (see Race-Day Fueling tip). Eat plenty of carbohydrates to maximize your glycogen stores, but don't try anything new. Plan your meals so you're comfortable with what you eat and don't have to think about it.

Wake up early on race morning -- try to give yourself 15 more minutes than you think you need. If you're not a morning person, set at least two alarms -- or have somebody give you a wake-up call -- to make sure you aren't forced to scramble to get out the door, or worse, that you oversleep.

Feeling anxiety before the race is normal -- even the professional runners get nervous! Just try not to let your jitters detract from the fun and excitement of race day. Once you start moving, your worries will subside with each cheer from a spectator and each passing mile!

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Weather forecast for November 1: Partly cloudy; High 57, Low 41.