The Importance Of A Warm Up Event

Everything you need to know about doing a warm up event

If you're taking part in a big half marathon or marathon you need to think really carefully about taking part in a 'warm up event' beforehand. If you don't then you might find your event more intimidating than it needs to be, especially if it's a big one. Here we look at why a practise event is so important.

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Pre-event planning

A lot of work goes in to getting every aspect of your big day right. Some of this work starts weeks beforehand, with hotel and travel bookings if you're travelling from distance. It also includes sorting out the all important meal the night before. This isn't always as easy as it sounds. You need to find somewhere that serves the same food that you're used to eating the night before your long runs and then you need to book a table. When will you get your race number on your kit, when will you go to bed, how many alarms will you set?

It might all sound pretty straightforward but 'practising' this will be invaluable. Many first time runners get the last meal horribly wrong. And it's not just first timers. It is so easy to make assumptions when it comes to restaurant availability. Safety first.

Experience a running expo

It might be challenging to find a 'practise' event with an expo, but if you can you should try. It is very hard to replicate the expos of the really big events, as they are so different from the majority. Only a small percentage of races even have an expo, most just send your number to you in the post, but you will find some that do. The big ones can be intimidating if you've not been to one before, but regard them as a unforgettable experience and an essential part of the weekend. If you're able to at least experience number pick up at another event beforehand it will help.

Race day planning

A warm up event is also important not just for pre-race planning, but also key for race day planning. How far in advance of your start time will you get up, what will you have for breakfast and when will you get to the start area? Of course each race is different and it will longer to get to certain start areas than others based on what race day is like and how far you're staying from the start, but there are some basics that you can practise in a warm up event. Getting to the start early is really important and you'll see why if you do an event beforehand.

Once you're at the start this is the time to practise what you will eat and drink before the race. Think about your dynamic stretches. Doing them in a crowd of other runners is different to being on your own. This is the time to see how it feels.

Check out this post for more on race day planning.

Develop your race day strategy

It is very common when you run your first really big race to go off too quickly. You will have waited a while in your pen and when you get started that pent up anticipation and excitement can sometimes work against you. If you go off too fast the extra energy that you've expended will have to come from somewhere and the chances are this will impact your race further down the line. This is especially the case if your 'fast start' lasts for a mile of so. It could hurt and if you do this in a practise event you won't do it again on your big day. You will have learnt your lesson.

Your warm up race will also allow you to work out your race pace. What works for you? Will you aim to go slower in the first half and push on quicker in the second half, or will you aim for steady pace throughout? Running an event is so very different to training runs. You'll be surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands of other runners and you need to concentrate on your own running performance, not on that of others.

Race nutrition

Decide on the gels you are going to use for your big event and practise using them on your practise event

Chances are if you're running a half or full marathon you will at some point think about using energy gels. You can find out more about them in this post. You need to practise using them on your long runs, from around 10 miles onwards and expect to use four on your longest run if you're training for a marathon. They are an acquired taste and not always easy to use and this is why practise is so important. What better place to practise than at at another event before your big one?

And then there is the hydration. Rather than having to carry water, which you'll be doing on your long runs, if you do a practise event you'll be able to get used to take water from cups or bottles on race day. It might be the same format as your big day but you'll be able to experience what it's like to get water when you need it and not have to worry about carrying it.

Here's more on race day nutrition.

Long run integration

Whatever distance you're training for you will have a schedule of long runs and these are at the heart of your training plan. Get the long runs right and you should have a memorable race day. Get them wrong and it could be very different. Each week your long run will gradually increase in time and distance. Generally you'll add a mile a week if you're training for a marathon or half marathon.

If you are able to find a practise event it's important that it fits into this schedule. Before Spring and Autumn marathon there are often half marathons and 20 mile events on the race calendar and they are generally, scheduled to coincide with where you should be in your training, but not always. If you find a half marathon that looks promising make sure it's when you have a 13-15 mile run in your long run schedule, not when you should be running 20 miles

Check out this post getting the long runs right.

Avoid doing a half marathon as your practise event if on that weekend if you had a 20 mile long run scheduled

Post race

We've talked pre-race and race day preparation and the same principles also applies to post-race. Chances are that after your long runs you normally cool down and stretch. It is very common for many runners to forget all about this aspect of their long runs when they are surrounded by a crowd of happy and very emotional runners at the finish line. Getting your kit bag and meeting friends and family can become the priority, but it shouldn't be, You must go through your stretching regime to precent the dreaded DOMS making the next few days a challenge. Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness is the reason why you'll see marathon runners, especially, walking down stairs backwards! With a decent session of stretching this can be significantly reduced.

Planning a warm up event before your big day may sound like a lot of hard work, but it will absolutely be worth it. You will learn so much and those lessons will make such such a difference. Think about the impact on your confidence.