Running News Daily

Three workouts to do the week of your race, these workouts are perfect tests of preparation and mental confidence

So you have a race on the horizon, and you are unsure of how to prep for it. The last thing you want to do is something too hard, to tire you out before your race. The idea is that you want your legs rested leading into the race, therefore it’s important to find a workout that isn’t too taxing, but is enough to get your legs moving.

Here are three workout ideas that are perfect tests of preparation and mental confidence before a race. 

Workout #1

Three to five reps of one-kilometer repeats with 90 seconds between reps. 

Each rep should be done at your goal race pace. Try to focus on your breathing and stay calm and relaxed. A tip would be to treat each rep as the first kilometer in a race. 

Always do a 10-minute warmup of slow jogging before you start your intervals.

Workout #2

Eight to 10 reps of one minute at race pace and two minutes’ slow jog rest.

The goal here is to get the legs moving at a familiar (race day) pace. Think of each 60-second rep as a long stride, then slow jog between intervals to let your body recover. 

Always do a 10-minute warmup of slow jogging before you start your intervals.

Workout #3

Two to four reps of a mile with two minutes’ jog rest between reps.

This workout should be done at your goal pace or a few seconds per km slower. The idea here is similar to the two workouts above–getting your legs moving before race day. If you are training for a half-marathon or marathon, you’ll want to focus on maintaining your aerobic endurance, so aim for three or four reps.

Always do a 10-minute warmup of slow jogging before you start your intervals.

These three workouts should be done three to five days before your race to give your body time to recover.