So, are you one of the many, who gets so wound up the night before a race, that sleep just isn’t an option. Check out these 7 methods of getting you race ready.

Do not overthink it!

OK, show of hands how many of us have been lying in bed into the early hours, starring at the ceiling, worried about getting no sleep, or indeed how the race will go? Anybody, Bueller, Anybody?

Well research shows that the amount of sleep that you have the night before a race, will not have as big an impact as you may think. If you can get a good nights sleep the night before the night before a race. i.e. Thursday night before a Saturday race. In fact you should really try and prioritize your sleep patterns in the days and weeks coming up to your race. So if you are unable to get to good sleep the night before, you should be covered!

Imagine Your PB

Still struggling to sleep. OK, take a couple of minutes, alone, to imagine yourself waking up after the perfect sleep, eating your breakfast, getting ready and making your way to the start, without panic. Go through each stage of how you would like them to turn out and finally finishing strong and fast over the finish line crushing your old PB. Visualizing success is a common way to relax and chill the beans.

Get Organized

Don’t leave it last minute. If anything that our competitor spotlights has thought us is that all the top guys and gals have all their kit ready and accounted for days in advance of the race. It’s just a mater of getting into their kit in the morning and getting the game faces on. Don’t discover when all the shops are closed that you need x y & z. Charge your phones, set your alarms, have your breakfast plan sorted and leave any other kit by the front door to collect on the way out.

Race Ritual

Plan out a bed time routine. Dim the lights, turn off the TV an hour before you hit the hay, have a book to read, even do a bit of light stretching. Get off your phone or any other electronic device that causes over stimulation of the eyes, even take a bath. just dial it down and chill.

Stimulants

In the week leading up to your race, go easy on sugar, caffeine or anything like that. Avoid fatty food and/or spicy foods too.

Get your bedroom sorted.

This needs to be an oasis of calm. De-clutter it, clothes that are everywhere, get them off the floor, into wardrobes, wash bins or presses or wherever they should be. Clear surfaces. Bedside Lockers. put what ever junk is thrown on top either in the drawers or just out of sight. Dim the lights, make sure the room temp is right, close the curtains and turn your alarm clock away. That flashing red reminder of what time it is will wreck your head if you keep starring at it.

Still Awake?

Its 3am. You cant get to sleep. Get up. Lying there clearly isn’t working. Do a household chore. Grab the washing basket you filled earlier and put on a wash. It’ll take your mind off it. You might feel a sleepy after it and if not, a couple of hours kip, in the bigger scheme won’t make a massive different but getting stressed about it will .