Race Plan and Prep

You put in the work getting your fitness ready to take on an ultra, why wouldn’t you do the same to prep your mind? Taking the time to create a race plan and do the necessary background research can provide you with the mental fortitude to not only execute a strong race but also navigate the unexpected. Understanding the big picture of a race and putting it in a personalized context will also help you stay confident in yourself, the journey, and the decision-making process that will take place throughout the day. The goal of this article is to share some tips and tricks for putting a race plan together, including some of the key pieces of information to include as well as the background research necessary to create this document.

Physical strength will get you to the start line. But mental strength will get you to the finish line.

As a mom of three, I am no stranger to a good birth plan. During the final stages of each pregnancy I took the time to write down my hopes for each experience based on what I knew of the effort ahead. I took the hospital tours, I gathered various beta from experts in the field and talked to other mothers who have gone through the experience themselves. I did the work to mentally prepare for the experience ahead. Now, none of my births went exactly as planned and not one time did I follow my birth plan from start to finish. But every single time I felt empowered and more confident having gone through this process. It demystified some of the unknowns, made expectations clear and put everyone on the same page going into the event. It also helped me mentally to spend some intentional time visualizing and planning what I hoped would happen.  So yes, I am making a loose connection between running an ultra and birthing a child- both are really freaking hard and true tests of endurance!

With that in mind, I would encourage you leading up to your next race to do the research, write out a plan in order to control the controllables and gain practice and confidence in the process. Here’s a framework for what that might look like:

Part 1: Do Your Homework!

As you prep for a race, it’s important to take advantage of all the resources that exist to gain as much familiarity with the race and course you are about to take on as you can. This information will also be incredibly helpful to build your race plan. Here’s how to start macro and move toward micro in your research.

Race website. Even if you have looked over this page before signing up for a race, it’s important practice to circle back as the race gets closer to see if information has been updated. As you are reviewing the site, a few things to look for and take note of: Is there an elevation profile of the course? If so, take a screenshot of it or save it directly to your race plan so you have a “big picture” view to look back on. Also, look for additional information on what types of trail marking the race might be using; are there any specific notes on trail sections or specific terrain? Do they have any summaries of the various trail sections in between aid stations? If so, take some notes and add them to your race plan.  Also, if the race has a .GPX file for the race course, download it to your watch and/or phone as a back-up resource on race day (and if you have any pacers for your race, make them do the same!)

Race Reports. Many runners document their race experiences on personal blogs or running websites. Take advantage of this! Regardless of where a runner is in the pack and/or what their race goals were, it is important to learn how things went for them out there. What were the unexpected challenges that came up? Was there a crux to the course that they wish they were aware of beforehand? Any specific notes on the trail or the terrain that should be noted? Glean what you can out of these write-ups and add them to your own race plan.

YouTube videos. Through the same lens as above, take advantage of this resource. This is a great way to see actual course terrain and really get some visuals that wouldn’t otherwise be available unless you lived close enough for some on the ground course recon. This can also provide some peace of mind during the race. For instance, last spring I ran Hellbender 100. Living out west, I had never been to that area, but I watched as many videos of people on course beforehand. When I actually got to the race and was out on course by myself, seeing some of the specific landmarks that I could identify from seeing them on the screen beforehand was incredibly comforting and reassuring and provided a great mid race boost.

Ultra Signup Results. As part of a background check for a race I also find it helpful to get on to ultrasignup.com and look up a race to review previous results. I find this is a helpful tool in not only trying to get a sense for my own personal pace goals for a course, but it can also be a way to potentially find some runners to connect with directly who might be willing to share a personal account of their experience out there. The trail community is small and awesome and even if you don’t recognize anyone directly,  maybe it’s someone who seems to live near you or perhaps has done other races you have or someone connected to you through a few degrees of separation. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for beta or their specific experience. You will be surprised how receptive and supportive others can be.

UltraPacer.  Ultrapacer.com is an incredible resource that can be used to help runners predict race times based on historical data and the various variables impacting efforts. This is a great tool to get a sense for race pace and timing between aid stations and crew support.This resource doesn’t have data for all races, but it’s worth checking. NOTE: too much data can mess with your head, so be thoughtful about how this info will impact your race day mindset.

Weather Apps.  This may feel like a no-brainer, but it’s also important to do some research on what weather conditions are typically like at a race. Some of this work is good to consider and incorporate into training leading up to a race (example: if you are prepping for Javelina, I hope you did your sauna training!), but it’s also important to look at specific weather predictions as a race gets closer and then shift race/gear plans accordingly.

Now that you’ve done your homework and have a better sense of some of the specifics on race and place, start making your race plan. This basically means taking your research and writing your race birth plan so expectations, needs and goals are clear to everyone involved in supporting you out there. Here are some important pieces to consider as you create this document.

Part 2: Writing Your Race Plan

The format of this document is personal. Some people really thrive with a good spreadsheet, I’m a google doc girl.  I like to start my document high level by dropping in the image of a race vert profile to get a sense of the big picture. I then get into the details that are going to help me get from aid station to aid station. Here are some pieces to include:

1. Individual aid station details-which ones are crew accessible? Where is there drop bag access? What food and hydration options are available? What is the aid station cut-off time?
2. Distance and elevation profiles between aid stations. Also, are there any specific things about the trail section that should be noted (water access? Tricky navigation? Need for additional gear? Any landmark notes from your course research?). Are there some specific reminders that you want your crew to relay to you before you head out on the next section?
3. Aid station runner checklist. I find it helpful to create a checklist for my crew (or myself) to follow at aid stations. Some of these directions may feel silly putting to paper, but when you are deep into a race it’s important to have everything spelled out clearly for everyone involved. Specific instructions might include: Fill bottles. Swap out gels, take out trash, put ice in your hat or down your shirt, reapply sunscreen, ask about shoes and socks, etc.
4. Specific aid station requests. On your plan if you have any specific gear changes planned based on timing or terrain, it’s important to include that on your document as well. For instance if you know there will be some water crossings before a specific aid stations and you may want a shoe or sock change or perhaps you are expecting to get to an aid station right before the sun goes down and you will want a dry shirt and your night gear, these are important things to note in your race plan.
5. Potential Splits (Optional). Note: be clear with your crew if you want them to communicate this information to your mid race.

In terms of how you ultimately use your race plan, know yourself and what will be best for your mindset and process. Personally, I find a lot of benefit in taking the time to create my plan and then sharing it with a friend or two for some feedback. In the day or two before the race I give the plan to my crew and go through the details once again with them. After that, I pass off the plan to them and put the execution into their hands. If you are heading to a race alone, another idea might be to put certain parts of the race plan into your various drop bags. Even if it’s just an index card with your aid station checklist, it might be helpful to refer back to out there.

Just like a birth plan, hold a race plan close to help you prepare, visualize and give you confidence leading into the event. Once you put the bib on, though, loosen your grasp a bit, but take confidence from the framework you’ve created and the background information you’ve acquired. Use it all as a guide as you troubleshoot, adapt, and navigate the unexpected.  It will undoubtedly get hard out there, and it definitely won’t go exactly as expected, but lean into the “knowns” that will get you from aid station to aid station. Knowledge is power. You’ve got this.