Run a perfect race: The alarm clock rings...now what? Here's how to navigate any course correctly

by Dave Kuehls

To race well, you need to train well. Duh.

But there are also race-day logistics to master. Even if you nailed all your workouts, you can still blow everything by tearing around on race morning in a manic panic in search of safety pins, finding yourself at the starting line with a jumble of jingling keys, or getting body-blocked midrace trying to pass an iPod-wearing runner. So to make sure your hard training doesn't go to waste, we've compiled all the advice you need to successfully navigate race day. Our tips start before the start, finish after the finish, and--if employed properly--will guarantee a glitch-free race. (Maybe even a PR.)

Before the Gun

Your prerace goal should be to arrive at the starting line relaxed and ready to run. Here's how

Lay It Out

"The night before, lay out everything you'll need race day on an extra bed or the floor," says Greg McMillan, a USA Track & Field certified coach in Flagstaff, Arizona. With the race start still half a day away, you can think clearly about all the things you want with you on race morning.

Travel Light

Save yourself the postrace hassle of retrieving your supplies by not checking anything. Wear an old pair of sweats and a shirt over your racing outfit that you can toss at the start (most races donate the clothes). If you need to check your bag, don't put anything in your sack that you can't live without "Ninety-nine percent of the stuff gets back to the runner," says Dave McGillivray, race director of the Boston Marathon. "But one percent always gets lost in the wash."

B.Y.O.T.P

The longer the lines at the Port-a-Johns, the more likely the potty will be out of toilet paper. "So bring your own," says Rod DeHaven, 2000 U.S. Olympic marathoner.

Show Your Number

Even though most races time with chips, you still have to wear a number. "Bib numbers show race officials that you are a registered runner," says Cliff Bosley, race director of The Bolder Boulder 10-K. "They should be visible at all times." Pin your bib on the front of your racing outfit with four safety pins to keep it from flapping around.

Secure Your Key

Find someplace to stash your car key (note: singular), but not where someone might find it, like in the gas cap, on a tire, or in a hide-a-key under the car (sound familiar?). If the key is one of those bulky computer-programmed jobs, use the valet key instead, and slide it into a zippered pocket, lace it into your shoe, or use a Shoe Pocket, which is a waterproof pouch that Velcros to your laces. You could also hand your keys to a spectating friend--as long as he has a nicer car than yours.

Stash Some Cash

If you have money with you for an emergency, you won't need it. If you don't, you will. So pin a $10 bill inside your singlet.

Bag Yourself

They aren't stylish, but plastic garbage bags do keep you warm and dry. "Cut a hole for just your head, and tuck your arms inside," says Bret Treier, cochair of the Road Runner Akron Marathon.

Warm Up Wisely

If possible, warm up by running the first mile or so of the racecourse to get the lay of the land. If you can't do that, warm up on a nearby road or sidewalk, not in a grassy field. Early morning dew can soak through your shoes and socks.

Line Up on Time

Don't get there first, since the extra wait will only make you anxious. Instead, watch the clock and keep an eye on runners as they fill in behind the start. Then join in. Many races have signs showing you where to stand according to your predicted per-mile pace. Your race doesn't have markers? If you're hoping to run a four-hour (or longer) marathon, don't line up within 100 yards of a Kenyan.

Go As A Runner

If you must dress up in a costume, "make sure it doesn't extend beyond your body so that it won't interfere with other runners," says Bosley. Elvis jumpsuit? Um, sure. Elvis cape? No.

And You're Off

Once the race starts, there's more to think about than just putting one foot in front of the other

Wait!

"Don't start your watch at the gun," says McMillan. Hard to resist, but starting your watch immediately will yield a depressing finishing time since it might take several minutes to cross the starting line. Turn your watch face inside your wrist--to avoid an accidental bump that might activate the stopwatch--then hit the start button when you reach the start. This will sync up your chip time and your watch time, so you can accurately calculate your pace.

Look For Room

As you ramp up to race pace, try to achieve "daylight" between you and other runners, which is basically two full stride lengths.

Be Patient

Don't bob and weave through the starting pack like a punt returner. You'll waste energy without getting very far. Instead, jog or walk with your arms slightly out to help you keep your balance. And be sure not to follow the guy with the headband who has jumped the curb and is sprinting ahead. The race gods will make him trip.

Drink Second

The first water stop in larger races often resembles a crowded subway station at rush hour. As long as you're not thirsty, go ahead and skip it. "You don't want to trip or slip on someone else's cup," says Treier. "So move over to the double-yellow line and run right through."

Pass with Caution

Runners with MP3 players likely don't know you're approaching. "In a crowded race, runners need to have a level of consciousness about their environment, and people wearing headphones don't," says Phil Stewart, race director of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten-Mile Run in Washington, D.C. (That's why so many races discourage headphones.) So wait until they're done singing the chorus, then yell, "Passing on the left!" Make sure to give Mr. or Ms. iPod a wide berth--while making sure you don't cut anyone off.

Steal Some Airtime

Look for TV cameras. If you spot one, move into an open space and simply point at it. Waving and shouting signals desperation.

Slow Down on the Side

If you need to slow your pace, do so gradually and move to the right side of the road, again making sure you don't cut anyone off, like the ex-Georgia Tech linebacker behind you.

Hold the Hoorays

Sure, it's easy to get animated when you're a couple of miles from the finish. You're almost there. Yet yukking it up expends a lot of energy. "I once saw my wife talking, waving, and blowing kisses," says Treier. "I yelled out: 'Save it.' She didn't listen, and she did not finish with a smile on her face."

Happy Endings

As you cross the finish line, you're not quite done yet: the finishing chute stretches ahead

Keep Moving

Once across the finish line, runners are all striving toward a common goal--a cold drink and a shower. If you don't keep moving forward, you'll likely get knocked around.

Take the Wrap

Worn like a cape, mylar race blankets keep the heat in. And if you're offered a sticker or piece of tape with the cape, use it to secure the blanket at the neck so that you can keep your hands free. Note: It doesn't matter which side of the blanket is in and which side is out. It traps your body heat either way.

Ditch the Chip

If you've used one of those secure plastic ties to attach your chip to your shoe, it takes the volunteers about two seconds to get it off. "Another efficient way is to lace the chip into the shoe just below the knot so all you have to do is untie your shoe to get it off," says Mike Burns, president of ChampionChip. "If the chip is laced farther down, below the eyelets and along the tongue, you'll have to unlace the shoe to remove the chip." This will stop you cold.

Drink Up

Even though you are no longer running, you need fluids to rehydrate and recover. Take some and keep moving.

Wear Your Hardware

Drape your finisher's medal around your neck. You need your hands for other things as you continue to move through the chute. Just make sure to take off the medal sometime in the next month.

Eat. A Little

Get yourself some food, but "just your share," says Gordon Bakoulis, a running coach in New York City. You need carbs to begin postrace recovery, not to feed your entire extended family. Besides, stopping for extra food will only slow things down. And any leftover food is often given away to a charity, like a local food bank.

Find Your Family

Have a prearranged spot to meet up with your family and friends after the race. Anything solid and immovable is best, like a tree, the front steps of a building, or Mike, who quit running three years ago. Don't suggest something like the middle of a field, which could be jam-packed with runners come race day. Next, make sure you spot your group before they see you. Now start limping (cue the sympathy violins). But do so with a huge smile on your face.