When it comes to race week, the work is done — but now it’s about getting the last few pieces right to give yourself the best possible chance on the big day.

These are the final touches. The small details that help you arrive at the start line feeling confident, fresh, and ready.

Here are five things I focus on during race week:

Sleep is where your body truly recovers.

During race week, aim to get an extra hour of sleep. Instead of your usual 7–8 hours, try to work towards 8–9 hours.

You’re not always going to sleep that long — and that’s okay. The key is giving yourself the chance.

Even if you sleep for 7.5 hours but lie in bed for 8.5 hours, you’ve done your part.

Often, the night before a race isn’t great for sleep. Pre-race adrenaline kicks in, and different scenarios start running through your head. If this happens, don’t worry — it’s completely normal. It happens to all of us.

Embrace it and don’t let it stress you out.

That’s why the nights earlier in the week are so important. Aim to bank good sleep then. Fill up those reserves and arrive at the start line feeling fresh.

Keep running — but reduce both your mileage and intensity.

Anything too hard in race week can stay in the legs on race day. At the same time, stopping completely can cause you to lose rhythm and flow.

As a guideline:

If your race is on a Sunday, your final session should be on Thursday at the latest. Keep it light and controlled — a simple tune-up session such as:

5 × 1 min on / 1 min off
(Harder effort followed by easy jogging, around 8/10 intensity)

This keeps you sharp without overloading the body.

I aim to slightly reduce my calorie intake in the first half of the week, then increase both calories and carbohydrates in the second half.

Be careful not to under-fuel. Even though training volume is lower, your body still needs energy to recover and prepare.

Because you’re doing slightly less training, you don’t need as much fuel as in peak weeks — but you still need enough.

Start carbo-loading about two days before race day.

Good carb sources include:

Remember the golden rule: Never try anything new on race day.

Stick to foods you know work for you.

My usual routine:

Try to avoid very spicy or heavily sauced meals the night before, as these can often cause stomach issues on race day.

Each day in race week, get lost in your own little routine.

Focus on:

Cut heavy core and strength work two days before the race.

This routine has two main goals:

Firstly — Physical Preparation
Releasing tension in the muscles so that running feels smooth and relaxed from the gun.

Secondly — Mental Preparation
Giving yourself time away from the busy world. Using this space to mentally prepare and visualise different race-day scenarios.

This daily reset makes a huge difference.

Stress levels are often high during race week, so it’s important to control what you can.

Try to fit in as much work and life admin as possible before race week begins.

When race week arrives, aim to clear most of your responsibilities in the first half of the week.

This gives you the best chance of going into the final days calm, focused, and stress-free — with no unnecessary distractions.

Then it’s simple:
Trust the process.
Stick to the plan.
Focus on the task at hand.

The last thing I want to say is this: embrace race week and the race itself.

It’s a choice we make — not an obligation.

As scary as it can sometimes feel, it’s all part of the journey. These moments don’t last forever, so let’s enjoy them while we can.

If you have a race coming up — GOOD LUCK! 🍀

And don’t forget to put it on Strava…
Because you know how the saying goes — if it’s not on Strava, it doesn’t count 😉

Onwards and upwards,
Coach Nick