Mind Games
Granted, running a hard 5K is as much of a mental challenge as it is a physical one. To keep her head in the race, Huddle stays mindful of exactly where she is on the course.
"On the road, that last stretch can look and feel longer than it is, so I recommend wearing a GPS watch like the Timex Ironman Run Trainer, or noting any 'half mile to go' or '400m to go' signs within the last mile," she says. "It can change my mindset to know even though I can't see the finish I only have to push for two more minutes."
Another trick? Repeating a motivational mantra, especially as you're tiring. "I'll tell myself: 'This is the mile that matters' or 'Be brave for this mile,'" says Huddle.
More: 5 Ways to Run Past Your Mental Blocks
Rest Right
Gearing up for your A race? Don't be afraid to be lazy. This is an approach Huddle's fine-tuned since winning her first USA Women's 10K Road Race Championship in 2008.
Photo by: Scott Phillabaum
"I was having a bad stretch of racing, so I gave myself a few days beforehand to be lazy, run easy and watch TV," says Huddle. "I'll forever embrace pre-race 'laziness' as essential for storing up the energy needed to will yourself through a tough race."
More: How to Taper to Boost Performance
Best Pre-Race Workouts
Whittle your time down with these workouts.
Rowbury's Pick: "800-meter repeats are a good preparation for a 5K race, so I will do those a lot. An example is 6 x 800m to 300m. The 800m is a little quicker than 5K goal pace and the 300s are at 1500-meter pace or faster. The recovery is 400m jog for everything."
More: 3 Workouts to Run Your Fastest 5K
Huddle's Pick: "My favorite pre-race taper workout for the 5K is 400s at 5K pace. I might do 10 to 12 of them four days out. Another good workout is a short 2- to 3-mile tempo run with two or three 400s at the end to simulate kicking in a race."
More: The Best Race-Week 5K Workout
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