Race day doesn’t begin when the gun goes off — it begins days before, in the decisions you make about sleep, nutrition, gear, and mindset. In this episode of the Running Explained Podcast, coaches Amanda Katz and Nick Klastava lay out a complete race day prep framework that takes the chaos out of race morning and puts the control back in your hands. Whether you’re toeing the line at a local 5K or grinding through a hundred-miler in the Hill Country, the principles are the same.
**Logistics Are a Training Variable**
Most runners obsess over mileage and workouts but treat race logistics like an afterthought. Katz and Klastava make the case that knowing your parking situation, drop bag rules, start wave, and gear checklist ahead of time is just as important as your long run. Eliminate the guesswork before race weekend so your brain is free to focus on racing.
**Fuel Early, Fuel Smart**
What you eat and drink in the 24 to 48 hours before a race matters as much as what you take in on course. The coaches walk through pre-race nutrition timing, carbohydrate loading basics, and how to avoid the common mistake of trying something new on race morning. Here in South Texas, where heat and humidity are always a factor, dialing in your hydration strategy before the starting line is non-negotiable.
**Pacing Is a Mindset Game**
Going out too hard is the most common race-day mistake — and it’s almost always a mindset failure, not a fitness failure. Katz and Klastava break down how to build a realistic pacing plan and, more importantly, how to have the discipline to stick to it when the crowd energy and adrenaline are screaming at you to push. A controlled first half sets up a strong second half every single time.
**Race Morning Routines Reduce Chaos**
The coaches emphasize building a repeatable race morning routine that you’ve practiced in training. From wake-up time and breakfast to warm-up drills and gear checks, having a consistent sequence means fewer decisions and less anxiety when it counts. Treat race morning like a dress rehearsal you’ve already done a hundred times.
**Recovery Starts Before You Cross the Finish Line**
Planning your post-race recovery is part of the race prep process, not an afterthought. Knowing what you’ll eat, when you’ll move again, and how you’ll manage soreness in the days after helps you bounce back faster and keeps the training cycle moving forward. The best runners treat recovery with the same intentionality as race prep itself.
Here at Bexar Country, we believe racing wild doesn’t mean racing reckless — it means showing up prepared, executing your plan, and leaving everything on the trail. Give the Running Explained Podcast episode a listen, then come share your race day routines and questions with the Bexar Country community. Drop your best race morning tips in the comments or tag us on race weekend — we want to see you run wild.
#BexarCountry #RunWild #TrailRunning #RaceDayPrep #SanAntonio #Ultrarunning
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Originally aired on – The Running Explained Podcas – Go to podcast