Prepare for a Track Meet

Even if you are not the best track athlete, you can still do your best in the next track meet if you know how to Be an Amazing All Round Athletics Champion. Continue reading for some suggestions on how to go about doing this with ease.

Steps

  1. Start carb loading about two to three days before the meet. Ever hear a coach tell you, "Load up on carbs!" the day before the meet? This is because carbohydrates are commonly known as sugar, then they break down into a form of energy. Carbs are a great source of energy for athletes. Eat a lot of foods with carbohydrates. Some good sources of carbs are whole grain bread, beans, fruits, and vegetables.
  2. Start hydrating. You should also start drinking water to stay Keep a Child Hydrated During Sporting Events. Being hydrated is extremely important; if you are not properly hydrated, then you will not be able to perform at your best. If your urine is light yellow or clear, you will know that you are hydrated. You should be drinking {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of water everyday. However if it is a deep yellow with an odor, drink more water!
  3. Have an energy gel about 15 minutes before the race. Energy gels have complex sugars, and are more efficient than simple Make Your Own Sports Drink.
  4. Do some strides about 5 minutes before your race starts to get your blood flowing. Your heart rate will increase in beats per minute (bpm).
  5. Do not drink too much water before your race. You do not want to get a "water belly" which will prevent you from running as comfortably as you normally would be. Instead, take small sips every once in a while.
  6. Drink some water and eat some food. You should not indulge so much that you can hear the food bouncing in your stomach if you jump, but it should just be enough to sustain you for the track meet.
  7. Practice shot put, discus, or javelin if you are doing it. Make sure you are lifting weights regularly. Don't do too much the day before the meet though.
  8. If you are a High Jump (Track and Field) or long jumper make sure you are doing appropriate weightlifting. Have yourself mark down the day of the track meet when it is advised.
  9. If you are a hurdler, practice repetitions the day before.
  10. If you are in the Run 1600M Track Relay, the most important thing is to stay calm. Practice your hand-offs with other members of your group. If you are not confident, take your time. Make sure you have a good grip on the baton before you take off.
  11. If you are a sprinter, practice with your starting blocks the day before.
  12. Do a 20 minute easy run the day before the meet. This is good for middle and long distance runners, but don't run too hard the day before a meet.
  13. Prepare for Your Upcoming Sports Season, and ask them ANY questions you have. They are usually happy to help, and it'll be better to get these questions off your chest before you run.
  14. Remember not to do too much exercise before the meet. You don't want to be sore on the meet. Relax and eat lots of energy foods like pasta, rice, etc.
  15. Get lots of rest and stay relaxed..especially if your a long-distance runner. Imagine yourself winning the race and don't underestimate yourself. Say to yourself "I Can Win" and never say that you can't. With rest and less than 24 hours, you could be holding a 1st place ribbon; if you have the determination to do so.

Tips

  • Never drink milk before a race or it will cause you to get queasy. The milk will curdle in your stomach. Drink water.
  • Before your race, make sure you have your mind over matter. If you are nervous, calm yourself down by telling yourself that you can do it. Once you have a strong mind, you can convince yourself to do almost anything.
  • Breathe deeply! Some people do not realize that in order to run faster, they must provide more oxygen to their blood. When you breathe deeply, it tricks your body into being in motion so you go a little faster.
  • Break the race into chunks. When you focus on each individual chunk instead of the whole race, it makes the race much more mentally manageable.
  • Take it easy on the day of the meet, get plenty of rest.
  • Be sure to take a healthy snack such as a banana or peanut butter. This will help you stay ready for the race and you will not cramp up during the run.
  • Eat healthy, and have a recovery day every now and then, so your muscles can repair themselves.
  • When you're running, make sure your form is correct. It will help save MUCH energy during the actual race.
  • Make sure that you eat plenty of carbohydrates and drink a lot of water.
  • Do not do anything new on the day of the meet, like new shoes, or eat new foods. Stick with foods that you are familiar with. If you get new shoes you should get them about a week or two before the meet, just don’t get new shoes on the day of the meet as you will be unfamiliar with them.
  • Don't focus on the other competitors, this will cause intimidation and you won't be able to perform as best as you can.
  • Do some stretching on all your leg muscles, abs, back and arms. You should hold each stretch for about 5-10 seconds for each muscle about 10-15 minutes before your event starts. You don’t want to hold the stretches too long because the muscles will become spongy. Holding them for 5-10 seconds will stretch them enough to get your blood flowing and still keep the muscles elasticity. Repeat the process afterwards too.
  • Buy some racing spikes. These shoes are much lighter than regular sneakers and grip the ground better. Don't train in them though. They don't provide enough support for frequent use and wear out easily. Also, make sure to find out what size spikes the track you are racing at allows before you shop.
  • If your legs or joints are hurting you, or you have a cold always take some icy hot to relax and relieve the pain. You can also use it to help clear your breathing for a cold.
  • If you are on a team, don't worry what people are saying on the sidelines about you, it doesn't matter what your time is, just if you give it 110%!
  • Don't psych yourself out before you run. If it helps, try to think of a mantra or song, something you can have running through your head as you run to motivate you. Blanking out while you're running won't help because at the last 100m all you'll be thinking is how you can't do it.
  • If you hate the idea of running a lot before your race, get a few friends and play a game of tag! It may seem babyish and immature, but it really is a fun way to warm up without feeling like you are tiring yourself out!
  • Do not drink any carbonated beverages while in training, it will affect your performance.
  • Make sure you have proper arch support in your shoes. Not having proper support can result in injury.
  • If you are participating in a shorter distance event, lengthen your stride as much as possible and try to maintain that stride and the frequency of the strides throughout the entire race.
  • Relax. Don't worry too much about what happens during your race. Just run, throw, jump or do whatever you do. As long as you give 100% in practice, 110% in meets, and don't compete or practice when you're injured, you will improve in your event.
  • Eat some Gatorade chews about 10 minutes before your race. This will get the blood flowing and you will be more "awake" before you run!
  • If you have longer hair that gets in your eyes, wear a headband or tie your hair back as it can be irritating.
  • Make sure to run flat out on the last {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of a running event, it may just win you the race!
  • Make sure your shoes are in decent condition. Shoes should last about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}. If you can bend the width of your shoe around the toes its time for you to get new shoes. (do this without your foot in the shoe).
  • Make sure to drink plenty of water and relax. Just believe in yourself and don't think you can never do it, because you can!
  • Don't take big breaths during a race. You use a lot of your energy taking in all that oxygen and it slows you down. Take breaths that are in pattern with your feet. I'd recommend doing a pattern of breathing in from your nose twice and then from your mouth twice. This should be quick because your feet should be moving quickly.
  • Wear your uniform if you have one.
  • Don't sit down right after a run put you're hands on your head and walk around for a minute or two then drink some water.
  • If you are about to run you should stretch and warm up.

Warnings

  • Everybody has a bad meet once in a while. Keep working at it and give track a chance before you quit. Remember, that even star athlete on your team or the other team was worse than you at one point in their life.
  • Do not smoke, it ruins your lungs and you will have trouble breathing well and when you're running you will be breathing hard. If you don't inhale, the carbon monoxide will still affect you, and will stay in your body long after breathing in any kind of smoke, and it robs your body of the oxygen. It is best to not smoke, whatever sport you participate in.
  • Limit your alcohol consumption. Drinking too much isn't good for runners.

Things You'll Need

  • Running shoes
  • Proper running apparel
  • Coach
  • Baton, shot put, discus, etc. as needed
  • Energy gel (optional but recommended)

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Sources and Citations

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