Preparing for a Mile Time Trial!

Trail Roots runners are getting prepared for a fun 1 mile time trial this week, and we thought this would be a good opportunity to share some thoughts on how to prepare for a time trial!

Up to this point you likely have been doing shorter and faster workouts over the past few months, and now it is time to see if it did any good! Well of course it did some good! Now you can test it out on the track and see where you’re at.

Here are a few tips to prepare the week leading up to a time trial. Remember physical and mental preparation are equally important.

1) dial back the intensity of the workouts this week leading up to the time trial. Envision it as a race, but with much less hooplah. Focus on speed, but keep the workouts short and the recovery should be very easy and walking is ok!

2) Get decent sleep if you’re able. If not, then don’t let it keep you from going out there and giving it your best. I’ve had my best workouts and races on nights after I was up all night playing around during college (although most of us aren’t in college now, so I’d still recommend the rest)

3) Use a lighter pair of shoes such as a racing flat for the time trial. Give yourself an advantage!

4) Remember that this is all for fun, and something you enjoy. Yeah its gonna hurt for a bit, but you’ve been training, and know that suffering for a bit has its rewards.

5) Focus on the things you can control. Think about how you can feel confident going into the run. Use any solid past workouts to help build your confidence, but don’t use past workouts to bring you down or add doubt.

6) Do you normal warm up, drills. When the mile starts, its ok to get out quick, but reign it in around 200 meters or fairly early on in the race. Be patient and wait until you get through 1k to step on the gas. The race is all in the last half! Finish the last 200 meters with power. When your legs start going dead, drive your arms and keep pushing!

You’re gonna do great! We look forward to hearing how it goes!