The Last Week

Race-Day Preparation

Seven days.

That’s what’s left between you and the start line at Willow River State Park. If you’ve been training for this, you’ve already done the hard part. What’s left now is just getting there.

The final week before a trail race doesn’t need to be complicated, but it’s worth being intentional about it. Here’s how to think about it.

Run less, not more.

This is not the week to squeeze in a long run you feel like you missed. Pull back. Keep the legs moving with a few easy, short efforts, but let the body absorb everything you’ve put into it. Fatigue accumulated over weeks doesn’t disappear overnight, but it does get manageable with a little rest.

Eat normally.

Unless you have a tried-and-true carb-loading strategy, don’t start experimenting now. Eat the foods you know. Stay hydrated. Avoid anything new the night before. Race morning nerves are already a variable — your gut doesn’t need to be one too.

Check your gear.

Lay it all out. Shoes, socks, shorts, shirt, hat, sunglasses, watch, water bottle, or vest. Anything you plan to eat or drink on the course. Make sure it’s all clean, charged, and ready before Saturday. Waking up Friday night to hunt for a bottle cap is not the pre-race experience you’re going for.

Know your start time.

20-milers go at 7:00 am. 10-milers go at 8:00 am. Plan to arrive early enough to park, settle in, and take a breath before the pre-race briefing. The park is five miles north of Hudson — factor that into your morning.

Check your inbox.

A note from the race director will be landing in your email before race day with any final details, course notes, or last-minute information. Don’t miss it. It’s the kind of stuff that’s worth knowing before you’re standing in the parking lot wondering about it.

And then, get out of your own head.

The week before a race has a way of making every small thing feel significant. A tight hamstring. A weird night of sleep. A day when you feel flat. This is all normal. None of it is a reliable indicator of how Saturday is going to go.

You signed up for this. The trail is going to be exactly what it is — grass and gravel, hills and open sky, and 10 or 20 miles through one of the better pieces of park in western Wisconsin. Show up ready to move through it.

See you out there.