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In 2020, when I was planning to run the Tokyo Marathon, I wasn’t nervous about finishing the 26.2 miles. I was nervous about the variables I couldn’t control. That included the 17-hour flight to get to Japan from the U.S., a 15-hour time difference, and the diet upheaval that come with international travel. So, I decided a practice race was in order.
With a practice race before my goal race, I could test out some of those variables and see how I would react without worrying about my goal pace.
Three weeks before hitting the starting line in Tokyo, I flew to Israel to run the Dead Sea Half Marathon. It was an eye-opening training benchmark, one that made me rethink how many days I’d need to adjust to the time change, what food I’d need to bring with me, and what new mental strategies I’d need to put into play come race day.
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Granted, the Tokyo Marathon ended up getting canceled in 2020 when I was set to run, but coaches agree that runners should have a practice race in their marathon training cycle.
“The more you can experience in races that aren’t your ‘A’ race, the more comfortable you’ll get in a race scenario, so you can be on top of your game on ‘A’ race day,” says Meghan Kennihan, a USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Western Springs, Illinois.
The Benefits of a Practice Race Before Your Goal Race
One of the biggest benefits to a practice race is the fact that you get to practice your goal race day from start to finish, says Amanda Nurse, an elite runner and running coach based in Boston.
Not only does it help you get accustomed to the adrenaline and the crowds of runners and spectators, “practice races also allow you to hone your build-up to race day,” says Kennihan. You can use a practice race to figure out what dinner works for you the night before, how much sleep you need, and what kind of prerace fuel will keep you energized but not uncomfortable.
You can also practice strategies for dealing with the anxiety, discomfort, and nervous energy that comes up on the starting line or during races. “Use practice races to try out new mental strategies, like visualizations, games, or positive mantras,” says Nurse. “Anything can happen on race day—if you’ve had practice racing, you won’t be as rocked by an unforeseen issue.”
Practice races can also serve up benchmarks for your training. For example, if you’re trying to run a four-hour marathon, you should be able to finish a half marathon in under two hours.
Whether you run a practice race at the start of your training or as a tune-up during training, “practice races will tell you how close you are to your goal pace per mile,” says Kennihan.
How to Determine the Distance of Your Practice Race
If you’re marathon training, any race distance below 26.2 could easily fit into your training. You can use a shorter race as part of a long run, which not only makes the miles pass by faster, but it can simulate how your body will feel in the second half of a marathon—especially if you run your extra miles beforehand, says Nurse. (For example, if you sign up for a half marathon and have 18 miles on your schedule, you can run the extra five miles before you get to the starting line.)
For longer races, every distance presents a different challenge, even shorter runs. “5Ks and 10Ks are great because you’re inevitably running faster than your half marathon or marathon pace and [they] act as great speed workouts,” says Nurse. But both Kennihan and Nurse recommend at least two practice half marathons for those with a goal marathon in mind. “One at half marathon pace, so you get used to a faster pace than the marathon shuffle, and one where you run your goal marathon pace so that you can hone in that and practice your hydration and nutrition,” says Kennihan.
Keep in mind, practice races are smart for shorter-distance goals, too. “If you’re training for a 5K or 10K, you can do the whole race distance but just run part of that race at your goal race pace,” says Kennihan. “You can run the first few miles as a warmup, and the last few at goal pace.” Not only does that get you comfortable with the distance, but it helps you pick up the pace where it counts—at the end of the race.
When to Run a Practice Race
Practice races can be used throughout your goal race training cycle. “At the start of your training, it’s a great idea to run a benchmark race to establish where you’re at,” says Nurse.
“The resulting time can help you or your coach establish goal paces, but it also provides a lot of insight into how you race: Did you go out really fast and hit a wall? Were you consistent but didn’t push yourself to your max? Did you get cramps that held you back? etc.” These are all elements that can inform your training.
If you’re running multiple practice races throughout your training cycle, stick to one practice race per month, says Nurse. That gives you time for up to four races in a typical marathon cycle—but remember that you’ll need time to recover properly. “A good rule of thumb is that for every race mile you run, you need one day to recover. If you race a half marathon, you should plan on needing 13 to 14 days to recover completely from that race effort,” she says.
You also want to leave enough time to recover before your goal race. “I usually have athletes run a practice race at least two weeks out from a 5K, three weeks out from a half marathon, and four weeks out from a marathon,” says Kennihan. That gives you time to taper before your race too, which is super important for that goal race victory.
