Your race is this weekend. The training is done, and now it's all about protecting the investment you've made and showing up ready to execute.

In this episode, Coach Brad walks through six things every runner should hear before toeing the line — from how to handle pre-race nerves and the "nothing new on race day" rule, to why the night before the night before the race is the one that really counts for your sleep.

Whether it's your first 5K or your 10th marathon, this episode is designed to be your race weekend companion. Listen on the drive, on the flight, or the night before when you need to settle in and get your head right.

• Why whatever fitness you have right now is the fitness you'll race with — and why that's good news
• How to handle the fact that your training wasn't "perfect" (no one's is)
• When it's smart to DNS — and when nerves are just nerves
• The golden rule of racing and why the expo is a trap
• Why the first mile of a race is where most runners sabotage themselves
• The two-night-before sleep strategy that takes the pressure off race eve
• How to eliminate decisions on race morning so you arrive calm and ready
• Picking a mental mantra that actually works when the wheels start to wobble
• Why something will go wrong on race day — and why that's okay
• The research on smiling during a race (and why it matters even if you ignore the science)

1. Fitness is cumulative. You can't cram for a race. The adaptations that'll carry you to the finish line are already in your body. Trust them.
2. Nothing new on race day. No new shoes, no new gels, no new breakfast, no new pacing strategy. Race day is execution, not experimentation.
3. Prioritize sleep two nights before the race. Nobody sleeps well the night before. The night before that is the one that counts.
4. Eliminate decisions the night before. Lay out your gear, pin your bib, set multiple alarms, and know your logistics cold.
5. Build your mental toolkit in advance. A few rehearsed mantras and the expectation that something will go wrong will serve you far better than hoping for a perfect race.
6. Enjoy it. You earned this. The clock isn't the only way to measure what you did out there.

00:00 - Your Race Weekend Companion

01:45 - Tip #1: Trust Your Training

05:22 - Tip #2: Nothing New on Race Day

08:10 - Tip #3: The Two-Night-Before Sleep Strategy

10:14 - Tip #4: Lock In Your Race Morning Logistics

12:56 - Tip #5: Build Your Mental Game Plan

16:38 - Tip #6: Enjoy It — You Earned This

18:40 - Recap: The Six Tips

19:48 - Final Thoughts & What's Next

• Brick, McElhinney & Metcalfe (2018) - The effects of facial expression and relaxation cues on movement economy, physiological, and perceptual responses during running (Psychology of Sport and Exercise)

• Website & app waiting list: vmax.run
• Instagram: @vmax.running

Thanks for listening! If this episode helped you head into race weekend with a little more confidence, please leave a review and share it with a running friend who's got a race coming up. Go get it out there — and let us know how it went.