Well, here we are. A year after the world shut down and threw everything into crazy chaos. Running races were postponed, flipped to virtual and canceled altogether. Now, as we are trying to get back on our feet and make plans again, things are still unpredictable. How should you plan for what could be another unpredictable race year? Always have a plan B! This year, it can’t hurt to have A, B, and C contingency plans for your race schedule. These are different than the usual A, B, and C race goals some runners set.
How To Plan For An Unpredictable Race Year
If this past year taught us anything it was to always have a contingency plan for everything. We all quickly learned how to “pivot” to all things virtual when our races were canceled. Now that we are coming up on another race season that still has some question marks, how do we plan? Do we register for races that we are not sure are going to happen? How do we train for them? Here are a few ideas on how to implement A, B, and C contingency plans for what could be an uncertain race season.
While many races have a date posted on their websites, we know that they are not guaranteed. Many larger cities are still not issuing permits for large races yet. Places like Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and other East Coast cities have not made decisions on large races yet and have not issued permits yet.
Plan A
You are registered for a live, in person race or even have one that was deferred from last year on your schedule. You have your training plan in place and race date on the schedule. In a perfect world, everything aligns and your race goes off without a hitch. Best case scenario and fingers crossed that happens.
Plan B
Your goal race has now moved to virtual (again). Perhaps, you decide to defer again to next year so that you can run it in person on the actual course? Or, you decide you will run it virtually. How that will affect your training plan? While it would be disappointing to have this happen again, it helps to prepare and have a back up plan in place just in case.
Plan C
Your race is postponed until later in the year. This is an option that is already happening with many of the larger races. As mentioned above, races cannot happen without permits and many cities are not ready to grant them. Running a half marathon or marathon in the spring can be radically different from training for the same distance race over the summer. It is important to think about how you might train for a race that is postponed and/or whether you want to. It is okay if you don’t want to.
I wish I had all the answers to these questions! Nevertheless, hope I gave you something to think about as you start to plan your year of racing in a year that is still unpredictable. What will your contingency plan be?
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A very timely post, Deborah!
My plan B for my upcoming ultra would have been to run a shorter distance virtually. I even had the route mapped out.
But fortunately, I can stick to plan A for this race. It’s my first in-person race since March 2020.
I think it’s great that you had a plan B in place. Have a fantastic time this weekend
I haven’t signed up for any races because things are still so up in the air. I am hopeful that fall races will be happening but I figure I still have some time to wait and see on that. I’m glad I’m not signed up for anything this spring since it seems like races around here right now are just not guaranteed!
They are definitely still up in the air and it’s stressful to sign up and then not know if they are going to happen
2020 was all about Plans A, B, and C…and I also had to add in Plan D (biking) when the stress fracture entered the scene. Looking back, it was a good exercise in being flexibility and keeping an open mind and positive attitude. And, we survived it!
Yes we did survive it. This year is still going to need to have some contingency plans for big races
This is exactly what I used to do when I started running. It helped me feel successful even if I had a bad race.
I have changed my priorities as I’ve aged and with the Pandemic. I am grateful to run and goals are not as important.
In my mind, C is always finish uninjured and A is a PR. But I don’t post them or focus on them.
Yes, I used to make my run goals around finish times when I first started years ago. Now, I too just want to finish uninjured.
“Always have a Plan B” became my motto when i had kids (“Oh, the library’s closed? Luckily it’s right next to the park!”) so I feel like I’ve been training for pandemic life for 18 years! I don’t have any races scheduled yet but I’m starting to think about it. Should be an interesting year!
It sure did help to have a Plan B with little kids! It will be an interesting year for sure
So far all my races have been postponed until later in the year. I did finally sign up for a race that is scheduled at the end of May. It’s a trail half marathon, and a smaller race so I’m hopeful that it will go on as planned.
I hope so for you as well! Mine are all later in the fall now fingers crossed
I don’t anticipate running any in-person races this year, but definitely agree that it’s best to have a few different plans in your back pocket in case race plans change!
I agree and I don’t think I will actually have a real race until September
I have no races scheduled. I’m not sure that I will have any scheduled for this year — I don’t want to race badly enough to put up with the necessary health precautions. Never say never, though.
I always like to have more than a Plan A, because racing is fickle no matter what!
Racing is always fickle and unpredictable. I am not ready to deal with all of the extra precautions right now so I am going to wait until fall
As I mentioned on Sunday, my strategy for my April 17th live 5K is to enter the race injury-free and to have fun. If it happens to be changed to virtual or postponed, my plan will remain the same for whenever or wherever I run it. Having such a basic plan will hopefully keep me from being frustrated if it does get changed. It’s not like I’ll be peaking just in time for the race like in the old days. LOL
Yes it will help you reach your goals no matter what which is really the goal right?!
This year has taught me all about patience and flexibility and so much grace. I think it’s great to have all the contingency plans, so you’re always prepared.
Ha well, I don’t know about that! I sure like to try to be
I feel like i’ve experienced ALL the scenarios you presented. I won’t sign up for any more virtual races, but if a live race has to move to that option, then yeah…
Yes, I think we have all experienced all of these scenarios this year I am just trying to figure out how to plan and train for them the next few months
I’m optimistic about fall races! I have an A race in place, although I’m keeping my eyes out for a local marathon just in case grad school is busy that weekend. Plus traveling for a race with a toddler sounds intimidating! If Covid is still bad, I’ll probably try to run some sort of long distance just around town.
I am hopeful that my fall races go off as well! it is the training in the summertime that I am not excited for