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10K Race Day Checklist: Pack, Fuel and Pace 6.2 Miles

A 10K is 6.2 miles, twice a 5K (race distances in miles). The median finish time is about an hour, which puts it in an awkward middle: long enough that a bad pacing plan catches up with you, short enough that most runners don’t need to eat during it. This checklist covers the night before through the finish. Tick items as you go; your ticks stay on this device.

The week before

• Confirm the start time, start location and packet pickup hours on the race page
• Plan the trip and parking. Many 10Ks share a start with a 5K or half marathon, so expect crowds
• Look at the course map and elevation, and note where the water stations are (most 10Ks have one or two)
• Keep your last hard workout four or five days out, then run easy
• Decide on a goal pace from a recent race or workout. The table below converts finish times to pace

The night before

• Pick up your packet if pickup is before race day
• Pin your bib to the front of your shirt with a safety pin in each corner, without folding or covering a timing chip on the back
• Lay out shoes, socks, shorts or tights, shirt, sports bra, hat, watch and any gel you plan to carry
• Charge your watch and phone
• Eat a normal dinner with a good share of carbohydrate (pasta, rice, potatoes), nothing new and nothing very rich
• Set two alarms

Race morning

• Eat a familiar breakfast two to three hours before the start: oatmeal, a bagel, toast with peanut butter, a banana
• Drink a glass or two of water early, about 12 to 16 ounces for a 155-pound runner, in line with the American College of Sports Medicine’s 5 to 7 milliliters per kilogram at least four hours before exercise (ACSM position stand on fluid replacement)
• Have your usual coffee. Caffeine has a well-studied performance effect, but race day isn’t the day to try more than you’re used to
• Use the bathroom before you leave
• Arrive 45 to 60 minutes before the start

What to bring

• Bib, already pinned, plus spare safety pins
• Timing chip, if it isn’t on the bib
• Shoes you’ve done long runs in
• A layer to shed at the start (an old sweatshirt you won’t miss, or a jacket for a friend to hold)
• Water bottle for before the start
• One gel, if you expect to be out longer than about 75 minutes
• Anti-chafe balm for thighs, underarms and sports bra or waistband lines
• Phone, ID, a card and your key
• Sunscreen and sunglasses, or gloves and a hat
• A dry shirt, a warm layer and a snack for after

At the start

• Bathroom line first, before the last-20-minute rush
• Warm up with 10 to 15 minutes of easy jogging, a few leg swings, and three or four 20-second strides at race pace
• Finish the warm-up 10 to 15 minutes before the gun and walk to your place in the start
• Line up with runners of your pace. Pace signs or corral letters show where
• Start your watch as you cross the mat

During the race: pace 6.2 miles in thirds

Split the race into three pieces of about two miles each:

• Miles 1 and 2: controlled. Run goal pace or a few seconds slower. Going out fast costs more in a 10K than in a 5K, because there’s more race left to slow down in
• Miles 3 and 4: steady. This is the hardest part, when the excitement has worn off and the finish is still far away. Hold the effort and focus on the runner ahead
• Mile 5 to the finish: race. If you have something left at mile 5, pick it up gradually, and empty the tank over the last 0.2 miles

On fuel and fluids: guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine call for no carbohydrate in efforts under 45 minutes and only small amounts in efforts of 45 to 75 minutes (ACSM nutrition and athletic performance). For most 10K runners, that means water at the aid stations and nothing more. If you’ll be out longer than 75 minutes, take a gel or a few sips of sports drink around mile 3.

After you finish

• Keep walking for five to 10 minutes
• Drink water, and eat something with carbohydrate and protein within a couple of hours
• Change into a dry shirt if it’s cold
• Check your chip time in the results
• Take an easy day or two before your next hard run

Moving up from a 5K

If your last race was a 5K, three things change at 6.2 miles: the warm-up can stay easy, since you start at a slower pace; the first mile matters even more, because there’s twice as much race to pay for a fast start in; and you’ll want to look at the course map ahead of time so you know where the water is. Everything else on the 5K race day checklist still applies.

Going longer? The 15K race day checklist is where fueling during the race starts to matter, and the half marathon checklist is the next big step.

Find your next 10K

• 10Ks by date, nationwide or in one state
• 10Ks near you, by ZIP code and driving distance
• Fast and flat races if you’re chasing a personal record
• New Year’s Day runs and Fourth of July runs, many of which add a 10K to the 5K
• Rehearsing for something longer? Spring half marathons