The Final Preparation Before Your Event

1. Reduce Your Training

The week before your long-distance event you should greatly decrease the amount of training you are doing. If you are following our TrekFest training guide then you’ll be reducing the amount of walking or running the week before the challenge. Get in shorter walks or runs of 30 – 60 minutes, every other day. You want to stay limber, but avoid muscle fatigue (no steep hills please!).

No amount of training in the lead up to the challenge will significantly boost your performance. It is more important that your muscles are well rested before taking on your challenge.

2. Fuel Your Body

Make sure your body has all the fuel it needs to take on your challenge. In the 2-4 days before TrekFest or your long-distance event, up your carbohydrate intake by eating plenty of foods such as porridge, rice, and potatoes. But try not to deviate too much from your normal diet – and no last-minute dieting, your body needs to be well fuelled!

Don’t overload yourself with high-fat content foods such as cheesy lasagne, pizza or chocolate as these will make you feel sluggish and your body will find it difficult to digest such foods.

3. Check Your Kit List

Go over your kit list the week before your event (your TrekFest Kit List can be found in the participant area of our website). Make sure you have everything you need, so you don’t have a last-minute panic before the event.

Lay out your kit and practice packing your rucksack in the week leading up to your long-distance trek.

4. Plan Your Travel To The Event

Allow more time than you think – remember there may be hundreds or thousands of people taking part in the same event.

Try to car share where possible and finalize plans and time schedules early on in the week. If you’re meeting people at the event then make sure you have prearranged a location and time – and that your mobile phone has plenty of battery to contact them if needed.

5. Sleep Well

Make sure you get plenty of sleep the week before the event. It’s so important to make sure your body is well rested; your body rebuilds and restores your muscles when you’re sleeping – so important to get enough Z’s in!

You might not sleep well the night before the event due to nerves – but don’t panic, as long as you’ve had plenty of sleep in the days before the event, you’ll be absolutely fine.

6. Don’t Try Anything New

Don’t try anything new the week before your event! Stick to what you know, and avoid trying new foods, new energy drinks or new footwear!

7. Keep Hydrated

Keep hydrated in the lead up to your challenge! Sip water little and often and keep an eye on the colour of your wee! Also avoid alcohol and high-caffeinated energy drinks in the few days before your event, as these will ultimately dehydrate you.

8. Rest

The week leading up to your event is not the time to head to the trampoline park or start a new project in your house. Try and put your feet up as much as possible in between your training walks/runs.

9. Read Your Event Instructions

Make sure you know where you need to be and when; what time registration is, when your event starts and any specific event rules that there might be. If you’re taking part in TrekFest 2019, then you’ll be sent your final instructions the week leading up to the challenge!

10. Keep Positive

Remember everyone is in this together and will be having the same worries and pre-event concerns that you do! If you’re taking part in TrekFest then make sure you have joined our dedicated Facebook Group for our TrekFest participants, so you can discuss any last-minute concerns with your fellow trekkers! Remember to keep positive – you’ve already done all the hard work!