I have my last events of 2025 coming up, so I thought I would go through how you can show up ready for them.

So, if you have a big event coming up, a Race? Hyrox? Spartan? Local charity challenge?

Or maybe you’ve signed up for something slightly terrifying after a glass of wine or peer pressure from your gym mates (we’ve all been there).

Either way — event prep is part strategy, part mindset, part “don’t panic”.

Here’s how to get yourself ready without melting into a ball of stress goo or doing that classic mistake: overtraining right before you actually need to perform.

Don’t cram — taper smart

There’s always someone who panics two weeks before the race and decides NOW is the time to add extra runs, extra miles, extra classes, extra everything.

This is the equivalent of binge studying an hour before an exam.

Your body needs to absorb the work, not collect random bruises and DOMS like Sonic does gold rings.

A good taper includes:

• Slight reduction in volume
• Keeping intensity sharp
• Staying mobile
• Sleeping more
• Reducing overall stress

You want to arrive on event day fresh.

Not broken.

I have in the past done both, and I can safely say the former is the better one.

Fuel like you actually care about your performance

You don’t need to carb-load with pasta like it’s lockdown again.

But you DO need to:

• Eat enough calories
• Eat enough carbs around training
• Hydrate well
• Avoid spicy food experiments the night before
• Think: steady, predictable, digestible food

Eat normally, just with purpose.

Think:

• Oats + fruit + yoghurt
• Rice + chicken + veg
• Wraps
• Potatoes
• Smoothies
• Snacks you’ve tested

Avoid the unknown and the potential of a gut disaster on the day.

Check your kit BEFORE race morning

Checklist time:

• Trainers
• Socks (no holes)
• Clothes you know are comfortable
• Hydration
• Nutrition
• Tape (if you feel the need to be held together like a Blue Peter Project)
• Spare top
• Charger
• Don’t forget Vaseline. Trust me, no one likes chaffing on those long runs.

Do NOT decide to try new shoes.
Do NOT try new gels.
Do NOT try anything new.

Event day = familiarity.

Your gut, your feet, and your sanity will thank you.

Know the route/stations/format

For Hyrox, OCR, or any conditioning event — understanding the order of stations, where you’ll be most gassed, and how to pace yourself is half the game.

For example:

• The sleds will take your soul
• Burpee broad jumps will humble you
• Wall balls will make you question every life choice
• And running with compromised legs always feels like Bambi on ice.

Prepare your brain for the chaos.

Familiarity lowers stress.

Control the controllables

• Sleep
• Food
• Hydration
• Mobility
• Stress reduction
• Pacing
• Warm-up routine
• Positive self-talk

The rest?

Weather / other competitors / the playlist / the venue — ignore, you have absolutely no influence over these, so don’t waste any energy on them.

Focus on what’s yours.

After the event: recover like a legend

Ideally, you don’t finish your event and immediately vanish into the pub clutching a beer and saying, “My body will be fine”. However, this has become a bit of a Fox Den staple.

However, ideally you will

• Refuel first.
• Protein + carbs.
• Hydrate
• Walk around.
• Shower

Then celebrate.

The post-race pizza, burger, wrap, or whatever you fancy will taste 35% better after you’ve given your body what it needs.

Final thought

The goal of event prep isn’t to show up heroic or invincible.

The goal is to show up ready.

Not knackered.

Not stressed.

Not held together with caffeine and vibes. Unless, of course, this is how you have trained.

You want to be

• Prepared
• Confident
• Calm
• Capable

And ideally… excited.

Your training got you here.

Your prep gets you through it.