Shakeout runs: the pre-race warm-up ritual goes plural

Pre-race activation, shakeout, warm-up jog: call it whatever you like, including the anglicism “shakeout run”, which literally means “the run that shakes things out” (quite a programme!). Whatever name you give the session, it refers to an easy pre-race run scheduled either 48 or 24 hours before an event, or even immediately before the start. This session, usually short (20 to 40 minutes), is primarily designed to activate the muscles and sharpen the mind. When it takes place the day before or two days before race day, it also serves as a way to loosen up (especially after several hours of travel to reach the race venue, for example) and as an intensity primer if you add a few faster efforts. The payoff: improved circulation, relaxed muscles, a hit of endorphins (useful for easing pre-race nerves) and a calmer mind.

A growing trend: the group shakeout run

Many races now offer group sessions on the day before the event, sometimes led by an elite athlete. Of course, these events have an obvious marketing angle, encouraging participants to post on social media as they run alongside a familiar name. But they also offer genuine benefits.

➜ Building community and solidarity: Gathering around a leader gives runners a shared goal and a sense of belonging. The result is a motivational boost and an extra desire to run.

➜ Picking up useful advice: Talking with fellow competitors and with athletes who often know the race they are representing inside out can yield valuable information and ideas you might not have considered on your own.

➜ Feeling reassured: Running in a group can build confidence as you realise you are perfectly capable of keeping up with the others. Talking about the race, your preparation and your worries can also help take the edge off your nerves.

➜ Spotting the course: When the shakeout run takes place on part of the race route, it gives you a chance to get your bearings and soak up the atmosphere. In a group, you look around, talk it over and put things into perspective. Once again, it helps defuse the nerves and preserves your energy for what matters: running your best on race day.

Don’t let a group shakeout run shake you up too much

A shared warm-up can offer real benefits, but it should still be approached with care and perspective. The last thing you want is to tire yourself out before the race or absorb everyone else’s nerves!

➜ Your shakeout run should feel easy: The general advice is to run for around 30 minutes at low intensity, keeping things very easy and avoiding any fatigue. You can add a few faster efforts at the end (20 to 30 seconds, up to two minutes at a stronger pace) as a brief intensity primer, but without dipping into your reserves, of course. The intensity should match your level of running experience.

➜ The shakeout run should match your experience and your usual routine: If you have never done this kind of pre-race warm-up and are worried about tiring yourself out, simply go for a brisk 30-minute walk. You can introduce an easy jog next time, once you have understood that running slowly does not create harmful fatigue. Feeling calm and confident on the start line matters.

➜ If you are particularly sensitive to other people’s emotions: You may want to avoid running in a group before a race. It would be a shame to let someone else’s nerves rub off on you…

The shakeout run can be useful, even essential, for getting into race mode both physically and mentally. In a group, it offers genuine benefits, mainly on the mental and social side. It is up to each runner to decide whether the community aspect provides reassurance and useful input for their race strategy, or whether they perform better with some time alone.

✓ The marathon calendar