Pre-Race Shake-Out Run: 20-Minute Easy Freshen-Up Session

Session Overview

The shake-out run is one of the most underused tools in triathlon preparation. Done the day before a race, this gentle 20-minute jog flushes lactic acid from stale legs, keeps your neuromuscular system primed, and settles pre-race nerves — without costing a single watt of race-day energy. The brief strides at the end fire up your fast-twitch fibres so you don’t feel flat on the start line.

What You’ll Need

• Road, path, or light trail (flat preferred)
• Your race-day running shoes (great opportunity to confirm fit)
• GPS watch or phone
• Water (optional — this is short enough to skip it)

Warm-Up

No formal warm-up needed — the session itself starts at warm-up effort. Begin walking for 2–3 minutes, then ease into a gentle jog.

Main Set

Short, low-stress, and purposeful. The strides at the end are the most important part — don’t skip them.

• 15 minutes at easy conversational pace — RPE 2–3, Zone 1–2 (below 65% max HR). If in doubt, go slower.
• 4 × 15-second strides at 70% effort — a smooth, controlled acceleration to near-race pace. 45 seconds of easy jog or walk between each.
• 3 minutes easy walking to close.

Cool-Down (5 minutes)

Light ankle circles (10 each direction), standing calf stretch, and a 30-second hip flexor lunge each side. Keep it brief — you’ll stretch properly after the race tomorrow.

Coaching Notes

• This run should leave your legs feeling better than when you started. If it doesn’t, you went too hard — keep it honest.
• Do this the morning before your race, ideally at least 18 hours before the start gun.
• If you’ve travelled to the race venue, use this as an opportunity to jog the run course or transition area to build familiarity.
• Beginners: skip the strides entirely and just run 15–20 minutes very easy. The benefit is in moving the legs, not adding intensity.