With many things in life, hard work and thoughtful, thorough preparation typically result in positive outcomes. When it comes to running however, the most incredible training cycles don’t always culminate in a perfect race or a coveted personal best time. It doesn’t seem fair, I know. We can train and train, prepare and prepare, cross every “t” and dot every “i,” and we’re not guaranteed an incredible result. Even with the best marathon strategy, race day brings unknowns: weather, stomach issues, cramping, falls, electrolyte imbalances. Our focus shouldn’t be on executing a perfect race, but rather, running the best race we can on the day we are given.

As a long distance runner and marathon coach, running partners and athletes I work with often want to talk about race day strategy. How should I run this race? How can I beat this course? What should my pace look like mile by mile? Everyone is eager to develop the perfect race day plan … a strategic road map that will be the silver bullet for success. I want that perfect strategy carefully crafted as well. The problem is, running rarely works that way in reality. Very infrequently do races go exactly according to our best laid plans. The ability to adjust to adversity, remain calm under pressure and be flexible when unexpected factors arise or circumstances change is how we run our best race and have our best day.

Am I saying having a race strategy is not important? No. Of course not. But we should all realize that things can change in an instant on race day. If we aren’t mentally prepared to be flexible and ready for challenges, our intended strategy can discombobulate our brains which can, in turn, unravel our bodies.

READ: Tips for First Time Marathoners

One way to prepare for a goal race mentally and physically and to create your best marathon strategy is running a mid-season tune-up race as a strategic training run. If your goal race is a marathon, this would be a half marathon. If you’re running a half marathon, it would be a 10K. Scheduling a tune-up race on one of your drop-back weeks about a month and a half to two months out from race day is a great way to:

• Assess your current fitness level
• Practice your nutrition and hydration strategies
• Test race day apparel and shoes
• Test pacing strategies on tired legs without a taper
• Learn to feel your desired race pace (and what running faster and slower than that feels like)
• Build confidence for race day

Here are three ways to tackle a mid-season half marathon to help you craft your best marathon strategy for race day:

• Run a half marathon fitness test, gradually increasing your pace: Run the first three to four miles about 15 to 30 seconds slower than your goal half marathon pace. This should feel comfortable and slightly conservative. Your body should be relaxed and your mind at ease. Next, gradually transition to your goal pace, or a goal range within 5 to 10 seconds. If you are feeling good at mile 9, increase your pace by 5 to 15 seconds per mile for the remainder of the race so you can run a “fast finish.” If you are not feeling good, focus on maintaining your current pace for the remainder of the race.
• Run marathon pace on tired legs: Use a half marathon tune-up race to test your goal marathon pace on tired legs. After several consecutive weeks of hard training and long weekend runs in preparation for your goal marathon, drop back your weekly mileage by running a half marathon as your long run without a taper. Target your goal marathon pace, not your half marathon pace, for the entire run. Try to run consistently, experiencing what this pace truly feels like for race day. You may find that it feels too easy, which means you will be able to accelerate the second half, or you may feel that it is harder than you anticipated, requiring more focus during the remainder of your training cycle on strategic speed and strength work, tempo or marathon-paced runs and long runs with specific pacing strategies.
• Run by feel: Ditch all the strategy, including your watch, and simply run by feel. You can use the principles of starting slightly easy, then gradually picking up the pace throughout the race. You should set your pace strictly on how your body feels and how it is responding to the miles and conditions. This will require you to really dial into your mind and body and will give you valuable post-race data on where you are at and where you may need to improve.

READ: Race Day Strategy for Tackling Tangents

Almost any conversation you’ll hear about the best marathon strategy includes two little words: negative split. Runners and coaches often talk about a negative split like it is a simple thing to do, but it can be extraordinarily challenging, especially for runners just starting out. A negative split is when a runner runs the second half of a race faster than the first half. A negative split is great, but it’s not the only strategy, and it’s not the only measure of success. Some races will have serious hills on the second half you can’t possibly run as fast as you did on earlier flat or downhill sections. Running 26.2 miles beats the crap out of you, and sometimes you simply can’t go a single second per mile faster after mile 20 (no matter how conservatively you may have started out). Success is measured in so many ways. There is something to be said for going through a dark, challenging spot in the middle of a race where your pace slowed drastically but you mentally pulled yourself back out to get to the finish line. There is success in not giving up when that would have been the easier option. There is victory in choosing to keep running when you’d rather walk.

There are numerous ways to tackle training plans, mid-season tune-up races and race day strategy. Every runner often needs something a little different. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the best marathon strategy. With enough time and practice, you will discover what works best for you. Working with an experienced coach who can help guide you through the process can be an invaluable tool.

Tell me how you tackle race day strategy. Do you typically run a mid-training tune-up race?