You will line up, the clock will start, and every cell in your body will want to chase the person in front of you. Don't. Here's the short, honest version of what I coach every first-timer in their last session before race day.
Know your number before the gun
Before you race, you should know one number cold: your target 1km pace. Not your 5k pace. Not your PB. The pace you can hold eight times, with 8 stations wedged between them. At Banzer we arrive at this number with a 4k test and a ruthless haircut.
The first kilometre is the trap
You're fresh. The crowd is loud. You will run 20 seconds per kilometre faster than you should. Every first-timer does. Build in a 'brake' — a landmark or split where you consciously slow to target pace.
If your first kilometre doesn't feel a little too easy, you're already losing time you can't get back.
Station economy > station speed
The athletes who finish strong aren't the ones who sprint through wall balls. They're the ones who don't stop. Pick a break cadence you can repeat — 30/30/20/20 for wall balls is a good default — and hold it when it stops feeling polite.
Trust the taper
Race week you'll feel slow, heavy and certain that all your fitness has vanished. This is normal. Everyone feels this. The taper is working.
Train with us
Bring this into a real session.