This sections is aimed to help you to help get organized and relax just before that race you have been training for and to get maximum out of all that hard training that you have put in.
Race Week
- Get plenty of sleep during the whole week
- Training is over and this week and is dedicated to recovering from all that hard training you have done. By training hard and long in this week you’ll only use up the energy that you need during the race and also your body won’t be able to recover and get stronger for the D-day. Do only a few sessions with long warm up and cool- down with a few intervals at the race pace with plenty of recovering. When preparing for a long race then complete rest might be just what your body needs
- One day before a short race do a short session or two with duration only about 20-30 minutes, start with 10 minutes warm up, followed by 4x1minute intervals of race pace effort with plenty of recovery followed by cool-down.
Race Day
- Get up early enough so you can have a breakfast at least 2 hour before the race (porridge, brown toast with jam or honey, banana are perfect for those short races; poached egg, apple, bacon could be added to provide supply of energy for a longer period of time)
- Make sure that you arrive at the race location early so you have got time to setup your transition area (it’s a good idea, when the transition area gets a little bit fuller, to do a mock transition – run in, from the swim entry, find you bike, put on the helmet and push bike towards the exit).
- Adequate warm-up is essential for you to perform at your best. For the sprint races about an hour of very easy activity with a few fast 30 second bursts with plenty of recovery in-between.
- Race day checklist
- Bike (plus a foot pump top up the pressure in the tires before the race)
- Helmet (no helmet no race)
- Bike shoes
- Tri suit (alternatively swim suit plus a top for your bike and sections)
- Number belt (safety pins if you not using one)
- Running shoes (plus sock for longer races and a talcum powder so your wet foot can slide in easily)
- Goggles
- Swim hat (if not provided by organizers, also if the water is very cold you might need a couple)
- Water bottles
- Nutrition
- Towel
- Warm clothing for those cold mornings a keeping warm after the race
- Warm hat
