Overview & Thoughts
In preparation for your big race day, I wanted to provide some key tips I’ve learned over the past several years both racing and coaching many different athletes of different abilities. I have found these tips will help make your upcoming race both more successful but also more enjoyable.
Tip #1: Hydrate Well
I’m a true believer in hydration. As an athlete, you should have a goal to be drinking at a minimum of 2 liters of water a day – even up to 3 liters a day as you get closer to your event. In addition to water and hydration, I believe the right mineral mix and electrolytes balance is critical. I’m a big believer in CMD mineral drops (introduced to me by Aaron Perry from Peak Strength), in addition to supplemental electrolytes. As you prepare for race day, you want your electrolyte and mineral levels to be saturated this will help every little brain function, muscle twitch, and feel good vibe on race day.
Tip #2 Rest, Rest, and more Rest
Easier said than done, but try to limit distractions this close to a big event you have probably prepared for a good 12 months, its ok to say NO to social engagements, going to bed at a reasonable hour! I’ve always found between 9pm and 10pm is optimal to get that 8hrs of sleep that can be of great benefit before the nerves start kicking in, you get a little bit more energy brewing once you start your formal taper, make the most of sleep 2 weeks out and try to stretch more, read a book more at night and limit environments that create unnecessary stress.
Tip #3 Eat real food – no Alcohol, and limit coffee
Your body is a ball of nervous energy a week and a half out and your nerves are super hypersensitive to stimulants that sometimes you simply use to deal with a stressful day. Cut out alcohol all together if you can, it dehydrates you and doesn’t allow you to optimise your sleep, cut back on coffee it winds you up and doesn’t allow you to feel where your natural energy levels are at daily, and flag the takeaways, eat real food, limited processed food and make sure you have your race day nutrition well sorted out by now.
Tip #4 Lay of the test/panic training
We all do it, including myself, but any training from about Wednesday to race day should be done at an aerobic level. If you need to deal with nerves address core work, stretching and glute activation to keep hip mobility and alignment of body optimal but lay off the threshold training where your heart rate is over 150bpm, not necessary!
Remember every match you burn this or next week, is a match that won’t be there to use come race day next weekend and we all only have a certain amount of matches to burn on race day, so save the fire for then!!!
Tip #5 Daily monitoring
Set yourself a daily goal of checking
Your hydration levels (color of your pee when you wake, clear is good, yellow or darker means hydrate)!
Check your heart rate variability daily, if your RHR is 5-10 beats higher than normal ask yourself why?
Start getting on top of good habit this week and bottle that super next level race day energy well next week!