[Editor's Note: The global COVID-19 pandemic has irreparably changed the fabric of our daily lives. And this includes all things related to triathlon—especially racing and competition. While both professional and amateur triathlon races have ceased for the time being, they will return at some point in the future. With that in mind, we present to you this particular blog post with hope in our society's ability to overcome all of life's challenges, as well as optimism that we will emerge from this challenge stronger after having been reforged in the crucible of shared struggle. Racing will return.]
We’re partnering with a few members of the Every Man Jack triathlon team to bring you a new informative series on getting into multi-sport racing, building a training plan, and balancing your athletic goals with everything else going on in your life. This edition comes courtesy of Ben Fuqua.
Race morning can be a stressful time. When I think about all of the mistakes and needless stress I’ve caused myself on race mornings over the years, I can clearly see some areas of improvement. Hopefully my advice can help make race morning better for any triathlete.
My first suggestion is to make race morning a time when you do the smallest amount of thinking. Likewise, you’ll want to keep preparations on race morning as minimal as possible. This means getting everything ready ahead of time, as best as you can. I like to take some extend time in the afternoon before race day to prepare things like all of my bottles and nutrition. I then put all of my bottles inside the refrigerator so I can grab them all at once on race day morning. Make sure your bike is also race-ready, get your transition bag packed, and set out your breakfast for the morning so that it can be quickly prepared and eaten. If I can get as much prepped, set out, and rehearsed as possible during the afternoon before race day, it makes the night night before (and the morning of) race day so much easier.
On race morning, I try to wake up 15-to-20 minutes earlier than I think I need, just because something always seems to take longer in the morning than I expected. I wake up, eat my breakfast, then begin to get ready. I start by putting on my race kit, then attach my timing chip to my ankle, and gather my bags and bottles that are already prepped and ready to go.
Typically, something will always go wrong, or you’ll forget something. But that’s okay! You’ve just got to forge ahead and focus on the day’s performance. I recommend keeping a few essential items in your transition bag, just in case you end up needing them at the last minute. Some of the things I always have with me in my bag are electrical tape, an extra inner tube and CO2 cartridge or inflator, zip ties, extra nutrition gels, an extra water bottle, a set of Allen wrenches, a small towel, and wet wipes. I’ve learned that making race morning the easiest I can for myself by doing the prep and over-thinking the afternoon before helps the whole experience of racing more enjoyable. Race morning should be something that gives you energy and excitement, not something that stresses you out.
The time of year is fast approaching when many athletes will fly to their annual target events. When competing at a major event, it's important to arrive not only physically prepared, but also psychologically calm and critical to achieving this mental state, is to arrive at the race hotel or host-housing with your equipment intact.
Before delving into the specifics of Ironman training, it is important to understand the scientific principles behind the training process. The key principles of training fall into three major categories: specificity, progressive overload, and periodization.
Track racing is one of the most dynamic and fast-paced disciplines in cycling. With various event formats and styles of racing, it's important to have a guide to understanding track cycling.