The importance of having a race plan
The training has been done and now it's race day. Whether it is your "A" race and you are looking for a specific time, or a "B" race or a "C" race, I find it useful to discuss with my athletes the plan for the race. This can help focus the mind and break the race down into bite size chunks, rather than going out and just trying to "hang on" for the remainder of the race.
What makes up a Race Day plan? This can be broken down into four sections
- The logistics of the race day
- The race itself
- The nutrition plan
- Mental strategies
The logistics of the race day
Apart from executing a well-structured training plan that prepares you for the race, arriving on the start line calm and focused is a key element of having a successful race. Therefore ensure you are fully familiar with the practicalities of bag pick up timings and locations, parking, access to the venue, bag drops etc, and don’t leave everything to the last minute. Know the course! Whilst this might sound obvious, I was spectating at a triathlon recently where numerous athletes ran up to me asking directions for the run course. It is fundamentally the athlete’s responsibility to know the course and the number of laps. These are normally clearly laid out in pre-race emails and at the venue itself. Typically, there are large maps placed at registration so take the time to study them and read the race briefs - they are normally very good. Don’t rely on volunteers and marshals as they may not have much of a clue. A good technique is to have checklists for all of your gear. This helps to have a structure around race preparation and destress. Tip: always keep a spare race belt in your kit bag. [Check out our race checklist].
The race Itself
So rather than just cross the start line and hope for the best, discuss with your coach a race plan. Hope is never a good strategy! For a 10km road race this might be breaking the race down into two 5km blocks. For example, the plan might be to run a negative split. What is a negative split? This means that you aim to run the second half of the race faster than the first half. The target pacing would be worked out with your coach based on training times. These should be seen as guides, as on race day it can often be a case of adapting to the race day conditions: it could be a strong head wind on one part of the course or be unexpectedly hot and humid which might force you to run slower than planned. It might be a case of mentally resetting goals, but not forgetting that the conditions are the same for everybody. For a half marathon a race plan might break the race down into 4 x 5km blocks with a pace range for each block. [Check out DCS Half Marathon race report from one of our clients].
The nutrition plan
The nutrition strategy is something which should have been practiced in training many times before race day. This includes breakfast, what to take immediately before the race and what to use during the event. Avoid trialing anything new on race day. In our experience athletes, especially those new to a sport, generally underestimate the amount of nutrition required for the event. A couple of gels is just not enough for a marathon or a half ironman! A good nutrition and hydration plan would factor in the weather, the products available at the aid stations and the frequency of the aid stations. It is simply not efficient to carry water in a race as it provides no carbohydrates (fuel) or electrolytes and is always available at all aid stations. Your coach should be able to provide a nutrition plan for the race. [Check out our Blog posts: Fueling your triathlon, Marathon nutrition plan].
Mental strategies
So how to cope when those dark moments come during a race and it feels easier to just "give up"? This obviously comes down to the individual and possibly based on how you have coped in previous races. It can help if you "have been here" before in either races or training. Here are a couple of techniques that I have found useful. At the back end of a triathlon when the last few km feel really tough and it would be easier to walk, I just pick fixed objects on the side of the road, whether that be lampposts, palm trees or rubbish bins and simply focus on getting to the next one, and the next one without walking. Each one is a small victory, giving a little boost. Another way of thinking about it when you pass the 2km-marker-to-go is to think about the last 2km of your regular training run and how many times you have done that. "Visualizing" running down the blue or red carpet to cross the finish line can be a powerful motivator when the going gets tough.
Speaking of tough, at TriSutto we talk about TUF or Technique Under Fatigue. We don’t mean how hard we are, but how we can maintain good "form" whether that be in swimming, cycling or running when fatigue starts to come.
Finally, something that worked well for me in my first Ironman. Whist training for IM South Africa I read a book about an athlete who was competing in Ironman triathlons with only one arm. It made me think that now matter how tough the swim would be (and I was very much a non-swimmer 20 years ago) and how windy the bike might get, that this guy would be on the course with only one-arm. So 'suck it up Hunty and just get on with it'.
If you are completing the race "for a cause" to raise funds for a charity, or in memory of a loved one, when the time comes to "dig deep" remember your "why am I doing this".
By David Hunt certified TriSutto coach