getting race ready!

I have always wanted to see a giant blown up version of my husband..... minus the hair! (Ryan, I am okay with you stealing this picture too, it would be your perfect FaceBook profile pic)

I would be completely lying to you if I said I wasn't feeling antsy. It's race season round here and I am not racing until July. That being said I am not race ready. I have some work to do. I have a lot of work to do and I feel like lately I feel that all there is, is a lot of work to do. We get into the nitty gritty this week, and have I mentioned dhow I love the way this training plan is set up?

Deliberate practice. Measurable improvements from week to week, or you could say, measurable non improvements, as that's always a possibility. Week one you achieve A, to move on to B you must completely achieve A. When you move to C you must achieve B. You might get stuck at B for a few weeks, but week to week measure able progress.

As so many of my athletes are heading to Mooseman or Keuka Lake this weekend, I will be training. I will be attending a really special event on Saturday, but I will not be racing.

I am envious. I am itchy.

And I am not ready.

I will be racing longer into the fall than the rest so I am biding my time.

As we do approach these races this weekend I see a lot of mistakes made race week. I think if you come into a race as an A priority, then you should be very deliberate about how you go about the week.

I remember an article coach T wrote last year about the 5 common mistakes people make during Ironman week: one of them being too much swimming. In fact I am working with a super swimmer..... he knows who he is...... whose weekly volume as he's training for an Ironman holds much too much swimming. In fairness to him: he has some swim races coming up that are important to him and has promised to DROP IT DOWN ONCE THOSE ARE OVER.

There is an art to tapering, and I believe it is so individual yet there are many of the same techniques we can use to get ourselves ready for the big day. Here are a few rules I like to employ with my athletes:

1. EXCELLENT NUTRITION and get off your feet:

Race week volume is less, and for the ever starving triathlete the only other thing to do might be to eat :-). Try knitting my friends, it's a good way to burn off energy without training. This is not the week to do a year's worth of yard work. A great way to ruin a taper is to mow the lawn twice this week, weed your brains out and install a deck.

2. Get your gear ready:

Make a list of what you are going to need on race day. Get it ready on Thursday, There is nothing worse than race morning fumbling for things in the dark and when you are nervous. Be ready. Pack it up. Make a list. Check it twice.

3. Review race instructions:

Know how to get there, know the flow of events race morning, do not get caught in a super long registration line with questions of where do I get my chip? These are the things that can get in the way of focus.

4. Visualize:

See your race. Picture your race. Some athletes do well with words, writing them on their hands to cue them to focus. If you are like me you race more on feeling with a blank mind. If so find that blank focused place and ride the waves of the butterflies in your stomach.

You put a lot of time into these events. Follow the taper either you or your coach has put forth, it's there for a reason. It's okay to say that this is important to you. The winner does not get a giant prize check either and it's important to them as well. Don't' be afraid to go out and give it your best shot!

And while you are at it, enjoy it!