How do you prepare for a race?

So if you have a race on Saturday, how do you start and carry out your week (training, nutrition, sleep, etc.)? Things that you absolutely do not do would be helpful too.

 

Hey bgoetz,

I reckon it depends on how important the race is. If it's a regular local race, i won't do anything differently except have an easy day on the friday (as i have today and generally do most weeks), and just make sure to keep well hydrated and not hungry.

I'm racing tomorrow but smashed my legs tues-thurs this week so not sure if i'll be adequatley recovered to hang in there!

Normally, if it's an important race, you'll have planned your training leading into it, and the last couple weeks leading into the race, your duration is coming down and you're doing more short high-intensity bursts with good recovery, as race-specific training with the goal of having you peaking for the race. I guess the type of training depends on the details of the race. But your not going to increase FTP or endurance in the 2-3 weeks before a race, so you focus on improving top-end power and V02 as they train quicker, this is how i understand it

Nutrition wise people often talk about carb loading and this is something you might consider, the purpose of this is to ensure you have full glycogen stores in your muscles for maximum possible energy stores during the race. Sometimes i consider it enough to keep eating as per usual but reduced training load, has a similar effect.

This is my 2 cents, sure others will have more to add!

Sam

 

Important "A" priority race: Tues = normal workout (probably Vo2 work), thursday = OFF, Friday = pre-race ride (about 1hr with some short hard efforts). Organize gear the night before (bike, race wheels, clothes, towel, chamois cream, sunglasses, food, water, gels, shoes, helmet, etc) because you are sure to forget something if you wait until morning!
Eat dinner early and get a good night's sleep- don't want to go to bed on a totally full stomach as it will be hard enough to sleep the night before a big race!!


C priority race: train through. Normal workout on thursday, maybe an easy spin on friday, good warmup on sat.

 

I normally just have a week of normal training, trying not to overdo it, like stowy said he smashed his legs, recovery might take longer than expected and you wont be 100%. I do a easy session on a spin bike on the friday. Get all my gear ready at night and have a good sleep.

with short low priority races, I have sometimes even had a few too many beers the night before. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif PS Its a stupid idea, dont do it.

It seems everyone has there own ways. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif

 

The group is separating which makes it insanely more difficult to draft. coming thought the final turn, I stood up and laid in the acceleration, sprinting. One guy next to me was doing the same, and he was just a hair faster than I, but he couldn't hold it for the duration and I edged out in front. I passed two other riders who had were not sprinting. It doesn't really mean anything since I am no where near the top 20 among this 105 riders present. Yeah, there was quite the turnout for the first race of the season. End result, I am happy with my performance today. And as I said earlier, I still have all my skin.