Training the day before first OLY

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2008-08-06 7:22 PM

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Master
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Riverside, IL
Subject: Training the day before first OLY
I'm doing my first OLY on Sunday. It will be my second tri so far - did a sprint back in June. I'll admit right off the bat...I don't feel as prepared for this one, as I did for my sprint. Doing this OLY was sort of a last-minute decision. But I ponied up the entrance fee and registered yesterday...so there's no turning back now. So my question is in regards to the day before my race...I need to do something, otherwise my back will get all tight and I'll feel like crap on Sunday morning. I was planning on doing a light & easy brick workout on Saturday. Maybe a 25-mile bike, followed by a 2-3 mile run. I'm a slow runner (10min/mile), so my training pace IS my race pace. My goal is to just finish the race without being hauled off on a stretcher. If I finish in under 4 hours, I'll be ecstatic! Is it okay to do my planned brick workout the day before my race? Or will this sap too much of my energy for the race?

Linda


2008-08-06 7:25 PM
in reply to: #1586617

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Veteran
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Waukesha, WI
Subject: RE: Training the day before first OLY
I would not. You will not gain the fitness you're hoping to gain from the brick in less than 24 hours, and would most likely be knocking your readiness down a few notches. I would take a planned rest day, keep faith that you will not lose fitness in one day, and look forward to your race.

Good luck and have fun!
2008-08-06 7:27 PM
in reply to: #1586617

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Champion
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Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia
Subject: RE: Training the day before first OLY

This is what I would typically have an athlete do (it's something you'll want to experiement with this as you gain experience to find what works for you):

2 days before - off

1 day before (all done early in the day if possible):
20-30' swim - preferably at the race site in wetsuit if you are wearing one - after 10' of easy swimming do a couple of pickups to race pace (30"-1') and also do some starts and finishes (to get the lay of the land for race day)
30-45' bike - preferably on the race course; mainly easy but some (4-8) 1' pickups to race pace with at least 1:30 easy spinning between; also take the time to test brakes, run through all your gears, etc
10-20' run - preferably on the race course; mainly easy but some (3-6) 30" pickups to race pace with at least 1:30 easy between

Good luck,

Shane

2008-08-06 7:42 PM
in reply to: #1586617

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Anaheim
Subject: RE: Training the day before first OLY

I would just do a 3 or 4 mile easy run and light stretching.

No brick!



Edited by Broompatrol 2008-08-06 7:42 PM
2008-08-06 7:44 PM
in reply to: #1586617

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Master
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Portland, Oregon
Subject: RE: Training the day before first OLY

What they said is definitely good. No fitness will be gained, and don't do a long workout.

If you want a more loose suggestion than exact minutes or drills: run just enough to keep your back from being tight and do not push the pace at all. If you brick it up, don't ride far. Just enough to go out and spin (again, don't push hard), come back and then practice T2. Do it fairly early-ish so you'll have close to 24 hours before the event for your body to recover. Don't wait until 6pm on Saturday evening to do it. 

I am not a coach, your mileage may vary.

Best of Luck Sunday!!! Hope you have a great time.

2008-08-06 8:02 PM
in reply to: #1586617

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Master
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Riverside, IL
Subject: RE: Training the day before first OLY
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! Whatever I do end up doing on Saturday, will most certainly be early in the morning - I'm a morning person, so all of my training/working out is done as soon as I get up. I just hope I don't embarrass myself at this race - it's a smallish race (as of today, less than 400 signed up) so there's a fair chance that I might be DFL! Hopefully, that won't happen...but if I end up having to walk part of the run, it just might.

2008-08-06 8:33 PM
in reply to: #1586617

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Member
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Denver, CO
Subject: RE: Training the day before first OLY
I would take it easy - you probably will not improve physiologically from training the day before an event. It may provide a mental boost.
2008-08-06 8:50 PM
in reply to: #1586617

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Subject: RE: Training the day before first OLY
I had a coach for my oly and he had us do 20 minutes of each the day before just to stay loose. Because of time available, I ended up biking first, then swimming, then running. I did the same thing before my sprint last week and feel like it works really well.
2008-08-06 9:13 PM
in reply to: #1586617

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Master
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PA
Subject: RE: Training the day before first OLY
You are new to tris.  Keep it super light.  Ask yourself what the purpose of the day before workout is.  if you break down your body at all, it will not have time to recover.  I'd keep your training to nothing more than what would be a simple, keep it loose warmup.  A year from now, the answer to what you do the day before will probably be different, but when you're still so new, don't take yourself out of the game b/c you trained too much the day before.
2008-08-07 12:25 AM
in reply to: #1586794

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Training the day before first OLY
gopennstate - 2008-08-06 10:13 PMYou are new to tris. Keep it super light. Ask yourself what the purpose of the day before workout is. if you break down your body at all, it will not have time to recover. I'd keep your training to nothing more than what would be a simple, keep it loose warmup. A year from now, the answer to what you do the day before will probably be different, but when you're still so new, don't take yourself out of the game b/c you trained too much the day before.
Great advice...When I first started doing tris and working with my coach day before I did nothing as that was going to be most beneficial for me.Now that I'm fitter and in better shape, I do a short workout normally a 20' bike and 10' run. If I'm at the race site and want to swim I may do a short swim to get feel for water and skip the run and do the bike.Sounds like having your back feel good is important to you. What helps with that the most? Do that I would say but do something short...less than an hour ideally less than 40'.No don't do 25 mile bike and 3 mile run....
2008-08-07 5:08 AM
in reply to: #1586617

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Master
1993
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Riverside, IL
Subject: RE: Training the day before first OLY
Ok...thanks again, everyone! Yeah, my back definitely feels better if I keep moving...that's for sure. I'll plan on a very light workout, just to keep me loose...and I'll keep stretching throughout the day. The day before my first sprint, back in June...I did a light brick (18 mile/2mile) and I was fine the next day, for the race.


2008-08-07 8:46 AM
in reply to: #1587068

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Master
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Breckenridge, CO
Subject: RE: Training the day before first OLY
nscrbug - 2008-08-07 4:08 AM

I did a light brick (18 mile/2mile) and I was fine the next day, for the race.


It's impossible to know how you'd have performed at the race without doing this brick. Anyone who is trained for a race "can" do a light workout the day before and be "fine". But why? IMO, any workout you do the day before the race will hurt your race performance.
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