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2014-01-26 11:24 PM

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Canyon, Texas
Subject: Pre-Race Rituals
I am curious about some of your interesting pre-race rituals? Do you do anything you feel is unique during taper, night before or morning of a race to improve your comfort or performance?

For example, I have learned I am a heavy sweater so I always drink 3/4 gallon of V8 the night before a race for the sodium loading... it helps stave off cramps.


2014-01-27 4:58 AM
in reply to: tlancer23

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Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals

The day before a tri I usually go out for a short run/bike in the evening just to get "loose" and make sure the bike still is firing on all "cylinders".  Then it's early to bed so that I can get as much sleep as possibly.  Up in the morning and have a bagel with Nutella on it.  Head to race site, get ready, go, dominate, win.

2014-01-27 6:06 AM
in reply to: tlancer23

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Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals
Depends on the race, but let's go through the A or B race routine. The week before the race is a light week. A light spin and a run every day (about 30-60 min, but no more) followed by stretching and foam rolling. During this week, I pay extra attention to what I eat, nothing heavy and good quality proteins. I also make sure that I get plenty of sleep (no early morning training and especially no late evenings). 3 days before the race, I start paying extra attention to water intake.

The day before the race, I add Nuun (electrolytes) to most of my water.

The morning of the race, I get up, stretch and foam roll, eat something light and have a cup of coffee. On the way to the race, I drink at least 1 more bottle of Nuun. Short run to warm up followed by stretching (helps me clear my mind and get my head into the race… don't even try to talk to me at this point because you will be ignored!). Right before start, I get my last Nuun and a gel. Race time! :-)
2014-01-27 6:07 AM
in reply to: Bevie

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Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals
I slam down a couple of Starbucks double shot drinks (in the can). Gets me, and my colon, rolling.
2014-01-27 7:05 AM
in reply to: Oysterboy

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Cypress, TX
Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals

Originally posted by Oysterboy I slam down a couple of Starbucks double shot drinks (in the can). Gets me, and my colon, rolling.

That's about my only consistent mainstay on race morning too.

2014-01-27 7:10 AM
in reply to: tlancer23

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Master
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Eugene, Oregon
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Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals
Mine mostly involve food, and are specific to the race distance, or even the particular race. I tend to repeat what I did before a race that went really well, unless it clearly doesn't work any more. I don't like surprises on race day, and am maybe a bit superstitious! For example--a lucky gingersnap or two with breakfast (or more AS breakfast) before a marathon or half (because I did a marathon without really planning to on vacation years ago, the cookies were all I could locate for "breakfast", and it went really well), chicken and pumpkin curry the night before a certain race that I run every year, seafood noodles before another one. And of course a good strong cup of coffee in the morning. If it's a race I've done before, I try to stay at the same hotel year to year. It's just one less thing to stress about. I try to pick places with nice pools, near fun shopping (see post-race rituals!)

As for warmup, if it's a tri, pretty much the same thing--ride half a mile or so to check bike and set gears, get transition set up, jog ten minutes finishing with a few minutes of strides, get in for about 5-7 minutes of swimming. If I'm really nervous or it's really hot, I get in early and just swim around to stay cool and calm down.

I also have post-race rituals--unless it's freezing cold, which is rare in SE Asia, I end up back in the ocean for a while. Sometimes a short walk or jog afterwards. Post-race munchies at my Singapore races pretty uniformly involve my favorite Indonesian food stall, tea tarik (like Malaysian chai), a Chinese doughnut with bean paste filling, and a few hours of power shopping--it aids recovery or something.


2014-01-27 9:19 AM
in reply to: tlancer23

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Greenville, SC
Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals

 I cook myself a large flank steak, pan-fried in salted butter. I eat that, put on a pair of wet socks and go to sleep.

2014-01-27 10:25 AM
in reply to: Clempson

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Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals

Wet socks?  What's that about?  Or was this supposed to be in pink...

2014-01-27 1:06 PM
in reply to: tlancer23

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Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals

Wake up 3:00 am (morning workouts or races are tough on me as it seems to take a loooong time to wake up.)
cook and eat full breakfast eggs, toast, bacon, coffee, etc...
go for a short walk
take a hot bath
drive to race
check in / set up transition
go for a short jog
20 minutes before race drink a Mountain Dew and eat a Payday (if the race is shorter than hour and a half)
go for a short swim
double check transition
kiss wife and kid
go to starting line
2014-01-27 2:37 PM
in reply to: tlancer23

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Waldwick
Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals
I always find an Irish Pub the night before, (or a decent bar/tavern) that has Guinness on tap. Depending on length of race I usually limit my fuel intake to 3 pints.
2014-01-27 3:25 PM
in reply to: tlancer23

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Champion
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Sarasota, FL
Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals

My big thing is getting to the race site as early as I can, usually 30 minutes before transition opens.  I like to get my gear set up and then be able to relax mentally until the race starts.   I hate to be late and feel rushed.

I'm one of the first in the water to warm-up and one of the last to get out before the start.  I like to do a long swim warm up and at the very least I'll usually swim out to the first buoy to check my sighting targets.

Mark 



2014-01-27 4:24 PM
in reply to: RedCorvette

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Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals

I try to go out for sushi the night before a race for some good protein and balanced carbs.

2014-01-28 10:27 AM
in reply to: tlancer23

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Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals
Panic!

Pre-travel day panic packing stuff taking the things I know I won't need and extra of everything. Then I recheck 8 times unable to identify the one missing essential. I'll then try to organize, writing a list of the things I think I need and the cross checking with what I packed, which usually helps discovering missing items on the list, but not the forgotten essential. With the full list, I'll recheck, double up on stuff I clearly don't need and try to convince myself that the more I bring the less chance I forgot something.

Pre-race day panic trying to figure out of all the stuff I brought which I will actually need in transition. Go out and buy extra stuff just in case, repack, reorder, take everything out and check that it's all there, then pack again. If time permits, I'll redo this ritual. The more I repeat, the more likely I'll leave out some other essential item, and I'm still unable to identify that one essential I'm missing. Then I'll go over my pre-race routine, and set the alarm to ensure I have enough time for the usual pre-race panic.

Pre-race panic, this involves getting to the transition, getting all my stuff out on the ground, lay it neatly in the order I think is most logical, then reorder everything. Repeat as needed. I will discover all the excess stuff I brought that I really knew I wouldn't ever need, but still fail to discover what I forgot at home and what I accidentally left out at the hotel. When there's no longer time to run back and get the missing essentials I finally remember. Then I'll run around in circles of panic and confusion until I realize that there's nothing I can do about it.

Panic goes to it's climax as I have to make the last vital decision about which goggles to use before dropping my bag and running to the start area just short of the horn blowing.

Erik

2014-01-28 8:16 PM
in reply to: tlancer23

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Pueblo, Colorado
Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals
About a week before a race, I'll sit down and develop a race plan (something I saw in a post from Joe Friel). It contains:
My workouts and tri related errands for the week
A checklist of tri gear
A plan for each part of the race S,B,R.
A chart that lists different goal times for each part of the event.
I also like to include a few mental notes or reminders for inspiration.

I usually reread this a few times over the course of the week.

A bit over the top, but it helps me to feel prepared prior to the event.
2014-01-29 7:29 AM
in reply to: erik.norgaard

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Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals
May I suggest the one element of my pre-race ritual that I forgot, and probably the one (besides pacing) that my tri-buddies tease me about most--the checklists from Joe Friel's Triathlon Training Bible. There's a whole series of lists in the "Racing" chapter of what to do/take from about three days before to a few minutes before and even during each leg of the race itself. I carry these to my races and am always looking at them (well, until the swim warmup, not during the race!). It's like an "Idiot's Guide to Triathlon", which I could definitely use. For most of my life, I have tried to compensate for being a space cadet with lists, notes, etc. It sometimes works except, OMG, I went to look for the lists just now (to see what they covered) and I can't find them in my "triathlon drawer". The book isn't available here, so I may well show up without my bike or something at my next race!
2014-01-30 4:52 AM
in reply to: 0

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windsor, Ontario
Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals
I eat a half a small pack of orange Tic Tacs before every run/race . Did this a long time ago and ran the race of my life and have done it ever since. I always have a small pack of orange Tic Tacs in my gym bag lol.

Edited by GregDufour 2014-01-30 4:55 AM


2014-01-30 7:12 AM
in reply to: GregDufour

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Expert
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Falls Church
Subject: RE: Pre-Race Rituals

For me two things.

The first - get to the race way too early since I never know what might happen in the morning with respect to travel.

The second - after my transition area is all set up, stand in line for the porta potty, use it, repeat until my wave starts.  I am usually one of the first waves that goes off right after transition closes so I only have to repeat once or twice.

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