Resolving to make this year’s racing experience more rewarding?
Coach Matt Eggleton has some proven advice to get you ready for race day:
By Matt Eggleton
Matt Eggleton is an accomplished mountain bike (MTB) and gravel racer, having competed in the National Ultra Endurance MTB Race Series every year since 2016, and he has stood on the podium many times over, all across the Mid-Atlantic. Most relevant to this topic, Matt is a USA Cycling Certified Coach and has logged over 500 hours of coaching – primarily endurance and ultra-endurance MTB and gravel racers – including two state champion Masters racers.
Last time Matt discussed how to view and prepare for an upcoming season, while in this article he discusses the final preparations for race day.
Racing is exciting! Testing yourself against your peers and your previous efforts builds confidence and character. You can and will become the best version of you when you take a methodical structured approach to getting yourself ready. In MARJ Vol 1, No. 1, we discussed how to apply the Strategic Performance Approach to getting ready for the race season. Now, we’ll pull in the aperture and adjust the scale from a macro look (season) to a meso look (training block) to a micro look (a single week of training or event). Specifically, we’re looking at Race Day Preparation!
First things first: race day preparation takes two weeks of concentrated effort. Factors for specific consideration include tapered training, nutrition, travel, sleep, race day routine, warm-up, and the start.
Over your macro cycle and into your final meso cycle (final training block before race day) you want to reduce your training volume by about 30% the week before race week and about 50% on race week. Volume is defined as the product of intensity and duration. So, since we want to keep the same intensity to stay sharp, we need to decrease the duration of our work for the weeks by 30% and 50%, respectively. Fill in the newly found free time by catching up on your reading, sleep, or some other relaxing activity that keeps your mind relaxed too.
During that final week, get in a “mechanical shakedown ride” 2-3 days prior to your event. Test all the equipment you intend to use on race day. Gently ride the bike you will race with (test brakes, every gear of shifting, hydration pack or bottles, pump, etc.). We want to make sure anything and everything you use on race day works perfectly. If not, you have time to correct it.
Depending on your level of fitness and control over your schedule, you may find it helpful (psychologically as well as physically) to get in a quick “openers” ride the day prior to race day. This is just 30 minutes of easy riding with a few very short (30-60 seconds) bursts of controlled acceleration. For those of us over 50, many find it optimal to just stay off the bike completely. You’re not going to lose your fitness in the last 24 hours, but you can’t certainly create unwanted fatigue. Take it easy!
Regarding nutrition, you don’t need to be a nutritionist or dietician to understand some common sense logic (that is messed up due to overthinking at a shocking rate). Hard rule: NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY! Seriously, brothers and sisters, race day is not the day to try some new sports drink, chews, or special breakfast. Don’t over analyze this. Over the final week of taper, slightly reduce your volume of food intake, while slightly increasing your carbohydrate intake. This increase in glycogen stores will increase water retention, so weighing yourself every day is fine, but understand you may gain some weight though you are slightly reducing your intake. This is normal and will not hurt you. Over the last two days you can ramp up those carbs (and water) to top off. This may sound complicated, but it doesn’t need to be. Practice, practice practice. The more you follow this taper routine, the more it will feel natural, and the more dialed in you’ll get.
If you must travel a long way to get to your race, don’t necessarily think of it as a day off. Travel is stressful on your mind and your body. Hauling bags through an airport, weaving through interstate traffic, packing and unpacking gear is all stressful and certainly impacts you physiologically. If possible, get the travel finished at least two days prior to your race, so that you can recover from it. As well, do your very best to stay in your daily routine: sleep cycle, eating cycle, digestion cycle, etc. Finally, you may find it less stressful (and in the end more convenient) to bring your own food. If you can’t plan out your meals during travel, preparing and carrying your own meals takes one less thing (perhaps several) off your mind and helps you focus on relaxing. My chicken and pasta pre-race meal travels very well.
Sleep is the superpower that is often disregarded. Do your best to stay in your routine and consider some sleep hygiene adaptations like a slightly cooler room temperature, a sleep mask and ear plugs. I’m a big fan of all three! Interestingly, your sleep the night before a race is not as critical as the previous night. Meaning for a Saturday race, Thursday night’s sleep is most important. Therefore, if your mind is racing the night before a race, do your best to relax, stay still, and stay down. Your body will still recover and get ready if you stay down. No need to stress, just be patient.
Position yourself appropriately…
. You should know if you belong in the front row or not.
OK, it’s race day! You’ll want to be up at least three hours prior and timing your race day meal 2-3 hours prior to start time. Over the week or two ahead of time, plan and prepare for your morning schedule, to include arrival at the venue, where you’re going to park, what you’re going to do to get your bike and gear ready, and then kit up. I find it super helpful and confidence building to run “dress rehearsal drills” two weeks prior to race day. Run the whole race day schedule at your local venue, race day kit and all. It makes race day so much smoother.
Race warm-up is dictated by a few factors (level of fatigue, start demand, weather), but it doesn’t need to be complicated. You want your muscle temperature up, but core temperature down. Consider the “longer-shorter rule.” Longer races require a shorter warm-up and shorter races require a longer warm-up. Why? Because the start demand is typically different. Are you taking off at marathoner pace or full gas? Keep it simple. Start your warm-up at least 30 min before race time. Just an easy, relaxed pace with a couple 5-10 second blasts, but the goal is to get the legs loose, the heart rate moving around, and your breathing clear without gaining any real fatigue. This will land you back at the start line, ready-to-go with 10 min to spare just in case you have hit the porta-john, swap bottles, or make a kit adjustment.
OK, let’s line up for the start! Position yourself appropriately. You should know if you belong in the front row or not. If not sure, this is likely a time to be humble and conservative. Once the gun sounds HOLD YOUR LINE. Stay as straight and controlled as possible. Starts are chaotic, don’t make it worse for yourself or those around you. Stay steady and hold your position. Let the race come to you. In just a few minutes it will sort itself out.
You’re off. You’ve got this! Enjoy the payoff.
Again, racing is exciting! As well, the journey from now to race day can be just as exciting. There is something to do every day between now and race day, it’s all part of the rewarding journey toward the best and happiest version of you.