NEWSEASON RACE PREP
With racing back on the horizon, how will you prepare for your first few races of the year compared to your A-race later in the year?
Well first up, an ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’ race are all the same when the gun goes off – you go hard, you race hard, you stick to the plan you’ve worked out with your coach, mates or yourself, and if there’s no plan at all, still just go for it! The only real difference will be your performance level, but it’s relative to what your medium and long-term plans are for the season.
The worst thing you can do is go into an early-season race and expect to do a personal best by comparing your current state of fitness to when you were at your best last season (or, most likely, from your 2019 season. There’s no like for like in triathlon, every race and performance are so different.
If you have a training race early season, now that’s something completely different. Maybe you’re working on certain elements of your race, are trying out new nutrition or kit, or even a new pacing strategy. Or maybe you’re going easy in one discipline to work harder in another. I’m always on the fence about training races as the whole point of racing is, well, to race, I guess. With the athletes I coach we’d rather do a set key session instead of toeing the line knowing we’re not going to give 100% all the time.
The other point about racing early when we know we’re maybe not in our best
"This speed work is killing me! But as I always say, I only train to race… No medals in training!”
shape is the mental side of the outcome – can we take the result (not performance) when maybe we get beaten? Would that affect our mindset going forward into the next block of training and on to bigger races? It’s a tough balance and everyone is different in this regard. I definitely think this year, more than any other, I would, and am adding in a few extra brick sessions as I’ve only raced a handful of times in the last 12 months. I find they really bring me on, for example you could do a longer more endurance-based one, say 3-4hrs on the bike with some longer race-pace efforts followed by an easy 10-12km run off the bike. They’re also a great opportunity to dial in race-day nutrition.
This year I’m going a bit crazy and starting with my first race in London at the end of March – the Super League Arena Games at the Olympic Park – so I’m doing a lot of top-end speed on the treadmill (1km) and on the bike (4km), as well as dialling in my swim speed (200m). This speed work is killing me, ha! But as I always say, I’m only training to race not training to train. No medals in training, that’s for sure!
So whether it’s your first race or your ‘A’ race of 2021, give them both the respect they deserve and commit to the process 100%. And of course enjoy it out there, it’s been a long time so take a step back, look around and relish the return to racing!