There are various aspects to triathlon racing to be successful. Everybody's definition of a 'successful' race is different. It maybe just to finish, or achieve a personal best but whatever it is there is a lot of things that need to fall into place to be able to achieve this.
Whilst the physical training is very important in this success, and mental preparation is vital, careful planning and organisation of the race is something that compliments and assists in this success. I would have to say that most people who embark on the sport of triathlon for a number of season have some personal characteristic that involves a need to be organised and even being rather 'OCD' about their race organisation and planning.
I am a self confessed OCD triathlete to a certain extent. One of the things that you need to have a handle on in this sport is the being able to be flexible, be able to accept that things will go wrong and things may not always go to plan. This is something, whilst being quiet OCD on one hand, I don't get stressed when things don't happen to go to the well laid out plans that were set before the race. It is important to be able to change these plans throughout the race to still be able to achieve aspects of the goals that were identified before the race, even if it just to finish under the cut off time.
But in saying this I haven't had a real lot go wrong in my 3 Ironman races and 7 HIM and I certainly believe that much of this is due to my thoroughness in my planning and organisation for the race. The planning and organisation involves a number of different strategies:
- Checklists;
- Time lines for race day and lead up days;
- Tubs;
- Visualisation techniques of the race;
- Taper week Menu Plans;
- Documenting Nutrition and Hydration strategies for the race;
- Setting time and other (HR, Cadence) goals for throughout the race, (this will often be planned down to not only each leg but specific parts of each leg/discipline, particularly if I have done the race/course before.) The Garmin data comes in handy here, as I will often go back and analysis this data before my next race on a particular course.
The checklist is one of the most important strategy that I have used throughout my past 5 seasons of being a triathlete. It is something I have developed over time and is definitely unique to me and the distance which I race (IM & 70.3).
The checklist includes things like:
- Race Details
- Race Day Timelines
- Pre Race Items
- General Items
- Swim
- Bike
- Run
- Nutrition/Hydration Checklist (Pre-race, Swim, Bike & Run)
- Timing Goals
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| Checklist for GCHIM 2010 |
Leaving yourself enough time to get to the start line organised and relaxed is vital in having a good race and being in a solid mental state when you take that first stroke.
Triathlon has a number of deadlines to be meet for example, registrations, transitions (racking bikes etc.), open and closing of transitions on race day, and of course your start time.
I usually include this as a part of my Checklist (above)
I have found that if I document these times as a guide I have been able to get to that start line with a minimum of fuss and stress.
Tubs
Need I say anymore. I have a room where all these tubs are situated and all matter of triathlon gear has it's own place. It just makes finding things much easier and a simple process preparing and packing for a race. This year I have portable tubs that will go to some races. ;-)
Visualisation
This one techniques that I have become better at over the years. It become even more useful if you have done a particular course previously.
The strategy of visualisation can be done at various levels. I use it in the days leading up to the race to visualise in my head firstly what is is involved in getting to the race venue, setting up transitions and lastly what I will do throughout the race. I would do this a number of times to have a clear picture of what I plan to do in the race. I will even go through visualising things that I could see would possibly go a little pear shaped throughout the race and develop some contingency plans for these, but again you can't do this for everything. For example, a flat etc.
Taper Week Menu Plans
This is simply a nutrition plan for the week leading up to the race, including detailing the progressive carbo loading.
This is something I'm still refining.
Nutrition and Hydration Race Strategy
This strategy is included on my Race Checklist.
It will normally include my plan for nutrition and hydration pre race and during the race.
