Tips for Planning Your Race

by Marilyn McDonald

We train to race. This is the reason we do set after set, day in and day out. The race is the big day, the test, the party. It's where we get to head out and truly see where we are.

A lot of factors come into putting a race together: physical, mental, experience, equipment, conditions, courses, goals. You need to consider all of those factors when planning your race.

I ask each one of my athletes to do a step by step pre-race plan. This includes nutrition, gear, the plan for the days leading in, the race morning plan, and the race plan itself including pacing, nutrition and strategy.

I always recommend writing this out. This way you have it to read a few times before you race and reflect on after the race. If you keep a collection of your plans through the years you'll be able to look back and see your progression.

You should clearly outline your goals for your race. What do you hope to learn? I believe goals should be process-focused, not outcome-focused. Often athletes with outcome expectations beat themselves before the race even starts. Focusing inwardly and on the process will get you to your outcome.

It's best to break each leg of the race into segments that are manageable and motivating.

I like to teach athletes about the simple rule of "burning matches." You are a match book, you've only got so many matches to burn, and you want to plan wisely where you burn those matches in a race, because once they are gone, they are gone.

This is a note I've shared within the EC community and with my personal clients:

Race Plan

Be sure you eat breakfast at least three hours before the race. Take in nothing within 30 minutes of the race start except for sips of water.
Warm up well! For fast racing you need to be well warmed up. I like to do a easy 15-minute jog, a couple strides and then get my wetsuit on and go down to the water early enough to do a good warm up. If you can't get in the water then use stretch cords to warm up.
When you start, watch that first 200m. You want to go quick enough to grab some good feet and position, but you want to cap your effort to not flood yourself with lactate and blow up. So go out quick but controlled. The best strategy is to limit the kick and focus on fast arms.
When you jump on the bike, be sure it's in a light enough gear. A big mistake people make is loading themselves up by starting in too big of gear. Better to go one lighter and gear up then be bogged down.
Give yourself a few minutes to settle and then get going into your TT mode. RPM 90-95, focus and get boogieing.
Where the race is fast and speed is high, recover! Fuel! When the race is hard, focus and work hard.
When climbing, stay in a good rhythm. Gear up or down as needed to keep tempo up. On the flats and descents, get areo!
Settle in as you run out of transition. Get your feet under you and cadence up, arms up in the right position, chin down. Build as you go and race right to the finish. Going fast requires a commitment right through the finish line.

Focus on the process as you race, the outcome will follow. Break each leg into segments that are manageable and motivating. Focus inward, and don't let exterior distractions interrupt that focus.

Have fun

Marilyn McDonald has been in elite sport since the age of 9, from show jumping to cycling and triathlon. Competing on an international stage in all three sports with an Ironman title, several podiums and state championships in cycling, Marilyn works with all distance and level of triathletes and cyclists. From beginners to elites; short course, bike racing, stage racing and long course triathlon, she has guided several athletes to the podium and to Hawaii qualifications.