With the past couple of months on waking up at 4 am, be at practice at 5 and be at your best attitude every day has paid its benefits. You look great, feel great and are at your best for race day. However, many people will make the most common mistakes leading into a race.
New Gels/Nutrition on Race Day
It is hard to predict how your stomach (and your gag reflex) will react to something new in a strenuous environment like a race. No matter how enticing that frappuccino double shot of expresso latte gel sounds at mile 19, today is not the day to sample it for the first time. It will shoot you straight to the potter-potty dungeon. Prepare what you plan to use prior to the race, check what the races will be providing and or travel with your own stuff.
Leafy and High fiber foods the night before
We have so many different scenarios that we can go into. However, if you are a vegetarian or eating super clean, please keep in mind the following. It’s okay to start with a small salad, but you should be eating less fiber today than you’re eating on most other days, if not, it will take you to the potter-potty dungeon during the race.
Hydration before the race
As we live in the south and we are used to keeping ourselves hydrated, there is one key component. Dehydration can wreck your race, but so can having to break the port potty at mile 3 (and mile 7 and mile 13) with a sloshing stomach and full bladder. Drinking too much water without also taking in electrolytes can put endurance athletes at risk for hyponatremia, a dangerous loss of sodium. Upon awakening, talk a salt table or take a nunn tablet in your water bottle.
Layout your gear
The night before the race, lay out your clothes and gear besides your bed, attach your race belt and keep your chip next to your shoes, you might event want to put a safety pin on your timing chip and prepare your special needs bags. If you are doing an Ironman, layout all of your bags and pack them like you are actually putting your clothes on.
Tri Peak Athlete 