Triathletes/Duathletes

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Week before a race.

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Canuck_TriFit
Canuck_TriFit Posts: 97 Member
in Social Groups
I've read different things about when to shut it down, not do any exercise/training the week before a race. I was just wondering what other people are doing.

Do you have any training the day before? Two days before?

Do you do a small bike or run or swim the day before?

Personally I've come out kind of flat by not doing anything the day before a race.

I should note that I do Sprint Triathlons.

Replies

  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
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    I have a race this coming Saturday.

    I still haven't figured out what I am doing Thursday/Friday yet.
  • EnduranceGirl2
    EnduranceGirl2 Posts: 144 Member
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    I usually take the day before off and do light workouts during the week. Try to catch up on sleep too.
  • bstamps12
    bstamps12 Posts: 1,184
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    I take off the day before, but I don't just sit around. Often I'm traveling to the race the day before and I make sure to take frequent walk breaks on the trip to avoid letting my muscles sit in the same cramped position for hours on end. If I'm not traveling or when I get to the destination, I do a lot of stretching and walking.

    The week leading up to it I do quality workouts but lighter than usual. Maybe I usually do 16 reps of speed work but I'll only do 10 the week before a race, etc. I keep my workouts in Zone 2 but keep my muscles going.

    On the other hand, some races that are B races for me are treated as a long training sessions in preparation for an A race. I don't taper at all before those races because they come at the end of a hard training week.
  • scott091501
    scott091501 Posts: 1,260 Member
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    I don't taper for sprints. That said if you can get in to the water and on to the course the day before for a short workout I think that is ideal.
  • Drudoo
    Drudoo Posts: 275 Member
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    I will typically ride 20mins/run 10 mins the day before. Just enough to get the system pumping and then call it a day. I take the Friday before a race (assuming Sunday race) off completely and Thursday would be tapered back.
  • trijoe
    trijoe Posts: 729 Member
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    I've yet to taper well. That said, I wouldn't bother for a sprint, anyway. My sprint week's pre-race ritual goes something like this:

    Hard workouts early in the week. Preferably short. A long run or ride is okay, but not a specific goal. Mid week, I shoot for a brick workout, short but medium hard. Gotta remind those quads what it feels like running off the bike. SUCK IT UP, QUADS!!!

    By 2 days out, I'm in cruise mode. Easy workouts, short duration, start gathering up my race day essentials, formulating my race day plan. 2 days out is also when I do my traditional - though not necessary - carbo load. Spaghetti works, but my favorite is Asian noodles and an unsweetened boba tea. Yum yum!

    Day before - short easy workout. Something fun, for sure. And I make sure I've got all my gear in order, race day instructions down, times down for where I need to be and when, and my morning's pre-race calorie intake set out.

    Then boom! Race day! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Depends on how long the race is, but I generally don't taper. I won't kill myself the week of the race, but I don't really "dial it back" either. The day before the race I try to do something light... keep the muscles moving, but not enough to really stress them. I'll take my non-race bike out and spin the bike route (slow and easy) or I'll walk/jog the run course... something like that.

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