Race week preparation & advice...

‘Never try anything new on race day’

- Stephen Foster

One of the greatest lessons I ever learnt during my early years as a professional triathlete was;
‘Never try anything new on race day.’
 

Unfortunately, I had to learn this lesson many times the hard way before I woke up.

I’ve lost count the number of times I’ve watched athletes ruin their big day including my own athletes who chose not to take my advice only to hear me say afterwards;
‘I told you so.’

Sometimes it’s important to learn the hard way and learn it well.
Some of the following categories may be all too familiar with you or, for the uninitiated, be something to take precaution with:

• Using a new pair of goggles for the first time on race day and they leak.

• Changing your bike position a few days out only to discover your back or legs giving out towards the end of the ride or during the run.

• Trying out new run shoes on race day because someone highly recommended them to save time.

• Changing your race day nutrition after listening to one of the professionals giving advice at the pre race interviews.

• Suddenly changing your normal pre race diet thinking it will help give you extra speed.

• Getting sucked into the latest ‘craze’ or ‘talk’ buzzing around the event and trying it out during the race untested.

• Getting caught up at the pre race expo with all the ‘goodies’ on sale and using them for the first time during the event.

If you haven’t trialed it multiple times in training prior to iron out any bugs then don’t trial it out on race day. Wait until after your event and perfect it leading up to the next event.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing if only we could utilize it before, not after the fact.

Then again, you can’t put an old head in young shoulders. I know that from personal experience.

 

Stephen Foster 
Australian Triathlon Hall Of Fame Inductee 2014.
Team Barefoot Coach/Manager.
Ventou Brand Ambassador Team since 2009.