By GioRez stock . adobe . com
By GioRez stock . adobe . com
Nutrition and hydration
Nutrition and hydration are your fuel . What you put in will help you paddle for longer or faster , and of course , how you replace the energy used during training and racing is key . It ’ s also a hugely complex subject that can take many different paths , depending on you as an individual . This makes Nutrition and Hydration one of the hardest elements of your paddling to get right … or does it ?
The big secret Before you get carried away buying loads of sports gels or fancy supplements , for most amateur paddlers , just keeping it simple is probably more than enough . Water is fine when paddling for anything up to a couple of hours or so , which covers short to mid-distance events for most people , and simply having a good meal and light breakfast before will probably cover your nutrition needs for most events as well . Look at some electrolyte tablets for your hydration bottle or pack if you get fatigue kicking in . These will help replace lost salts during exercise and help fight cramps .
What not to do on race day All too often ( and I ’ ve done it myself ), I see people trying out new gels , supplements or energy drinks on race day . This is the last thing you want to do if you haven ’ t already flushed most of it down the loo before you start . When you do get going , your body will likely react in a not so favourable way whilst paddling . If you haven ’ t trained on it , my golden rule is to don ’ t use it on race day !
Training with supplements If you decide to add supplements or energy drinks to your Nutrition and Hydration , then make sure you train on it for an extended period first . You can experiment with what works for you without affecting your race day performance . Generally , if you feel good and not tired during your sessions , then it ’ s probably working . You might need to increase or decrease the amount that ’ s recommended for you , so it ’ s no good trying this two weeks before an event . Do your homework , and there are plenty of brands out there that have online tools to help guide what you need .
Preparation Ok , so you have put the training in , worked out your Nutrition and Hydration , are feeling good , and it ’ s race day . What can go wrong ? This is where preparation comes in as just a simple moment to double-check the course , pack your bag or check the conditions that can bring your race crashing to the ground .
Getting in the zone You have probably heard of athletes getting themselves worked up for a race or in the zone , and you can do the same thing . Different people like to prepare differently , so do what you feel is right . If that ’ s going for a little run , then run . If it ’ s listening to music , then blast away , or chilling out and chatting , then do that . Another good method is visualisation . Put yourself on the start line and think about how you want your race to go . What can you expect , how will you react , and what will it feel like . You don ’ t have to do this on race day . You can start the process weeks before . When you get to the start line , it ’ s familiar , allowing you to concentrate on what ’ s ahead .
Try it in training By now , you should be picking up on a theme . Training isn ’ t just about pounding out the laps chasing fitness ; it ’ s as much about mental preparation as physical . If it works in training , it will work come race day , so try some race starts , do a mock race distance and change your approach before you get on the water to see what happens .
When to pack your kit This is an interesting one , and I always start with a list of what I ’ m going to pack my race gear . I like to leave packing my kit to the last minute . I ’ ve already gathered what I need from my list , so I know where everything is , but I don ’ t physically pack until it ’ s time to leave . This way , I ’ m sure I have everything in my mind , so I can load it and go when I ’ m ready . Invest in a suitable box or bag ( maybe a couple ) that you use just for race day , and your preparation will become that much easier .