SUP Mag UK lo-res free to readers July 2014 lo-res - free to read | Page 60

The day before the race, I make sure I have
enough calorie intake, have an early night
and a good sleep. If you prepare your kit in
advance and have everything ready, you will

It is important to listen carefully at
the briefing and ask questions if
something is not clear
be more relaxed for the race, which is
essential. Have a plan for your food in
advance; when, what and how much to eat.

Register first
When you arrive at the venue, register first,
then find out more about the event and the
facilities. Where is the changing room,
board dropping area, place for the briefing,
the schedule of the race? Look around,
negotiate the weather and water conditions,
and if you have time, go for a little paddle.
Usually, the briefing is right before the start
of the race, so get your kit ready and once
the briefing is over, start warming up
straight away. It is important to listen
carefully at the briefing and ask questions if
something is not clear. Before the race, don’t
be afraid of using your energy for warm up,
this is a good investment. You may feel a bit
nervous, but as soon as the race starts this
feeling will go.
The start is like a sprint race and then the
riders normally paddle in a ‘chain’ using
each other’s washes. It's important to do a
strong start and stay calm, keeping alert
throughout the race.
When you’ve finished, it's good to cool down
and stretch out your muscles, especially if
there’s another race on the same day, as it
will help you recover quicker. Eating straight
after also helps in the recovery. Take your
time to evaluate the race, what went well,
want didn't go quite as planned.
Take one or two days off from training after
the race and if you haven't yet, choose
another race and start your preparation. If
you decide you don't want to race for a
while then cool down for a week with easy
paddles, stretching etc. but watch your
calorie intake if you train less as you could
easily gain weight.

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