Week 10

Welcome to Week 10!  
(5 weeks to go)

This week we start the last phase of your plan, Race Preparation.  There are 2 main goals of this phase: 1) Be physically ready for the race by building more endurance and 2) Reduce race week and race day stress by focusing each week on topics covering race logistics, timing, equipment, etc.

Topics & To-Dos

• Race Prep–Download the Race Week Planner and Race Day Planner:  Download here.  Over the next weeks we will fill in these templates to have a concrete plan for your race and reduce race week stress.

   

• Race Prep–Important Race and Pre-Race Times:  Most races have published an online or pdf Athlete Guide–download this.  Make a note in your Race Day Canvas with your start time.  Make note in your Race Week Canvas when you have obligations: any mandatory race meetings, transition check in times, etc.  Note whether you check in your bike the same day or the day before.  Plan to be early for your time slot to avoid long waiting times.
  
  
• Race Prep–Swim and Wetsuit Rules:  Read the rules on wetsuit use.  Many races ban wetsuits above a certain temperature, while making them mandatory if the water is too cold.
  
  
• Race Prep–Wetsuits:  Decide if you plan to use a wetsuit.  If yes and you currently don’t have one, decide this week if you will buy, borrow, or rent one.  Many local shops offer weekend rentals but they do run out of stock for popular races.  Make sure to get fitted for your size and shape and try out the suit ahead of time if possible.  Note that you will need a swimming wetsuit and not one for diving.  Along with a wetsuit, stock up on a lubricant such as Body Glide to apply to your neck to reduce chafing and to your ankles to make the suit easier to remove.
  
  
• Swim–Open Water:  Going forward, the long swim each week is an optional to do in open water if your local conditions work.  This is a great way to get used to swimming in race-like environment such as water visibility and temperature, swimming in a straight line, and testing your wetsuit (if using).   Never swim alone and ideally train with a group–some local shops organize swim days and wetsuit trial days in the weeks ahead of big races.  Make sure you are also highly visible with swim cap and ideally a tethered flotation device/dry bag designed for open water swimmers.
  
  
• Race Prep–Bike Setup:  For this week’s long bike, test out the clothes and bike setup you intend to use on race day.
  • Aerobars:  If you are using aero bars, ensure that you are comfortable enough to use them and are not too extreme in your position that your power output is compromised.  
  • Position: How is your overall position on the bike.  If there any tweaks you want to make either by yourself of a professional analysis, now is the time to do it.  
  • Hydration:  Will you use a water bottle in the standard down/set tube cage, or will you be using a bottle between the aerobars or behind the seat position?  Whatever setup you will use, start using and refining this setup in weekly training.
    
    
• Race Prep–Bike Pacing:  We have been been training with Zone 2 and Zone 3 efforts, and both are appropriate for your race day depending on your current fitness.  During this week’s long bike, decide what effort you want to use for the race–what feels comfortable to hold for the entire bike, while leaving plenty of energy for the run.  If in doubt, use Zone 2 for the bike and use a higher effort on the run if your energy holds.
  
  
• Sleep:  We covered sleep all the way back in Week 2.  How are you doing with both quantity and quality?  Are there any habits to still improve?  
  
  
• Race Prep–Race Week Planner and Race Day Planner:  Download here.  Update with tasks and info you have learned or refined this week.