THE THREE MOST COMMON MISTAKES BEFORE A COMPETITION
In a few weeks, you'll have a competition that excites you, and therefore, motivation is through the roof. Whether you're a pro or an amateur, nobody escapes the typical errors before a competition if they are not aware of them and take them into account. Among them, I would highlight the following:
- Training Like Crazy
Training without a plan is planning to fail, as the saying goes. It doesn't take away from the fact that it makes perfect sense.
To avoid training like crazy, first assess the competition and determine its requirements based on your (realistic) expectations.
Organize the content to be worked on in a coherent timeline to arrive in the best possible condition on the day of the competition.
Follow the plan and schedule different tests during the process to assess your condition and see the improvement and adaptation of the plan to what you will need on the big day.
Avoid overtraining and accumulating excessive fatigue over many days. Rest is part of training!
If you're unsure how to do it, consider hiring a coach or downloading a training plan suitable for the competition you're preparing for.
- Not Planning a Race Strategy
You may have trained perfectly and arrived in the best possible condition for the competition you've been preparing for. However, poor management of pace, both excessive and deficient, and inadequate planning of hydration and nutrition can lead to failure.
To avoid this, carefully evaluate the race route and your performance possibilities based on the training you're doing or previous preparatory races (recommended). This will provide valuable information about the pace, power, or heart rate to follow during different sections of the competition, giving you the reassurance of following a plan rather than relying on improvisation. It will also lead to learning for future competitions based on the results you achieve.
Proper hydration and nutrition, as explained in previous articles, are crucial to avoid performance declines due to dehydration and lack of energy to sustain exercises of medium and high intensity.
- Using New Products During the Competition
Before a race, absolutely everything must be tested. This includes the sports equipment we will use during the race, mandatory safety equipment that the organizer may require us to carry, gels, bars, and drinks used during the competition, and even the products we will find at the organization's supply points.
In-depth knowledge of the performance and limits of our equipment, as well as gels, bars, and drinks we consume, will allow us to make better decisions and avoid unwanted situations that will only bring discomfort, suffering, or even withdrawals.
Eduard Barceló
Physical Trainer
Profesor en www.vibliotec.org
His course: Curso de Trainingpeaks. Aprende a crear tu modelo de negocio
Note: In this online course, you will learn how Trainingpeaks works and how to use it in your training or with your athletes. This way, you can better plan the training season, prescribe your daily sessions more effectively, analyse executed workouts, and manage competitions more efficiently.