By now your bicycle is cleaned....cycling shoes scrubbed and you have a brand new pair of socks...Your cycling outfit neatly ironed...You can change a flat tube in 30 seconds...You are externally about as ready as can be...
So what more can you do to prepare?
Sleep...
No, not in the office...or in the car on the way home...but it will be advisable to get one or two nights of undisturbed sleep before race day.
"Some recent studies have found that that sleep deprivation can slow glucose metabolism by as much as 30 to 40%.
Eve Van Cauter, Ph.D., from the University of Chicago Medical School, studied the effects of three different durations of sleep in 11 men ages 18 to 27. For the first three nights of the study, the men slept eight hours per night; for the next six nights, they slept four hours per night; for the last seven nights, they slept 12 hours per night.
Results showed that after four hours of sleep per night (the sleep deprivation period), they metabolized glucose least efficiently. Levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) were also higher during sleep deprivation periods, which has been linked to memory impairment, age-related insulin resistance, and impaired recovery in athletes."
(http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/conditioning/a/aa062800a.htm)
Eat...
What you eat several days before the race will affect race day performance. Stay away from booze, cigarettes and coffee / tee. For several days before the event, you need to have a high carbohydrate diet. This will maximise your internal glucose stores and will prolong the duration of activity until fatigue occurs. This will though NOT increase the muscles maximum energy output during that time Don’t eat high protein or high fat foods on race day. These foods can put stress on your kidneys as they take longer to suggest Avoid sugary foods / drinks within one hour of the event On race day eat a meal high in carbohydrates and chose easily digestible foods
(http://sasport.co.za/UltraSport/947CycleChallenge/947CycleChallengeRaceDayTips/tabid/12266/Default.aspx)
Waking up on Raceday...
1) Have a healthy, Carbohydrate rich breakfast, at least two hours before your race
starts
2) Run through your pre-race checkist:
a)Bicycle
b)Winning Time Chip
c)Helmet
d)Gloves
e)Cleats
f)Race Number and Safety Pins (No Number, No ride)
g)Photograph Sticker (you might run into the paparazzi)
h)Water Bottles (No, not the ones with the Brandy & Coke...)
i)Puncture kit
j)Speedometer (dont want to upset JMPD)
k)Snacks (the healthy kind...
l)Sunglasses (so the flashing cameras dont bind you whie you ride)
m)Cell Phone (so you can update your mom on your progress)
n)Some money (if you need to buy any spares for your bike)
Mental preperation...
When you start strugging along the way, your legs feel like they can't go any further...
Slow down, switch to a higher gear, and just keep your legs going...and think "uplifting" thoughts...the more you think "I'll never make it"..the less your chances are of making it....be positive...
When going up a hill...use the energy of the crowd to help you power up the hill...and if you do NEED to stop for water etc...Keep looking forward, NEVER ook back...If you see people passing you, your mind wil start thinking "I'm getting left behind"...and the negative mindset creeps in...
Enjoy yourself....
Make sure you enjoy the scenery, the ride, and the energy from the crowds...Half of Johannesburg wil be lining the streets, cheering the cyclists on...
Heres to a positive and enjoyable Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge experience...See you guys at the finish line....
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