I thought I would share my preparation leading up to my race as I have been focused on getting and staying healthy for the past number of days leading up to the race. As many of you know, it is a 6 day multi stage race so it requires energy on a daily basis instead of what I typically train for which is a one day event(usually lasting one or two hours).
In Sardegna we are typically racing over 100 km per day with the longest leg being 180 kms and all days include significant climbing in the mountains. My goal is to race the best I can but more importantly I want to be able to sustain my energy so I feel as good at the end of the 6 day race as I do the first day. With this type of Multi day event often the racers that do the best are the ones that “slow down the least” as the week goes on. I found last year that my energy levels were sustained for the entire 6 days which was a great feeling. What slowed me down last year was the infected Saddle Sores as well as my torn Achilles during the week.
I have been away skiing and also to conference down in florida for the last 2 weeks so training has been limited during that timeframe. Therefore when I got home 2 weeks ago it was time to buckle down and turn up the volume on training to get my last bit of training in for the race.
I wanted to share my plan leading up to my race in Sardegna. The race starts this Sunday and I am in Transit as I write this(Friday April 21st).
1.Eat healthy – If you follow my blog on a regular basis, you know what I mean by eating healthy. I have tried to stick to a mainly plant based(no dairy, meat), non processed diet over the past 2 weeks. I have also started every single morning with my lemon water to cleanse my system and reduce inflammation. I also have had my morning shake every single morning and have also had an evening Vegetable shake if I have had my workout in the evening as a way to replenish and repair the system.
2.Get In My Daily Workout– Since I had gone a few weeks without being able to do my workouts, my focus was to train every single day until I left for the race. I am pleased to say that I managed to train every day that I had planned to . This ranged from cycling inside on my trainer early in the mornings, to managing to get a few outdoor rides in. Last weekend we were north for Easter and even though it was cold and poured rain 2 days, Tim and I managed to get out all 3 days.
3.Take HRV daily – For those that read my blog, you know how much I believe and rely on Heart Rate Variability Testing(HRV) to measure the physical and emotional stress my body is under. I am pleased to say that my HRV has been steadily trending upward over the last 2 week period and I had one of my highest scores yesterday morning prior to coming away. This is a good sign as it means my body has adapted well to the heavy training load I have put it under the last 2 weeks.
4.Reduce Muscle Soreness and Inflammation. Due to the heavy load of training I have been doing the last number of days, I also needed to focus on keeping my muscles loose and injury free. Therefore I have visiting my good pal Dave Schenkel at ProActive Athlete that has been keeping my past injuries and muscles in good shape. In addition I have been using my Magic Light therapy every night(in fact I brought it with me) as well as using a roller almost every night to roll out my sore muscles. This is important since it is a multi day race as the inflammation and muscle soreness will accumulate during the 6 day race.
5.Sleep– It has been a tough few weeks with the demands of work, evening client and charitable events as it seems like I have been out every single day and night over the past few weeks however have also been trying to ensure I get my proper rest. When able, I have been getting to bed before 11 with lights out at 11 which I find is my best solution to having a great sleep. I have been following the tips I share in a previous blog 5 Natural Remedies For A Great Sleep http://kevinbradyhealth.ca/http://kevinbradyhealth.ca/5-natural-remedies-for-a-great-sleep//
6.Supplements – As you know from past blogs, I put a lot of emphasis on the right supplements and I have particularly been concentrating on them the last few weeks to ensure I go into the event with strong immunity and with everything firing. As was the case last year, two things I added this year was Rhodiola and also Mito NRG to help replenish my cells and provide mental focus. Also do to the heavy training load I have been adding Glutamine, Tumeric, and Creatine to my daily morning shake as well as taking my regular Magnesium supplements for muscle recovery and sleep.
Wish me luck in the race and hopefully I don’t get Saddle Sores or any injuries this year.
Wishing you a Happy and Healthy day from the airport in Paris, Kev
1 comment
Hi Kevin. Wow. What a story. I can’t imagine putting myself and my body through all of those routines and supplements. I am so glad you know what you are doing and I hope the people that read your blog understand how dedicated you are to your sport. All the best. Marge