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How to prepare the days before the race

The days before a competition are very important, let's see together how to get closer to the race of life

Junior women's podium lourdes 2022 dh
Lourdes 2022 dh junior women's podium - @ andyvathis / instagram

We all know that it is very important to train, planning well when loading and unloading. All to get to the competitions in the best possible condition; in fact, my favorite motto is that races are won in the week, not.

How should we behave in the days leading up to the event for which we have joined forces?

This is often the most delicate period; the excitement for the race or the fear of getting tired risk creating the conditions to frustrate months of training.

THERE IS NO SINGLE RECIPE

Let's start from this basic concept; to give targeted advice that allows you to approach an important event in the best possible way, you need to know the person. You need to know what kind of path he has done so far, how much time he devotes, what type of body he has and how strong he is mentally.

This is because any scheme I had to propose would be aseptic without knowing the data described above. So the focus of this article will be to give general guidelines, which can serve to recommend a path.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PSYCHE

Often you get unloaded at the race because too much thought was given to the race in the previous days. Peace of mind is essential to get to the event with fresh mint. This does not mean completely unplugging; it means teaming up with maximum concentration and being aware that Sunday will be an important event. So you need to have some dietary foresight and try to rest a little more, without however making the race become an obsession.

In the case of races where the technical component is very important, it will be good to check the route; avoiding inventing strange passages or lines that may be outside our comfort zone. For these experiments there are the previous weeks, when it is essential to try to raise our performance level.

So let's try to have a concentrated calm attitude.

It may be useful to carry out mental exercises such as autogenic training, reviewing mental schemes that may be useful in the moments preceding the start.

WHAT TO DO FROM A PHYSICAL POINT OF VIEW

The Latins said that virtue lies in the middle. General volumes must be reduced, while maintaining a number of sessions similar to the previous weeks.

There are differences between the different disciplines:

In xc it is important to maintain an optimal organic condition, to work on the threshold and on the rhythm, reducing the volume of works by up to 50%. Differences by athlete can be significant; there are riders who have to slow down a lot and who nevertheless do not stay packed; others, on the other hand, become flooded when the pace drops, so even near the races they need important stimuli. In this case the knowledge of the characteristics and the individual is fundamental and the DNA test can help us. We will discuss this exam in detail later; for now I will limit myself to saying that it is a type of analysis that gives us a very large number of information.

jenny rissveds Capoliveri

In dh often the week before an event also coincides with reconnaissance on foot and tests. This leads us to think that it is important to carry out mobility work to 'loosen up' the body, as well as calls for speed and agility. Exercises that stimulate motor coordination and balance are also good. The psyche also plays a fundamental role; for which the work of meditation or autogenic training is fundamental. In Gravity you have to focus on the most important steps and get to the gate with a well-balanced state of mind. When you play it all in a few minutes, every little detail is strategic; knowing how to control anxiety allows you to face the limitations with the right peace of mind.

Finn Iles lourdes 2022
In DH the mental aspect plays a very important role

In 'enduro the scheme varies according to whether an international or a national competition is being prepared. In the first case, the days preceding the event are dedicated to the tests on foot and then to the race lap; These are very tiring events and it is important to arrive rested above all. Reconnaissance on foot requires unloading and lengthening work. It is often more important to arrive rested and with a good degree of recovery, so the unloading period should begin earlier. In national competitions the approach will be different; often having only the weekend with the tests and the race. In this case it will be possible to insert some work on the speed in the first days of the week; also in this case, exercises on coordination could be useful. The gravity element also in this type of competition plays a decisive role, so the mental approach must be similar to that of DH.

As can be seen from this brief consideration, it is understood that each discipline must respect different rules. There are also some fixed points, which are rest, proper nutrition and a focused but calm approach to the event. Only in this way will it be possible to express oneself to the fullest of one's possibilities.



Written by

[email protected] Mountain bike travel editor and expert. Chiropractor and personal trainer, for years following some of the strongest national interpreters of enduro mtb.

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