So, you want to get on the top step of the podium?
How do you get there?
First you need to be consistent in your training. Your results are the sum of your training.
If you are on a program, stick to the program. It will take at least 3 to 6 months to get the full rewards. Changing from program to program won’t get you anywhere. Effort, consistency and hard work will always get results. There’ll always be room for refinements, learnings along the way, you should be discussing your training program with your coach. You can’t always get your best results every time you train but give it your best effort every time. Enjoy the easy sessions and step up for the hard sessions, enjoy the journey. Remember, top step.
Sleep, you need good quality sleep, 8 to 9 hours, if you are training hard and working or studying. This is certainly worth getting right. Regular sleep pattern will help. Your body needs time to recover and build the gains.
Diet, the fuel for success. Again, be consistent. Higher carbs for races and hard training sessions. Good balanced diet with plenty of colour, fruits and vegetables. It will make a huge difference, fuelling for the big race, starts months before the race. If you want to be on the top step and think your diet isn’t as good as it should be. Go see a dietitian, we work with Marzia at Life + Performance Nutrition and she’s amazing.
Mental approach, hard to win if you don’t believe you can win. Prepare to win/do your best. You might not always win your best races but that’s ok. Learn from it, these are sometimes the races you learn the most from. Positive thoughts, find solutions and believe. If you have done the work, trust in your training and your race plan.
Have a plan, it’s good to fall back on if things start going wrong in a race. Trust your plan and work to it. Plus, it’s makes working out what worked and what didn’t a lot easier. Plans will change from race to race, understanding what didn’t work well, will help you work out what you need to work on during training.
Know you opposition, it’s true that your best race is your best race, but knowing where you need to be strong during a race may change your race plans and preparation before a race.
Breathing during exercise, two of the important organs of the body come into action: the heart and the lungs. The lungs bring oxygen into the body, to provide energy, and remove carbon dioxide, the waste product created when you produce energy. The heart pumps the oxygen to the muscles that are performing the movements for the exercise.
Do you do exercises to improve your breathing? Learn how to use and control your breathing? Why not? The most immediate way to get more oxygen into the body is through more efficient breathing.
Big races often come down to the 1 percent things, find 5-10mins a few times a week to work on breathing exercises, coaches will support you with the right techniques to work on.
It takes a community for a rider to be successful. More soon on bikes, race preparation, clothing and much more. In the meantime, be brave enough to dream.
JR