This is officially race week for me. Ironman Nice is this Sunday, June 5th. I am anxious to get to it now.
Everyone goes on about tapering; sometimes I hear people talking about 2, 3 and 4 week tapers. That’s a lot, really too much. I think the idea of tapering really started with marathon runners and triathletes just sort of adopted it. I just think you’ve spent all these weeks, months training hard and then you’re going to spend 3 weeks un-training yourself in the logic of feeling fresh race day. Sure, I say the week before do less volume to rest the joints and muscles but your cardiovascular system doesn’t need a rest; it at least needs to be maintained.
I train normally right up until the Monday before Sunday’s race. I do something everyday during race week but nothing long; the goal is to maintain the cardiovascular system and, well, to keep the legs loose. I normally take the Friday before race day off but that Saturday I do an hour bike followed by a 15 min light run.
The rest of the week I keep my feet propped up, I do either some cryotherapy sessions or get a massage and try to eat as well balanced as possible. As I plan to do 4 Ironmans in just 4 months I will be using cryotherapy immediately before and after each race in the hopes of a faster recovery. My morale is up for this race, I feel ready and really I’m itching to get on with it now. That’s a good sign, isn’t it?
Ironwoman for the Ocean 