TroubleShootingfortheUTA

ByWesGibson

Yourtraininghasbeenplannedperfectlyforyourgoals,lifestyleandabilitylevel.Youhavehiteverysessionspotonandhavebeenabletotrainoncourseregularlytakinginthe“insandouts”oftheUTA environment. Your taper has been a perfect mix of rest, recovery and training allowing theadaptationstotakefoot inyourmusclesandyouhavebeensleeping likeababy inthe leaduptoraceday.Youraccommodation isperfect,youeatsuperwell theweekbeforeracedayandat theexpoon the Friday you get through all the lines quickly andwithminimal fuss. Your finalmeal isperfectandyousleepsoundlywakingaround2.5hrbeforethestartgunallowingagoodbreakfastand easy journey to the startwhere you get a park right near the chute. Thewave you are in issurprisinglyeasytogetintoagreatpositionatthestartandyourracegoesrighttoplanfromstarttofinish,eachlegablissfuljourneyacrossthemagnificentBlueMountainsNationalParkculminatingwithyoubackatScenicWorldtolargecrowdofcheeringspectatorsandyoureagersupportgroup.

Reality……….

Itmostlikelywon’thappenlikethisandatsomepointbefore,duringorevenbothyouwillhavetotroubleshootyourwayaroundasituationthathascomeup.Thisispartofanysportbutinmountainrunningandultra-runninginparticularwithbothgreatdistance/timecoveredandtheneedtoutiliselargeamountsofgearthereisalwaysgoingtobevariablesthatarisethatyouhavenotplannedfor,butneedtodealwith.

“PriortoRaceWeek”

1) Don’tPlayCatchUp,EVER-IntheleaduptoanyUTAracethemostcommonproblemthatwilloccur isathletesmissingtrainingforwhateverreason(andtheywillcomeupformostrunners).Itisimportantthatathletesdonotbegintotrytocatchupmissedtrainingortryto“cram”traininginbeforeracedayasthiscanleadtoinjury,burnoutormotivationaldrops.Youarebetter to focuson theplanyouhave inplace,aimtocompleteall futuresessionsandre-thinkthereasonswhyasessionwasmissed.Settingyourtrainingtoarealisticlevelbased on your goals, lifestyle and ability will assist with the consistency required whenpreparingforaUTAraceandavoidmissingsessions.

2) Checkyourgear,properly–yougearisanextensionofyouinUTAandbeingawareofhowitworks,what itscapabilitiesare,how itwearsas timegoesonandso forth isvitalcomeraceday.Intrainingiswhereyouwanttofindthehotspots,tightstraps,blisterpoints,etc.thatwayyoucanpracticewaysaroundtheselittleinconveniencesthatcausesuchgriefinanevent.Byknowingthatyourbladderneedstobefilledinthepacknotoutorthatyouneedto wear a buff under your head light to avoid rubbing will minimise mishaps when theycountandkeepyourmindatpeace.Moretocomeongearinraceweektips.

3) Practiceyourpreaching–youaregoingtoinvestagreatdealintoUTA,andnodoubtyourfamily, friends, colleagues andwider social networking community will know all about it.MakesureyouputouttherealyouandstaytruetotherealreasonswhyyouaretacklingtheUTA,beauthentic,beenthusiasticandbehonest.Thiswillassistinavoidingthingslikerunningtheracebeforeyouhavestartedandhavingloftyambitionsthataren’tmet.Asracedayapproachestherealstateofaffairsisknownbyyouandyoualoneandifyou’repaintingapicturesomewhatdifferenttothisthenyoucouldbesettingyourcrewupforalongerdaythanexpected,thiswillhelpthemsupportyoubetterthroughouttherace.

4) Keepabalance–managingyourlife,running,workandfamilyisvitalintheleaduptoUTA.Thingswillcomeupandsometimesthiswillaffectyourtraining,thisdoesnotmeanithastoaffect yourperformance.Being able to adapt to theextra shift atwork, a child’s birthdayparty or that surprise visit from your extended family by adapting your program aroundtheseeventsisimportant.Yes,youhavekeysessions,yesyouhaveaplanandyesyouhavegoalstomeetandbyallowingflexibility,butnotcompromise,inyourweeklyscheduleyouaremorelikelytoremainincontrolandstayontrack.Beorganised,bepreparedforeventsandmovetheweekaroundifsomethingcomesup,itcouldbethatgreatopportunitytotesttheheadlightforanearlyTuesday4amlongrunorsomethingsimilar.

“RaceWeek”

1) Stockup thebankbalance– it’sno secret that trainingand racing inmountain racesandultraracesplacessignificantdemandonyourbodyandasanathleteyouwillaskyourbodyto handle this stress. The race itself will be a massive withdrawal from the body’s bankbalanceandintheweekleadinguptotheraceyouwillneedtomakesureyouhavestockedup as best you can. Taper time is about replenishment, recovery, adaptation andmentalstrategies. In training youwould have logged hours of running and thiswill need time tosettle into the body’s physiology, a process thatwill be greatly assistedwith a low stressenvironment.You may find it hard to sleep the night before the race, especially after the expo andexcitementyouwouldhavejustsharedwiththousandsofotherrunnersatKCCsoconsiderthedayspriortothisasyourchancetosleep.Sleepin,havenapsandgettobedearly,sleepiswherethebodydoesmostofitsrecoveringandyouwillbenefitfromitraceday.

Eatwellandifyoucaneatsomethingyouarefamiliarwith,especiallythedaybefore.Takeapackedlunchforthetripandevenconsideramealcookedatyouraccommodation(ifyoucan) or something you have tried previously for dinner. I would even recommend havingdinnerpriortoattendingexpotoavoidgettinghungryandeatingsomethingyoumayregretthenextday.Amassage,spaorsomethingsimilarwillalsoassistinrechargingthebatteriesandofferingthebodyalittlerewardpriortotherace.Alsodonotforgettodosomerunningtoallowthemuscles to remain switchedonand ready togoas this is important.Don’t just sit aroundwatchingNetflixorpouringoveryourstats,youhavebeenveryactiveformonthsleadinguptoUTAitwouldbesillytostopcompletelyaweekout!

2) Recheck your gear – this may include using some of it in your runs but it should be afunctional checknot justan “it’shere” check.Make sureyour lightworks,does the sparebatterywork, is yourbladder leaking?Theseare just a fewquestions toaskbut themostimportant question of, does it have a function and it is serving that function should beconsideredwitheverypieceofgearyouhave.Takesparesofthingsyoucan,suchassocks,bladders,bottles,nutrition,hats,etc.andmakesureyouhaveallbasescoveredcomeraceday.

3) Houston,wehaveaproblem–thesearethebigissuesthatcomeupclosetoraceday,thinkbighere.Yourplaneiscancelledorlate,yourroomisdoublebooked,yougetsickandsoon.TheseproblemsarebigtimeandrequiremorethanaFacebookcryforhelp.Youcannotplanfor these things and you shouldn’t,but you can call on those around you tohelp yougetthroughthem.Ifyou’retravellinginterstateorinternationallytaketravelinsurance,haveatleastoneothercontact intheBlueMountainsthatyoucancallon ifyouraccommodationhas“issues”.Ifyouaresick,wellthatbecomesaverytoughonewhereyouwouldneedtobetruetoyourself.Whilethesethingsarerare, theycananddohappenand it’s justhowyouhandleitastohowmuchitimpactsonyourrace.

“RaceDay”

1) PlanB,C,DandZ–anyofthe3distancesatUTAwillhavethepotentialforbestlaidplanstogotowaste.Yougoouttoohardintheexcitement;youdonothandlethestairsacrossthecliffsaswellasyouthoughtyouwouldor it’stougherthanyouexpectedtoday.Thesetypesofthoughtsmightcrossyourmindthroughouttheraceandthatiscompletelynormalbutmakesureyouhaveyourmindpreparedtodealwiththem.Haveplansforwhenthingsaregoingperfectlyandiftheyaresticktoit.Butalsohaveplansforwhentimesaretough,orwhenitrainsorforwhenyourrunningbuddydropsawayorsurgesforwards.Youneedtoplan for an arrayof scenarios in bothdaylight anddarkness, freezing cold frosts to sunnywinterdaysandeverything inbetween.Planningforonescenario isplanningforfailuresohaveyourmainplanandthenabackuportwotomakesureyougettothefinishlineinonepiece.

2) Be mindful and flexible – trouble shooting on race day will generally revolve aroundproblemsbeingfacedbothmentallyand/orphysically.Youmustbemindfultowardsthisanysituation that you are faced with, employ mental strategies, set mini goals, focus oncadence, listen tomusic, the list goeson and itwill help if these arepracticed in trainingpriortotheevent.YourmindcanbeawonderfultooltohelpovercomethetrialsofUTA.

The tip is tobe flexiblewithyourplansomewhatandtoensureyouhaveacrewthatwillgiveyouthesupportyouneedwhenyouneedit,whetherthatbeagentlepushoutoftheCP,anencouragingwordtoboostyourspiritsorhelpwiththatnewpairofsocks.Havingacrew that is aware of what you want from UTA and being both mindful and flexiblethroughouttheeventwillhelpkeepyououtonthetrailsandheadingtowardsthefinish.

3) Havefun–thejourneyisclosetobeingcomplete,youare22,50or100kmfromreachingyour goal set several months earlier. Enjoy it, take the time to appreciate what is thegreatest trail running event in Australia, Ultra-Trail Australia. Smile, chat, laugh, cry,celebrateandmostimportantlyrun!Yes,thingswillcomeupontheday,intheweekbeforeandinyourpreparationthatwillrequireyoutoadapt,butbyacceptingthesechallengesandfinding the best strategy around themyou are sure towalk away fromKatoomba inMayhappyandsatisfied.

AllthebestwiththeUTAeventyouhaveenteredandIlookforwardtosharingsuchanimportantandenjoyableweekendofrunningwithyouand5000othersinMay.

IfyourkeenongettingonboardwithmeoranyoftheothercoachesatUPCoachingemailmewes@upcoaching.com.auorBrendanbrendan@upcoaching.com.au